The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-09-09
Mistellalleuus.
"THE LUCK OF ROARING CAMP"
Rough Life in the Mines.

There was commOtion in NOarlng
Camp. 1t could not have been fight,
for in 1850 that was not novel enough
to call together the entire settlement.
The bitches and claims were not only
deserted, but "Tuttle's" grocery had
contributed its gamblers, who, it will
be remembered, calmly continued their
game the day that French Pete and
Kanaka Joe shot each other to death
over the bar in the front room. The
whole camp was collected before rude
cabin on the outer edge of the clearing.
Converse tion was carried on in a low
tone, but the name of a woman was
frequently repeated. 1t was a name
familiar enough in the camp: "Chero'
kee SAL"
Perhaps the less said of her the bet.
ter. She was coarse, and 1t is to be
feared, very sinful woman. But at
that time she was the only woman in
Roaring Camp, and was just then lying
in sore extremity when she most need.
ed the ministration of her own sex. Dis
solute, abandoned and irreclaimable,
she was yet suffering martyrdom-
hard enough to bear even in the seclu-
sion and sexual sympathy with which
custom wells it-but now terrible in her
loneliness. The primal curse had come
to her in that original isolation which
must have made the punishment Of the
first transgression SO dreadful. 1t was,
perhaps, part of the expiation of her
sin, that at moment when she most
lacked her sex's intuitive sympathy and
ca re, she met only the half contemptu-
Gus fac ces of masculine associates. Yet
ka few of these spectators We're, think,
tou ched by her sufferings. Sandy Tip
ton thought it was trough on Sal, "and
in the contemplation of her condition
for a moment rose superior to the fact
that he had an ace and two bowers in
| his sleeve.
1t will be seen, also, that the situation
was novel. Deaths were by no means
uncommon in Roaring Camp. But a
birth was new thing. People had been
dism Used the camp effectually, finally,
and with no po ssibility of return, but
this was the first time that anybody
had been introduced al inRio. Hence
the excitement.
"You 60 in there, Stumpy," said q
prominent citizen known as 'Kentuck;'
addressing one of the loungers "Gc
in there and see what you kin do. You'y
had experience in such things"
Perhaps there was fitness in the Sc
lection. Stumpy, in other climes, had
been the putative head of two families
in fact it was owing to some legal in
form ality in these proceedings thai
Roaring Camp-a city of refuge-was
indebted to his company. The crowd
approved the choice, and Stumpy was
wise enough to bow to the majority
The door closed on the eXtempore sur
geon and midwife, and Roaring Caml
sat down outside, smoked its pipe, anC
awaited the issue.
The assemblage numbered about /
hundred men. One or two of thest
were actual fugitives from Justice, somt
were criminal, and all were reckless
Physically, they exhibited no indica
tions of their past lives and character
The greatest scamp had Raphall fac,
with Ii profusion of blonde hair; Oak
hurst, a gambler, had melancholy all
and intellectual abstraction of Ham
let; the coolest and most courageou
man was scarcely over five feet il
height, with q soft voice and an embar
rassed, timid manner. The tern
"roughs," applied to them, was dis
tinction rather than definition. Per
haps in the minor details of fingers
toes, ears, etc., the camp may have bee
deficient, but these slight omissions di
not detract from their aggregate force
The strongest man had but three fin
gers on his right hand; the best sho
had but one eye.
Such was the physical aspect of tn
men that were dispersed around tn
cabin. The camp lay in triangula
valley, between two hills and a rivel
The only outlet was a steep trail owe
s the summit Of hill that faced the cal
in now illuminated by the rising moor
The suffering woman might have see
= it from the rude bunk whereon she la
seen it winding like a silver threa
until it was lost in the stars above.
A fire of withered pine boughs adde
sociability to the gathering. BY d
grees the natural levity of Roarin
of Camp returned. Bets We're freely ofie
4. ed and taken regarding the resul
e e Three to five that 'Sal would get throug
A. with it," even that the child woul
survive; and side bets as to the sex al
u complexion Of the coming stranger
- the midst of an exciting discussion,
q ex clamation came from those neare
III the door, and the camp stood TO liste