Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-07-22

BY BRET HARTE.

i 4zO VA fSON1S tUvU1ufAAs
BY BRET HARTE.
We all knew that Mr.. Thompson was
looking for his son, and pretty Dad one at
that That he was coming to California
for this sole object was no secret to his fell
low-passengers; and the physical peculiari-
ties, as well as the moral weaknesses, of the
missing prodisal were made equally plain
to US through the frank volubility of the pa
rent You was speaking of young man
which YVES hung at Red Dog for slulce-rob-
bing,' said Mr.. Thompson to a steerage pass
enger, one day; be you aware of the color
of his eyes p Black responded the pass
enger. 'Ah,' said Mr.. Thompson, referring
to some mental memoranda Charles eyes
was blue He then walked away. Per
haps it was from this unsympathetic mode
of inquiry; perhaps it was from that west
ern predilt c:ion to take humorous view of
any principle or sentiment persistenlly bro t
before them, that Mr.. Thompson's quest Was
the subject Of some satire among the pass
engers. A gratuitous advertisement OF the
missing Charles, addressed to 'Jailers and
GUARDIANS circulated privately among
them everybody remembered to have met
Charles under distressing circumstances.
Yet it is but due to my countrymen TO state
tha, when it was known that Thompson had
embarked some wealth in this visionary pro-
ject, but little Of this satire found its way to
his ears, and nothing was uttered in Ills
hearing that might bring pang to a faith
er's heart, or imperil possible pecuniary
.1y a. tam of ha vIrt Irrn NJ Rra
cy Tlbbe,'s joe, lar proposition to form a
joint.stock company to prospect for the
missing youth, received, at one lime, quite
serious entertainment.
Perhaps, to superficial criticism. Mr..
Thompson's nature was not picturesque nor
ovatle. His history, as impaired at din
ner, one day, by himself, was practical even
in its singularity. After hard and wilful
youth and malurity-in which he had bur.
led a brokeu.spiriled wife, and driven his
son to sea-he suddenly experienced reig-
ion. i gM il in New Orleans in 80, said
Mr.. Thompson, with the general suggestion
of referring to an epidemic. Enter We the
narrer gate. Parse me the beans. Per.
hnps this practical quality upheld him in
his apparently hopeless search. He had no
clue 10 the waereab bouts of his runaway sou
indeed, scarcely proof of his present exis-
,ence. From his indifferent recollection OF
the boy OF twelve, he now expected 10 den
tity the man of twenty five.
1t would seem that he was successful
How he succeeded was one OF the few thugs
he did not tell. There are, believe, two
versions of the story. Oue. that Mr.
Thompson. visiting hospital, d scovered
his son by reason of peculiar hymn, chant.
ed by the sufferer, III delrIous dream OF
his boyhood. This version, giving, as it
did, vide range to the finer feelings Of the
heart, was quite popular and, as told by
Key. Mr.. Gushlngtun, on his return tro,r
his California tour, never failed 10 satisfy
al audience The o,ter was less simple.
aud, AS shall adopt ii here, deserves more
elaboration.
1t was alter Mr.. Thompson had given up
searching tor his son among the lylhg. and
had taken to the examination CT cemeteries,
and a careful inspection Of the cold bic ia
Gets OF the dead At this time be was a
frequent visitor of Lone Mountain'-a
dreary hilltop, bleak enough in its original
isolation, and bleaker for the whitefaced
marbles by which San Franc isco anchored
her departed citizens, aud kept them down
in shifting sand that ref sed 10 cover them,
and against u fierce and persistent wind
that slrove to blow them utterly away.
Against this wind the old man opposed a
will quite as persistent-a grlzzled, hard
lace, and a tall, crape-bOund hat drawn
tightly over his eyes-and SO spent days in
reading the mortuary inscriptions audibly
to himself. The frequency of scrptural
quotation Pleased him, anu he was fond or
corroborating them by pocket Bible
That's from Psalms,' he said one day, to
an adjacent gravedlgger. The man made
no reply. Not at all rebuffed, Mr.. Thoup.
son at once slid down into the open grave,
with more practical inquiry, Did you
ever, in your profession, come across
Charles Thompson p Thompson, bed-d,'
said the grave-digger, with great directness.
(Which il he hadn't religion, think he is,'
responded the old man, as he clambered
out of the grave.
1t was, perhaps, on this occasion, that
Mr.. Thompson stayed later than usual. AS
he turned his face toward the city, lights
were beginning to twinkle ahead, and a
fierce wind, made visible by fog, drove him
forward, or, lying in wait, charged bi.h an
grily from the corners of deserted suburban
streets. 1t was Oh one of these corners tha.
something else, quite us indistnct and ma
levolent. leaped upon him with an oath, a
presented pistol, and demand for money.
But it was met by will of iron and grip
of steel. The assailant and assailed rolled
together on the ground. But the mex, mo-
ment the old man was erect i; one hand
srasping the captured pistol, the other
clutching at arms length The throat of a iig
ure suily, youthful and savage
young man. said Mr.. Thompson, set.
ting his Thin lirs together, what might be
your name?'
Thompson
The old mans hand slid from the throat
to the arm of the prisoner, without relaxing
its frmness.
Charles Thompson, come with me- he
said, presently, aud marched his captive to
| the hotel. What took place there has not
transpired, but it was known the next NOR.
ming that Mr.. Thompson had found his
| son.
1t is proper to add to the above improba.
BILE story, that there was nothing in the
young mans appearance or manners to ius.
| tify it. Grave, ret,cen,, and handsome, de.
voted to his newly found parent, be assum.
ed the emoluments and responsibilities of
his new condition with certain serious ease
that more nearly approached that which
San Francisco society lacked, and-reiect.
ed. Some chose to despise this quality as a
tendency to 'psalm-singng ) others saw in
it the inherited qualities Of the parent, and
were ready to prophesy for the son the same
hard old age. But oil agreed that it was
pot inconsistent with the habits o: money.
getting, for which father and son were re.
spected.