Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-12-09
Thrilling California Incident in 1S49.

lhr1lIlDg Ca1IIOTuib InClucut III iofv'
Spindle was new arrival. The camp,
with customary propriety, had dubbed
him thus because he was so slim. On
the same principle, his awkwardness
soon gave him notoriety. Nor this only;
like One-eycd Tom, Spindle had made
one Of the happiest hits OF the day.
Young, passionate, elated beyond de
gree with the splendor of his prospects,
Il was no surprise that he should court
the favor of the pale-faced gamblers
who were the aristocrats Of the camp.
II was no wonder that they should dis
cover his weakness and determine to
"salt" him. Play? No, no; Spindle
did not play; he only came in to watch
the game: it was tireSomc, sitting there
in the tent alone. CRY it; double
your stake on 'threes,' triple it on
full" said a pleasant faced fellow,
who was Just raking in hundred slugs
or more. Spindle was inclined to listen.
Tell YOU what you do said the gam
bier, continuing: ago me halves for an
hour. and see how you come out.
spindle did so. At the end of the hour
he had won "stake" of several thou
sand dollars Spindle was fascinated.
81 will double this tomorrow night.
said he. mentally, as he left the gam
blers' tent He doubled it. 'This must
be triplcd," SAID Spindle, as lie sought
the tent again, two nights atterward.
1t was trpled. "Spindle means to
break or be broken" said the by
ISLANDERS, one night about a week after
his original venture. Look at the
dust he is betting" He is, indeed,
betting heavily. The rattlesnake has
charmed him. Bet after bet, till the
winnings of thesweek have left him;
bet after bet. till its earnings are also
sone-till the last " slug is up, and he
has but simple "sight" for it. Woe
to him, for he wins The tide is flood
ing again, and Spindle is even. Safe,
safe." he remarks, betting a hundred
"slurs" as a "blind," on the strength
of his confidence. One by one the cards
90 round to the players. Spindle does
not look at his, but gathers them under
his hand on the table. 81 see your
blind and go you hundred better
It was :. Eagle-nose y who spoke -
"Eagle-nose, the lucky" spindle looks
at his cards. He has a tirst-class hand
four queens and king; four aces only
will beat him. Eagle-nose can have but
three of these, for he saw one of them
on the bottom of the pack, as the gam
bier laid the cards on the table; the
gambler meant that he should see it:
al see your bet and raise you hundred
better" responded Spindle. Eagle-noSe
is uncertain He looks wistfully at the
gold, furtively at his antagonist, and
very carefully at the cards in his hand.
ale waits, he weakens," says Spindle
to himself. a thought he was bluff
ing" Spindle does not see the smile
on the face of the bystander back OF
the gambler, or he would think differ
entity. Rising from the rough stool on
which he sits, Eagle-nose steps back i'll
the tent and opens strong wooden
chest. Two bags of dust are taken from
it, and the gambler staggers under the
heavy load, as he brings it toward the
table. Spindle sees $4,000 mark on
each of them. Bet you them ere
things" says Eagle-nose, as he lays the
two bags with the other gold. 1t is now
Spindle's turn to hesitate. Can it he
that he has the other ace? No, he will
not think it; but what shall he do?
He has not money enough on hand TO
"call" him. He does not wish to do
this; it would be cowardly. "Ia,'
SAYS Spindle, " | have it now; will bet
my claim and the Few thousands
have left against his pile, if it only be
large enough" This to himself Then
10 Eagle-nose. What's your pile?"
"There are five more bags in the chest"
said the gambler, quietly; 'what do
YOU do?" "Bet my claim against your
pile" said Spindle, intensely excited.
The bet was taken. Spindle threw his
cards on the table with halfparalyzed
motion, and face winter than the tent
above him-f four queens and a king.
Eagle-nose filed his Off, one by one
three aces, a king, and an ace. Not a
word was spoken by either. Spindle
could not have spoken, and Eagle-nose
had no reason for so doing. A few
minutes afterward the ruined miner
staggered blindly to the door OF the
tent, passed out into the moonlight and
the game went on as ever.
Half an hour later Spindle sat in his
tent alone. Before him was the picture
of fair, sweet face, that had won his
love but a few years back. Nobody
sees him weep while he watches the
play Of light in its eloquent eyes. You
could step in, and step heavily, too,
without startling him. He is lost in
reproachtul thought, leading down t,
despair All that he had hoped to do
has vanished. Last night, rich in gold !;
H.: =: aht I, hantrnnt WHY should he
i've? he can hear the roar OF the
Yuba as it tumbles over The cliff only a
mile above him. He steps out into the
open air; the cataract giimmers in the
distance, and the sound of its waters
Soothes and tasclnates him. Nobody
Will miss him why should he hesitate !?
He moves toward it with eager bound
and determined purpose. Up the rocky
hill-up, up, up, TIL he stands on the
edge of the precipice, fan above the fall
He looks at the white tents IN the dis
lance, hate is blazoned on every one Of
them. He looks at the white spray. tar,
far below him; a hundred phanioms
beseech him to come to them. A pause,
for an instant only; whispered Some.s
thlng-was 1t a prayer? A quick. terri.
BILE leap-then the same soft moonlight
as before, on The flower clad hills around.
on the white tents of the sleeping camp.
and on the whittier face of the cataract.
From Roses Bor,' in the Nopembey
Operla'd Mo,thW.
Track Across the Ocean.
The frequency of collisions at sea in
the course usually followed by vessel,