The union Democrat., 1871-11-25
NUMBER %.
a Caeerfal Mining Town.


The following extract. tslen vs,b.,,,,
from private letter, dated Phoebe. Nevada
will, it is feared, tend to create preiudics
against that calm retreat
Phoebe is the county seat Of Lincoln eoun.v
a mining camp year old. It's on the great
American Desert, ana situated between bare
mountains, looking over bare dry plain.
Water has to be brought eight miles bv wac.
on, aud is sold at six cents per gallon. There
are about /, zoo people here, the half of whom
have been in the State Prison tstage and
/ highway robbers, etc. and the rest ought to
be. Our graveyard has graves, of which but
two are filled by death from natural causes,
The rest died with their boots on. Shot most
/ ly; some cut. One shooting scrape took
place in the bank in which Mike Casey kill
ed Gossin, after receiving Gossn's fire. There
is no law. Any one feeling aggrieved seeks
redress generally with his pistol. It's been
a close game with me several timea got
cut IN the leg once, but am here vet. /
sleep with big bull dog, a Henry rifle and
q slx-shooter. The mines (silverl employ
about QUO men, about loo are in business.
and the rest are blaekguards of the worst
kind-cattle thieves, renegade Mormons. and
men who were banished from society by their
crimes, and ready for anything. Ii is $50
miles to railroad or telegraph we have three
stages week and one mail. I've done very
well here, and would have made some money,
but two of my partners in claim were kill
ed, and | can't go on alone. My life has
been attempted twice by the party who killed
my partners. don 'tallow any man to scare
me if | can have show but when it gets
down to cases where you dare not sit by a
window or by an open door after dark, It's
time to Jump the game. If ever / get back
to California l think I'll stay there; anyway,
| have got enough of this kind of living. I'm
tired Of packing six-shooter around night
and dav.
But it isn't as hopeless as it seens-the fu-
ture of this placid little village, for in few
weeks oil the natives will be disposed Of
'shot mostly some cut'-and then virtuous
new settlers can begin the settlement again.
TAKING THINGS WITHOUT AsKING.-When
was boy, was playing out in the street
one winters day, catching rides on sleighs,
and 1t was great fun. Boys would rather
catch rides any day than regularly and prop
eriy to take drive. As l was catching OH
to one sleigh and to another, sometimes hav-
ing nice time, and olt-times getting cut
from big black whip, at last fastened like
% pnAhdSlS W man \ cutter.
An old gentleman sat alone on the scat.
and ne looked at me rather benignantly, as 1
thought, and neither said anything to me, nor
swung his old whip over me so ventured
to climb upon the side of his cutter. Another
benignant look from the countryman, but not
word. Emboldened by his supposed good
ness, | ventured to tumble into the cutter
and take a seat under the warm buffalo robe
beside him, and then he spoke. The colo.
guy was as follows:
" Young man, do you like to ride ?"
Yes"
It's pretty nice cutter, isn't it?"
Yes, sir, it is, and nice horse drawing
g Did ask you to get in ?"
No, SIR"
" Well, then, why did you get in |"
Well, sir, II thought you looked so
good and kind that you would have no OBJ
lection"
And so, young man, because you thought
was good and kind, you took advantage Of
that kindness, and took favor without ask
ing for it ?"
Yes, SIR"
" Is that ride worth having ?"
Yes, SIR"
Well, now, young man, l want to tel!
you two things. You should never take
mean advantage of the kindness of others
and what is worth having, is worth at least
asking for. Now as you tumbled into this
sleig ID without asking me, | shall tumble you
out into that snow-drift without asking you."
And out | went, like a shot off shovel,
and he didn't make much fuss about either.
picked myself up In slightly bewildered
state, but | never forgot that lesson