The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-10-07
SHAKES.

Everybody IN ana around Norway
Flat was acquainted with Shakes
Shakes was everyone's favorite, and
laughing-stock. What his
real name was no one on the Flat, ex-
cepting the Postmaster, knew or SEEM
ed at all anxious to ascertain. In out
ward appearance, he was a specimen of
debased humanity. Debauchery was
stamped upon every feature.
1t was deemed rare sight to see him
with clean face. Streaks of gray
forced themselves through the accumu-
lations that chung to his long matted
locks and untrimmed beard. A coarse
blue wooden overshirt, with tattered
sleeves, covered his back, from whence
many doubted whether it had been re-
moved since the day he first put it on,
in Griffin's store, twelve months ago.
His duck pants had completely lost
their original whiteness, and were tuck
ed into a well-worn, much patched pair
of glm-boots. The veritable felt-hat,
worn by him in 80, still maintained its
usual position on the side of his head.
The only change 1t had apparently I'M
dergone since then, was that piece of
crown.
Shakes history, outside of the pre-
cincts of Norway Flat, was wrapped i'll
complete mystery. Even the time of
his arrival III the camp was unknown.
Brown, the proprietor of the "Occi-
deatal"-Norway Flats principal hotel,
drinking and dancing saloon-and also
one of the pioneers of the place, as
serted, ''Shakes hummed around here
when fust rived in 81 1t was gen
orally believed that he hailed from the
state of Maine Shakes, however, was
no Temperance man" himself; to the
contrary, he had earned the unenviable
reputation of being an inveterate
"whishY hummer" No one had known
him to pass a single night on the Flat
. out OF his cups. :" It is true that
these constant imbibings had 50 enfee
bled his system as to cause him to
readily succumb to its influence.
A lonely log-cabin stood on the hill
side. Shakes owned it, and professed
to be its occupant but seldom, if ever,
crossed its threshold The bar-room
of some or other of the numerous
drinking hells was his home; the
floor, a bench, or faro table, was his
bed.
Although a slave to his appetite for
Intoxicating liquor, none of the vendors
on Norway Flat were much the richer
for having Shakes as their customer.
1t was seldom that coin passed from
his hands to the bar keepers drawer
but drink he must have, and somehow
or other he always managed to obtain
it. The manner in which it was OBJ
tanned was but secondary cons1dera-
ton to him. Nothing was too humiliat
ing or too degrading for him to do foI
it. When begging failed, strategy was
Immediately resorted to, and in this he
was invariably successful. He would
enter the saloon, go up to the bar, with
his thumb and foretinger inserted in
his pocket, and address the bar keeper
thus:
81 say, barkeeper, hurry up give
me brandy straight. ,"
The barkeeper would first cast a
glance at the position of the hand, and
then tender the bottle to Shakes, who
would unconcernedly drink, "Here'
luck, " and retire from the counter with
out paying.
"Ho, Shakes."
"Eh?"
HCOme and see me-"
mo, thankee; don't feel like il
now; jest had 'un."
And the barkeeper learned that he
was duped once more, but dared not
attempt to punish his deceiver The
indignation of the entire camp would
most assruedly fall upon the individual
who dared to abuse Shakes. He was
Norway Flats privileged character. y
"Llkes his whisky, | know, but he's
a harmless, good natured old devil for
al that, was the sentiment universally
expressed by the members of that little
mining community.
Inebriate as he was, Shakes was not
indolent. He was always, in sunshine
or rain, engaged in chopping cordwood,
or in irving shakes-long shingles !;
from which latter occupation he recelv-
ed his nickname. The sun rose on
Shakes entering the woods it set upon
him making ''bee-line" for the PONY
Saloon" Firewood was worth SIS a
cord, and shakes SO a thousand, IN
those days on Norway Flat Shakes
always chopped from two to three cord
per day. Three dollars cord he paid
- Billy the boatman for hauling it,
which, of course, considerably dimin-
ishe his earnings; still there was a
good margin left. How it came to pass
that he should always be poor, could
never be satisfactorily explained. His
Of 11rha hn !
g flat broke, was patent to all, and was
Considered another of the mysteries Of
his peculiar life that no one cared to
solve, and accepted unquestioned.
Norway Flat, since the time of its
discovery in 80, has continued to be a
mining camp. The fabu-
ous yield of many OF It's claims had
been reported in the columns of the
leading newspapers of the civilized
world. Numerous opportunities had
been offered Shakes to become the
oossessor of ground of a promising
subsequently proving rich.
Mining, however, possessed no attrac-
lions for him. There existed no affinity
between his nature and the excitement
If the average gold miners life. He
lever owned a foot of mining ground,
: and didn't intend to, " he was accus-
omed to say; q go fur the sure
hing"
Even when the Makeup Jake Com
,any struck a two-ounces- to-the pan
Shakes declined stalking off
he adjoining ground, then vacant, and
Ipon which he was at the & ire chep,
ing wood. That same piece of ground
fterward proved the richest spot on
no vrhnta Mat ,,oorl1- 900 I,o