Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-07
A CALIFORNIA ADyEyrVRE.


buildings and wound among the chaparrai COW
cred spurs below. Considerable crops of grain
had been gathered into a corral, and a number
~ ;In we're guls s sIos aes with
whole place Lad an air of suspicious, mock re-
pose. Riding into the open square, 1 saw that
one OF the buildings was store, aad to this /
rode, tying kaweah TO the piazza post.
I thought the whole world slumbered when /
leheld the sole occupant OF this country store a
red-faeed man in pantaloons and shirt, who Law
on bis back upon a counter fast asleep, the
Eandle of a revolver grasped i'm his right hand
IL seemed 10 me II / were TO wake him NJ "A
little too suddenly he might misunderstood my
presence and do some accidental damage; 50
stepped back and pOked kaweah, making him
jump and CHATTER his hoofs. and at once the pro-
rrietof sprung To the door, looking huttered and
Uneasy.
asked him If he could accommodate me for
The afternoon and night, and take care OF my
hOIse 10 which lie replied. in very leisurely
manner. that there was a bed, and something to
eat, and hay. and that If was inclined to take
tie chances. | might stay.
Being in mind TO take the chances, did stay,
and my host walked out with me to the corral,
and showed ME where to get kaweah's hay and
grain
] loafed about for hour or two. finding that
a Chinese cook was the only Osher human being
in sight, and then concluded to pump the land
lord. A half-hOur's trial thOrOu ghly disguised
me, and gave il up as bal job. Ibid, how
ever, learn that he was a man OF southern birth
of considerable education, which a brutal life
D.
liteTate. He seemed 10 care very little for his
business, which indeed was small enough for
during the time i spent there not "A single Gus
toner made his appearance. The stock OF goods
i observed on examination to be chiefly firearms,
every manner of gambling apparatus and
liquors; the few pieces OF stufis, barrels and
boxes of groceries appeared to be disposed rather
Tor ornament than for actual sale.
From each of the mans trousers pockets pro-
uuded the handle of a Derringer, and behind
his counter were arranged in convenient position
two or three double barreled shot-guns.
L remarked to him that he seemed to have a
handiiy arranged arsenal, at which he regarded
me with a cool, quiet stare, polished the handle
OF one of his Derringers upon his trousers, ex-
amined the percussion cap with great delibera-
ton, and then, with a nod OF the head, intended
TO convey great force, said, ''You don't live in
these parts.'-A fact for which felt not un-
thankful.
The man drank brandy freely and often. and
at intervals of about half an hour called TO his
side plethOric old cat named .'Gospel," stroked
her with nervous rapidity, swearing at the same
time in so distract and unconscious a manner
that he seemed mechanically talking to himself.
Whoever has travelled on the west coast has
not failed to notice the fearful volleys of oat,ls
which the oxen drivers hurl at their teams, but
for ingenious flights of fancy profanity have
never met the equal of my host. With the most
perfect good nature and unmoved countenance
he uttered fiorid blasphemies, which, 1 think,
must have taken hours TO invent / was glad
when bedtime came, to be relieved of his pres
ence, and especially pleased when he took me to
the little separate building, in which was a mar
row single bed Next this building ON the left
the right lay his own sleeping apartment. Di-
rectly across the square, aud not more than 60
feet of, was the gate OF the corral, which, when
moved, creaked Oh its rusty hinges in the most
dismal manner.
AS / Law upon my bed 1 could hear Kaweah
occasionally stamp; the snoring OF the Chinaman
OF my host and his squaw on the other. felt no
inclination to sleep, but lay there in half doze
quite conscious, vet withdrawn from the present.
think it must have been about IL O'Clock
when heard the CHATTER of couple OF horsemen,
who galloped up to nv hosts building and
spIang 10 the ground, their Spanish spurs ring
ing on the stone. sat up in bed, grasped my
pistol and listened. The peach tree next nv
window TustleI. The horses moved about so
restlesSly that heard but little OF the conversa-
ton, but that little found OF personal interest
TO myself.
give, as nearly as can remember the frar.
ments OF dialogue between NV host and the man
whom l recognized as the elder of my two rob-
bers-
when did he Gomez
WAL, the sun might have been about four
hours"
Has his horse give out??''
/ failed to hear the answer, but was TEMPTED
TO shout out. mol"
GRAY coat. buckskin brooches" INV dress
''Going to MaripOsa at seven in the morning Z"
. 1 guess wouldn't round here
A low, muttered soliioquy in Spanish wound
up 18th grOwl.
a. No, Antoine, not within mile of the place"
- Starbuen.-
tence got but one word, =. buckshot."
The Spaniards mounted, and the sound of
their spurs and horses hoofs soon died away in
the north. and i Law for half an hour revolving
all sorts OF plans. The safest course seemed 10
be to slip out in the darkness and fly on foot to
the mountains, abandoning my good Keweah:
but thought OF his noble run, and it seemed to
me 30 wrong TO turn my back on him that re-
solved To unite our fate. L rose cautiously, and.
holding my watch up TO the moon, found that II
o'clock had just passed; then taking from my
pocket fve-dollar gold piece, L laid il upon the
stand by INV bed, and in my stocking feet with
my clothes in my hands, started noselessly for
the corral. A fierce bulldog, who had shown no
disposition TO make friends with me, bounded
ire the open door of the proprietor TO nv side
Instead OF tearing me, as L had expected, he
licked my hands and tawned about nv feet
Reaching the corral gate. dreaded opening
II, at once, remembering the rusty hinges, So
hung my clothes upon an upper bar OF the fence,
and, cautiously lifting the latch, began to push
back the gate, inch by inch, an operation which
up to kaweah and patted him. His manger was
empty: he had picked up the last kernel Of bar
ley. The creatures manner was full of curl
osity, as If he had never been approached in
The night before. SURPRISING his ordinary
whinnying, he preserved mOtionless, statue
like silence. was in terror lest by a neigh, or
some nervous movement, he should awaken the
sleeping proprietor and expose my plan.
The corral and the open square were half COW
cred with loose stones, and when / thought of
the clatter of kaweah's shoes experienced a
feeling Of trouble, and again meditated running
of on foot, until the idea struck me OF muffiing
the iron feet. Ordinarily kaweah would not
allow me TO lift his fOre-feet at all. The two
blacksmith who shod him had done SO at the
peril of their lives, and whenever L had at
tempted to pick up his hind feet he had warned
me away by dangerous STAMPS; 80 | approached
him very tinlidy, and was surprised to lind that
he allowed me TO lift all four of his feet without
the slightest objection. As i stopped down he
nOsed me over, and nibbled playfuly at my hat
In constant dread lest he should make some
Ioise, hurried to muffie his fore feet with INV
trousers and shirt, and then, with rather more
care, to tie upon his hind feet my coat and
drawers.
knowing nothing Of the country ahead of me,
and fearing that might again have To run for
IL, / determined at all cost 20 water him. Cropping
about the corral and barn, and at last finding a
bucket, and desce ndng through the darkness to
the stream, brought him a full draught, which
he swallowed eagerly, when tied my shoes on
the saddled-pommel, and led the hOr Sc slowly out
OF the corral gate, holding him firmly by the bit
and feeling his nervous breath pour out upon my
hand.
When we had walked perhaps quarter of a
mile, stopped and listened. All quiet, the
landscape lying bright and distinct in full moon
light. i unbound the wrappings, shook from
them as much dust as possible, dressed myself,
and then mounting, started northward ON the
Mariposa trail with cooked pistol.
In the soft dust We Travelled Doislessly for m lie