The Placer herald., 1871-06-03
some Cf the Boys"

layed IN costly clotnes, out remarkably
outre in style, color or texture. His boots
are rather too small, and they pinch his feet
so that he walks with cramped gait.
Should he die with them on-and the pre-
sentiment occasionally obtrudes itself-they
will likely be found brilliantly polished. His
hat tilts over his nose, owing to protuber-
ant bump of sef-esteem, and, though his
countenance is repulsive and his physique in
significant, he plumes himself on his shape,
and he manages to smirk and wriggle him
self into the grace of some shalowpated
bona robaton whom to sponge. Whether
he loafs on the corner or saunters arJund
the block, his busy eyes scrutinize each
passing face as though he were in quest of
prey. His time is spent between the card
room, bar-room, brothel, and street-comcr;
these four cardinal points furnish all of his
topics. Disdaining to be hampered by any
rules, and totally Ignoring grammatical pro-
priety, he is fluent in slang, and garnishes
each sentence with an oath. IN his opinions,
which are never original, he is dogmatical,
clamorous and stubborn, cnchng his argu-
ment with "lll bet you" lie is narrow
minded and ignorant, but persevering, self
reliant, cunning and cheeky, and pushing
ahead rough shod, he not seldom exchanges
his brass for gold. When "fat broke he
will whine and cringe to wheedle some one
out of trihing favor; but when luck rend-
ers him financially easy, he fails to notice
his impecunlous acquaintances, and, like all
blind men, holds his head high. He, of
course, has sympathy with those of proclivi-
ties like his own and readily allilates with
them, but as his friendship is bounded by
the lines of self-nterest, he is true or recr =
ant as convenience requires. Yet, as in
Union there is strength, he is seldom to be
found without his hackers. lie is in need
of them, for he is rancorous and treachersus !;
prone to take advantage; and, when prompt
ed by avarice, lust or malice, to take life
Then these hackers of his might spirit him
away or swear him through the meshes of
the law. Should he kill his man and "get
away with it, !" he at once assumes an air of
superiority, and, though his department con-
tinues demure and yielding" toward the
''iellow that is on it., his bent is to hector
the submissive and n-combatant--to strut
fume and rant, splitting omnious hints of
desperate deeds, and giving pungency and
force to "say" by intermittent allusion to
the knife and pistol. All this he considers
entities him to the privilege of little "black
mail, and therefore he exacts it on every
favorable occasion, lie is more devoted to
Mammon than to Venus or Bacchus yet,
when flushed with success, he spends his
money-if with poor discrimination with
an open hand; and then in turns makes avar
i.a 70 l,ct t1,o,
active at the time. Rich to-day and poor
tomorrow, it is always feast or famine
with him. lie is simply medium for cir
culating mems money, for no more than one
in hundred of this class retains of the cash
he manipulates enough to bury him when
dead. A non-producer-a parasite on So
ciety, dependent on the passion and vices OF
mankind-like the fly, changed from the
crawling maggot in the putrid mass to fattcn
on fecal fare and buzz and poster while the
sunshine lasts-his life, whether useless or
not, is a daring, intrusive, and decidedly an
annoying one. His motives all bottom on
sensuous qualifications; but tumultuous
passions leave his mind insensible to ordinary
amusements; and amidst popular rcJoicings
he remains emotionless, grave, gloomy. His
appetites satiated-his propensities pervert-
ed-his feelings blunted-a stranger to the
amenities of domestic life, and regardless of
law, religion, Or decorum, he strolls the
country.
Late hours, sedentary habits, impure air,
rampant passions and wanton desires have a
conjoined effect; and if he escapes the knife
and bullet, threaten him with consumption,
or some more loathsome disease. And at
last when he has passed away, no eyes
moisten for him; no eulogzing voice is heard
no flowers are scattered on his grave-but
black oblivion mngles with the earth that
covers him S. f. Chronicle.