New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-31
and provided, has run out, and it is my
0uiufOn it can't be did - ---s-..zs :

and provided, has run out, and it is m
I opinion At can't be die" 80
Not long after this it was discovered tina
the Gopher was not at work. Then it cam
out that he was veryill, and that old Fort,
nine was seen to enter his cabin.
Early one frosty morning in the fall 70
lowing, old FOrty-nine Jimmy sat by tn
door Of the only saloon at Hogem. He hel
an old bulldog by tow string, and bot
man and dog were pictures of distress a
they shivered from the keen cold wind tina
came pitching down from the snOw-peak
As approached, the man shivered till hi
teeth chartered, and, clutching at his strin:
looked helplessly over his shoulder at tn
uncomprOmising .barkeeper, who had jus
arisen and opened the door to let out tn
bad Od0rs of his den. The dog shivered, too
and came up and sat down close enough t
receive the sympathetic hand Of old Forty
| nine on his broad bowed head. This ma
was relic and wreck. Nearly twent
tains, interrupted only by periodical sprees
governed in their duration solely by til,
result Of his last 'clean up" had made hin
one of type of men knOWl only to tn
Pacific. irue, he failed to negotiate wit
the savage cinnamon-headed vendor O
poison, but he was no beggar. 1t wa
simply failure to obtain Wall street &C
commodatiOn in a small way. l doubt i
the bristle-ha haired barkeeper himself ques
toned the honesty Of Forty nine 1t wa
merely question of ability to pay, and tn,
decision of the autOcrat had been prompt,
and firmly given against the applicant
Perhaps, in strict justice to the red haired
wretch that washed his tumblers an(
watched ior victims that frosty morning,
should state that appearances were certain
~ against FOrty-nine. 1t is nothing at al
against brave, frugal gold miner, lifting
his heart out Of and over the Sierras to
group awaiting him away in the East, to be
found wearing patches on his clothes, and
even patches on the patches; in fact.
have known many who, coupling quaint
hahor with economy, wore-neatly stitched
on that portion OF q certain garment most
liable to wear and tear when the owner
had ONLY powders and hard benches to sit
upOn-the last week flour sack bearing this
inscription in bold, black letter, Warranted
supertine, 50 lbs" But Forty nine had not
even patch, therefore no flour sack, ergo.
no flour. The most certain sign of the
wreck Of California miner is the absence
OF top boots. When all other signs fail,
this one is infallible. You can with tolera-
BILE certainty, in the placer mines, tell how
miner claim is paying by the condition
and quality of his top boots. Forty-nine
had no boots, only a pair OF slippers i'm
provlsed from "what had been" and be-
tween the top Of these and the leg of his
pantaloons there was no compromise across
the naked, cOld-blue ankles. These siyns.
together with buttOnless blue shirt that
showed his hairy bosom, frigh tful beard,
and hair beneath hat that dropped like a
wllted palm leaf. were the circumstantial
evidences from which Judge Barkeep made
his decision.
have noticed that those who stop. stand
and look longest at the tempting display of
viands i'll cook-shop windows. are those that
have not penny to purchase with. Per
haps there was something of this nature in
old Forty-nine that impelled him to look
again and again over his shOulder-as he
ciutched tighter to the tow-string-at the
headed bottle-washer behind tue
bar at Hogem.
AS stood before this man. he turned his
eyes from the barkeeper and lifted them
helplessly to mine
Charlie is dead"
Charlie who! Who is Charlie ,'''
Charley Godfrey. the gopher, and here
$ his dog" and as he spoke the dog. as if
knowing his masters name. and feeling his
Oss. crouched close to the old mans legs.
A new commoton in Hoge,n Say what
1ou will OF gold, whenever any one shuts
lis eyes and turns forever from it, as if in
Contempt. for day at least, assumes a
majesty proportiOnate with the amount he
las left behind him. and seems to despise.
The coroner, who was candidate for a
higher office, marshaled the leading spirits
It Hogem, and proceeded to the cabin where
he dead man lay. He felt that his reputa-
ion was at stake. and entering the cabin
aid IN solemn voice. In the name of the
aw l take possession OF this premises"
Omp one a rho 1onr u VT 81.
o the coroners political aspirations. called
ut: 80, what hat" The officer was not
dashed, but lowered up till his tall hat
ouched the roof and repeated, In the /
anne OF the law, take possession OF this |
This time there was TO response
+ note of derison. and it was quietly con
eded that the Gopher and all his gold were
/ the hands of the coroner.
Standing there. the jury. under direction
the coroner gave verdict of death
ON general debility" Some one tried to
ring the coroner into contempt again by
terward calling attention 70 the fact that
g had forgotten to swear the Jury: but the
flcer replied - 1t Is not necessary in such
tses by the law made and provided, and
was counted wise and correct.
They bore the body of the last man OF
exican Camp to the graveyard ON the
ii may be a little nearer to heaven
ow odd that nearly all graveyards are on
hill! The places Of chief mourners were
Ven to Forty-nine and the dog. Whether
ese places were given because FOrty-nine
as the only present acquaintance of the
ceased. Or whether the dog quietly as
rted right that no one cared to dispute
not certain. Most likely it was one of
Ose things that naturally and. therefore,
rrectly adjust themselves.
When these bearded men in blue shirts |
sted their burden at the open grave, they
oked at each other, and there was an un-
easant pause. Perhaps they thought of
e Christian burial service in other lands.
d felt that something was wanting. AT
It Forty nine stole up close to the head OF
e grave, hesitated. lifted and laid aside his
SLOUGH hat, and looking straight down
% the earth, said in a low and HELPLESS
~:
Earth to earth, and dust to dust :" hest
ed again. and then continued The
lstard and the clover seed are but lit lie {
ngs. and no one can tell the one from the
Ter; yet bury them in the uttermost parts
the earth and each will bring its kind
rtcct and ul-and-and-man is s
ely more than little eed-and-and-" &
re he broke down utterly. and knelt and J
sed the face of the dead. s
The men looked away for a while, as if
objects in the horizon, and then, without I
king at each other. or breaking silence, c
1ered the unshapely box. caught up the t
ldes. ami found positive relief in heap Il
the grave. L
'hen the coroner. as liz duty bound, or. as i
expressed it, las required by the law t
such cases made and provided di- Y
ted his attention to u search for the
red treasure. S
east powder boxes, oyster cans and sar- v
e boxes, old boots and quicksilver tanks Ii
re carried out to the light and inspected,
hOut results. p
In the straw of the bunk" said the coro- 8
and blankets, bunk and straw were d
ried out to the sun; but not an ounce of
d. To make sure against the intrusion