Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-13
A CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

lhlkuI VI u uuHlD'l VI
grouped about central open space A
small stream flowed by the outbuildings
and wound among the chapparelcoverod
spurs below Considerable crops OF
grain had been gathered into corral,
and a number OF horses were quietly
straying about. Yet with all the evil
dences Of considerable possessions, the
whole place had an air Of suspicious
mock fepose.l Riding into an open
square, | saw that one of the buildings
was store. and to this ! rode, tying
Kaweah TO the piazza post.
! thought the whole world slumbered
when beheld the sole occupant of this
country store, red faced man in panta-
looms and shirt who lay on his back
upona q counter fast asleep, the handle
OF revolver grasped in his right hand
1t seemed to me il ! we're to wake him
up q little too suddenly he might misun-
derstand my presence and do some ac-
cidental damage; SO | stepped back and
poked Kaweah, making him jump and
clatter his hoofs, and at once the pro-
prietor sprhng to the door, looking fius-
tered and uneasy.
asked him if he could accommodate
me for the afternoon and night, and take
care of my horse; to which he replied in
a very leisurely manner that there was a
bed, and something to eat and hay, and
that il was inclined to take the chances
! might stay. ......,., ~
Being in mind 10 take the chances, !
did stay and my host walked out with
me to the corral, and showed me where
to get Kaweahs hay and grain,
] loafed about for an, hour or two,
finding that a Chinese cook was the
only other human being in sight and
then concluded 10 pump the landlord.
A half hours trial thoroughly disgnsted
me, and | gave it up as bad job. j
did, however, learn that he was man
of Southern BIRTH of considerable edu-
cation, which brutal life and depraved
mind had not suificed fully to obliterate.
He seemed to care very little for his bus
iness, which indeed was small enough,
for during the time spent there not a
single customer made his appearance.
The stock of goods observed on exam
ination to be chiefly firearms, every
manner of gambling apparatus and liq-
uors; the few pieces OF stutfs, barrels
and boxes of groceries appeared to be
disposed rather for ornament than for
actual sale.
From each of the man trousers pock-
cts protruded the handle of derringer,
and behind his counter were arranged in
convenient position two or three double
barreled shot-guns.
remarked to him that he seemed to
have a,pretty handily arranged arsenal,
at which he regarded me with cool,
quiet stare, polished the handle of one
of his derringeFs upon his trousers, ex-
amined the percussion cap with great
deliberatiOn, and then with a nod of the
head, inte nded to convey great force,
said: ''Yon don't live in these parts, "a
fact for which felt not unthankful.
The man drank brandy freel y and
often, at intervals Of about half an hour.
He called to his side plethoric old cat
named Gospel stroked her with nerv-
GUS rapidity, swearing at the same time
in so distrait and unconscious a manner
that he seemed mechanically talking 10
himself .l.la4fJ.yst
Whoever has travelled on the west
coast has not failed TO notice the fearful
olleys of oaths which the oxen drivers
h,lrl at their teams; but for ingenious
fla hts Of fancy profanity ! have never
met the equal Of my host With the
mos perfect good nature and uumoved
coun tenance he uttered horid blasph.s-
mics, which, l think, must have taken
hours to invent. | was glad when bed
time came, to be relieved on his presence,
and especially pleased when hu took me
to the little separate building 10 which
was q narrow single bed. Next TO this
building on the left was the cook-honse
and diniug-room, and upon the right lay
his own sleeping apartments. Directly
across the square, and not more than
sixty rect of, was the gate Of the corral,
which, when moved, creaked on its rusty
hinges in a most dismal manner
AS. | lay upon my bed l could hear
Kaweah occasionally stamp, the snoring
OF the Chinaman on one side, and the
low, mumbed conversation of my host
and his squaw on the other. felt no
inclination to sleep but lay there in
half doze, quite conscious, yet withdrawn
from the present.
| think it must have been about eleven
o clock when / heard the elatter Of Il
couple of horsemen, who galoped up to
my hosts building and sprang to the
ground, their Spanish spurs ringing Gu
the stone sat up in bed, grasped my
pistol, and listened. The peach tree
next my window rustIed The horses
moved about SO restlessly that J, heard !
but little Of the conversation. but that
little found ofpersonal interest to myself
| give, as near as can remember, the
fragments of dialogue between my bost
and the man whom ! recognized as the
elder of'my two robbers. F
When did he Gomez
Wall. the sun might have been about |
fonr hours"
Has his horse give out?"
failed to hear the answer, bUt was
to shouFuut" MOI
" Gray coat, buckskin breeches. my |
dress
Going to Mariposa at seven ip the
''a fAeAi Hi'+iH
guess wouldn't round here}
A low, muttered soliloquy in Spanish |
wound up with growl
No, Antoine, not within mile Of
the place"
''Sta buen."
Out Of the compressed tumble of the
final sentence | got but the one word,
" buckshot -
The Spaniards mounted, and the
sound Of their spurs and horses hoofs
soon died away in the north, and | lay
for hall an hour revolving all sorts of
plans. The safest course seemed to be
to slip out in the darkness, and fly on
foot 10 the mountains, abandoning my
good kaweah; bat Thought Of his noble
run, and it seemed to me so wrong to
turn my back on him, that l resolved to
unite our fate rose cautiously, and,
holding my watch up to the moon,
found that twelve o'clock had just
passed, then taking from my pocket a
five dollar gold piece, laid It upon the
stand by my bed, and in my stocking
feet, with. my clothes in my hands,
started noiselessly for the corral. A
fierce bulldog, who had shown no dis
position to make friends with me. bounded
from the open door Of the proprietor 70
ny side Instead Of tearing me. as. /
hal expectedl he licked nv hands and