Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-19

templated.
A California Adventure.
Toward the late afternoon, trotting down
gentle forest slope, came in sight of a number
of rancho buildings, grouped about a central
open space. A small stream flowed by the ont
buildings and wound among chaparral-covered
spurs below. Considerable crops of grain had
| been gathered into a corral, and number of
| horses were quietly straying about. Yet with
all the evidences of considerable possessions, the
| whole place had an air Of suspicious mock re-
| pose. Riding into the open square, saw that
| one of the buildings was a 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 pantaoOns and shirt, who lay
| on his back upon a counter fast asleep the ham
| die of a revolver grasped in his right hand 1t
seemed to me if | were to wake him up a little
too suddenly he might mi.understand my pres
ence and do some accidental damage; so
stepped back and poled Kaweah, making him
jump and clatter his hOOfs, and at once the pro-
prietor sprung to the door, looking fiuStered and
uneasy.
l asked him if he could accommodate me for
the afternoon and night, and take care of nv
horse; TO which he replied, in a very leisurey
| manner, that there was bed and something TO
| eat, and hay and that if ! was inclined to take
| the chances, | might stay.
| Being in mind to take the chances did stav,
and showed me where to get Kaweah's hay and
grain.
| loafed about for an hour or two, finding
that Chinese cook was the only other human
being in sight, and then concluded TO pump the
landlord. A half-hour's trial thoroughly dis
gusted Ine, and gave it up as bad job did,
| however, learn that he man of southern
| birth, of considerable education, which brutal
life aud depraved mind had not sufficed fully to
| oblterate. He seemed TO care very little for his
| business, which indeed was small enough for
| during the time l spent there not a single Gus
| toner made his appearance. The stock of
goods observed on examination TO be chiefly
firearms, every manner of gambling apparatus
and liquors; the few pieces of stuffs, barrels
and boxes of groceries appeared to be disposed
rather for ornament than for actual sale.
From each of the mans trousers pockets pro-
truded the handle of a Deuinger, and behind
his counter were arranged in convenient posi-
ton two or three doublebarreled shot-guns
l remarked to him that he seemed to have a
handily 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 nod of the head intended
to convey great force, said, you don't live in
these parts, "a fact for which | felt not I'M
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, ;" sroked
her with nervous rapidly, swearing at the same
time in so dstrait and unconscious manner
that he seemed mechanically talking to him
self.
Whoever has Travelled on the west coast has
not failed to notice the fearful YolIevs of oaths
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 unmoyed countenance
he uttered flOlid basphemies, which, | 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
was the cOOk-house and dining roOm and upon
the right lay his own sleeping apartment D-
rectly across the square, and not more than
sixty feet off, was the gate of the corral which
when moved, creaied on its rusty hinges in the
most dismal manner.
As lay upon my bed | could hear Kaweah
occasionally stamp; the snoring of the China.
man on one sd,, and the low, mumbled CONVEX
satiOn of my host and his squaw ON the other
| felt no inclination to Sleep but lay there in a
half dOze, quite conscious, yet withdrawn from
the present
think it must have been about eleven O'Clock
when heard the chatter of a couple of horse
men, who galloped up 10 my hosts building and
sprang TO the ground, their Spanish spurs ring.
Ing on the stone. | sat up in bed, gTasped my
pistol, and listened. The peach tree next nv
window ruStled. The horses moved about so
restlessy that heard but little of the converse.
non, but that little found of personal interest
to myself,
give, rs nearly as can remember, tbe frop.
ments of dialogue between my host and the man
whom recognized as the elder of my two rob
bers.
'When did he come2'
oval, the sun might have been about four
hours"
"Has his horse give outp
failed to hear the answer, but was tempted
to shout out, "NOP'
Gray coat, buckskin breeches" (My dress.O
"Going to Mariposa at seven in the morning
81 guess | wouldn't, round here"
A low, muttered sOlilOquy in Spanish wound
up with a 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 Spauiards mounted, and the sound of
their spurs and horses hoofs soon died away in
the north, and | lay for half an hour revolving
all sorts Of plans. The safest course seemed 70
NC 10 sip Out IN the darkness, and fly on foot to
| the mountains, abandoning my good Kaweah.
| but thought Of his noble run, and il seemed
| 10 me SO wrong TO turn my back on him, that |
resolved TO unite our fate. rose cautiously.
anu, holdihg my watch up to the moon, found
maj lMelFe o CLOCK had just passed. then TAX
| ing from my pocket a five dollar gold niece I
| lad 1t upon the stand by my bed and in nv
stocking leet, with my clothes in NV hands
| started noselessly for the cyrral fierce buII.
dog, who had shown no disposinon IN ,nSl,o
friends with me, bounded from the omen door
of the proprietor to my side Instead of fear
ing me, as ! had expected, he licked my hands
and fawned about my feet
Reaching the corral gate, | dreaded openinp
it, 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
required me eight or ten minutes; then |
walked up 10 Kaweah and patted him. His
manager was empty; he had picked up the last
Kernel of barley The creatures manner was
| lnll OF curiosity, as if he had never been APP
preached i'll the night before. SURPRISING his
| olulnary Wllnnying, he preserved a motiOnless,
st9tue-hke silence. was in terror lest BY a
nv,sn, OF some nervous movement he should
plan. F'P'i0'0i anu eApOse my
Inc go and the open square were half coy
S I Nltil loose stones, aud when | thought of
| NY clotleI VI haWeah's shoes | expericnced n
leSllhS Vi tIounle, and again meditaied running
on on loot, until the idea struck mo ~ M fl ~
the iron Feet Ordinarily Kaweab would ~, II
| low me to hit his iore.leet at all Tho t,po
| blacksmiths who shod him had done co ~ ~. ~
peril OF their lives, and whenever had att, ~
ed to pick up his hind feet he had yarned ~ ~
away by dangerous stamps; so approached him
very imidy, and was surprised to find HAT ba
allowed me TO lift all four Of his feet without tho
slightest objection, AS ! stopped down Le nosad