The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-09

which IL miserable Indians that con-
sent to settle on reservation bear TO
the wild sons of the woods, who retire
before their foes to the mountains.
This solitary man of the savage dog
was known as "The Gopher" This
was not the name given him by his
parents, but it was the name Mexican
Camp had given him him, generation
before, and it was now the only name
by which he was known. The amount
of gold which he had boarded and hid
den away in that dismal old cabin,
through years and years OF incessant
toll, was computed to be enormous.
Year after year the grass stole further
down from the hill-tops to which 1T had
been driven, as it were, in the early
settlement of the camp; at last 1T en-
vironed the few remaining cabins, as If
they were besieged, and it stood up tall
and undisturbed in the only remaining
street. Still regularly three times day
the smoke curled up from The Gopher's
cabin, and the bulldog kept unbroken
sentry at the door.
A quartz lead had been struck little
way further up the gulch, and rival
town established. The proprietors
named the new camp Orodelphia,"
but the man of the saloon of Mexican
Camp, who always insisted he was born
a genius, called it Hogem." 1t stuck
like wax and "Hogem," is the only
name by which the little town is known
to this day.
One evening there was CONSERVATION
among the idlers of Mexican Camp. 1t
was announced that the last saloon was
to be removed to Hogem. A remon-
STRANGE was talked of, but when a man
known as the Judge" from his calm
demeanor in the face of the gravest
trouble, urged that the calamity was not
so great after all, since each man could
easily transport his blankets and frying
pan to the vacant cabins of Hogem, no
more was said.
The next winter The Gopher was left
utterly alone, and in the January spring
that followed, the grass and clover crept
down strong and thick from the hills
and spread in pretty carpet across the
unmeasured streets of the once popu-
| lous and prosperous Mexican Camp.
Little gray horned toads summed them
selves on the great flat rocks that had
served for hearthstones, and the wild
hop-vines clambered up and across the
TOPPING and shapeless chimneys.
About this time closely contested
election drew near. 1t was bold and
original thought of a candidate to APP
proach The Gopher and solicit his vote.
His friends shook their heads, but his
case was desperate, and he ventured
down upon the old gray cabin, hidden
in the grass chapparel. The dog pro-
tested, and the office.seeker was pro-
ceeding to knock his ugly teeth down
his throat with a pick handle, when he
found the muzzle of a double barreled
shotgun in his face. The candidate did
not stay 10 urge his claims, and The
Gopher's claims remained a mystery.
| know but one more incident that
broke the dreary monotony in the life
of this selfish and singular man. One
dark night two men of questionable
character were found in the trail, try
ing to drag themselves to Hogem.
They were riddled with shot like a tom.
iron. They had been prospecting
around for The Gopher's god, and
they had received their baptism OF
fire" in attempting to descend his
chimney.
Here in this land of the sun the days
trench deep into the nights of northern
countries, and birds and beasts retire
before the sunset, habit which the
transplanted Saxon declines to adopt.
Some idlers sat at sunset on the YER
ande OF the saloon at HOgem, looking
down the gulch as the Mazanita smoke
! curled up from The Gopher's cabin.
There is an hour when the best that
Is in man comes to the surface some
times the outcroppings are not promis.
ing OF any great inner wealth; but the
indications, whatever they may be, are
not false. 1t is dulse and drift coming
to the surface when the storm Of the
day is over. Yet the best thoughts are
never uttered; often because no fit
words are found to array them in of
| tener because no fit ear is found to re-
ceive them.
A sailor broke silence: "Looks like
a Fejee camp on South Sea Island"
" Robinson Cause.-The last man of
| Mexican Campfire last rose of sum-
mer." This was said by young man
| who had sent some verses to the Hang.
town Weekly.
"Looks To me, in its crows nest of
chapparel, like the lucky ace of spades,"
added a man who sat apart contemplate
ing the wax under the nail of his right
foretinger.
The schoolmaster here picked up the
ace Of hearts, drew out his pencil and
figured rapidly.
There!" he cried, fourishing the
card, 81 put it at an ounce day for
eighteen years, and that is the result"
The figures astonshed them all. 1t
was decided that the old miser had at
least mule-load of gold in his cabin.
at is my opinion, said the squire,
who was of small stature, and conse-
quently insolent and impertinent, he
nad ought to be taken up, tried, and
tried for killing his partner in 40"
The time has run out" said the
coroner, who now came up, adjusting
small hat to which he was evidently not
accustomed the time for such cases,
10y the law made and provided, has run
out, and it Is my opinion i. can't be
did"
Not long after this it was discovered
-