The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-11

said "twenty.seyenP "sOldp Laugh
ter.
Itook the genuine Mexican plug, paid
for him, put him in livery stable, let
him get something TO eat, and get rested,
and then in the afternoon ! brought him
out In the plaza, and some Of the citizens
held him by the head, and others held
him down 10 tho earth by the tail, and l
got on him, And as soon as those people
lot 60 laughter he put all his feet IN q
bunch together, let his back sag down,
and then he arched II up laughter spA-
denly laughter and shot me one hun!
dred anu eighty yarJs lgreat laughter (;
and came down again, straight down,
and lighted in the saddle, and went up
again. And when came down the next
time I lit on his neck, and seized him,
and slid back into the saddle again, and
held on. Then he raised himself straight
up In the air on his hind feet, and Just
stepped around like member Of Con.
gress [convulStve laughterl, and then he
came down and went up the other way,
and just walked around on his hands, just
as sociology would Then he came
down on llfolrs again with the same old
process Of shooting me up In tho air, and
the third time went up heard a man
say, 10, don't he buckF' Loud laugh.
tor So that was "bucking." I was
very glad to know It. Not that l was
enjoying 1t, but then had been taking q
general sort Of interest in 1t [laughterl
and had naturally desired TO know what
the name Of II was, And whilst l was
up somebody hit the horse whack with
strap, and when l got down again the
genuine bucker was gone. [Roars Of
laughter.
At this point Of the interesting scene, a
kind.hearted stranger came to the rider,
told him that he had been taken in, ex.
planned tho mysterious terms, and gave
him the comforting information that any.
body in town could have told him all
about the horse II he had inquired.
A description Of Lake Tahoe followed,
which showed considerable literary skill.
This Is o sheet OF water, beautifully clear
and deep, which never freezes, and has
wonderful curative properties.
The mining adventures of the speaker,
with his hopes, fears, poverty and attlic.
tons, were detailed at some length. Min
ute descriptions were given Of the silver
mines, the appearance Of the various ores,
and the ups and downs Of mining lite.
But, quite Unexpectedly, he received an
invitation one day from newspaper in
Virginia City, with which he had been
corresponding, to come and be q reporter
on that journal, at salary OF $25 o week
in gold. He went, and remained three
years. The life Of reporter was de.
scribed in the following terms: ....
l reported on that morning newspaper
three years, and it was pretty hard work.
But l enjoyed its attractions. Reporting
Is the best school in the world to get a
knowledge Of human beings, human ma.
ture and human ways. A nice, gentle
manly reporter-I make no references
Is well treated by everybody. Just think
OF the wide range Of his acquaintanceship,
his experience Of life and society! No
other occupation brings man into such
familiar sociable relations with oil grades
and classes Of people. The last thing at
night-midnight = he goes browsing
around after items among police and jail
birds, in the lock up, questioning the
prisoners, and making pleasant and lasting
friendships with some OF the worst people
in the world. Laughter. And the
very next evening he gets himself up
regardless Of expense, puts on all the
good clothes his friends have got Laugh
ter goes and takes dinner with the
Governor, or tho Commander.in.chief of
the District, the U. S. Senator, and some
more of the upper crust OF society. lie is
on good terms with all of them, and is
present at every public gathering, and
has easy access to every variety Of people.
Why l breakfasted almost every morning
with the Governor, dired with the prin.
cipal Clergyman, and slept in the Station
House. Laughter.
A reporter has TO lie little, OF course,
or they would discharge him. That is
the only drawback to the profession.
That is why left it. Laughter. lam
different from Washington; l have o
higher and grander standard of principle.
Washington could not lie. l camille, but
| cont. Prolonged laughterl. Report.
ing is fascinating, but then II is distress.
ing TO have to lieso. Lying is bad-lying
Is very bad. Every individual in this
house knows That by experience. think
that for man TO tell lie when he can't
make anything by 1t, is wrong, Laugh.
teri. ~
a description OF Virginia City followed.
Alter the reportorial experience of Mr..
Clemens was ended, he became editOr.in.
Chief of the paper on which he was work.
ing. lie kept his position one week. The
reason for this extreme brevity of time
was that. according to the code Of ethics
Of Virginia City, If you injured man
you were expected to challenge him.
Duels accumulated rapidly on his hands.
The first three or four he did not notice,
as It was thought the persons would not
fight, But at length he had trouble with
the editor Of the rival sheet, and o chal.
lenge passed. The boys were delighted,
especially Steve, near and dear friend.
His friends took him out in the woods to
practice with revolver, that being the
tavorite duelling weapon. His opponent
was long, lean fellow. and not brilliant.
A target for practice was made by lean.
ing rail against stable.door TO repre-
sent his antagonist, and putting on
squash for head. The rail was little
too much ofa caricature, but the squash
did very well. He could not hit the rail,
or even the stable.door. To make 1t more
uncomfortable, they could hear his an
tagonist with his friends practising in q
nelghboring valley. Steve, being a dead
shot, killed bird, and the other party
coming over to see what was the matter,
the credit o! this shot was given to Mark,
and the party were informed that he could
do the same thing nine times ont Of ten.
When Mark and his friends got home
that night they found note declining
the honor Of duel, All tho other duels
were declined with thanks, and Steve got
them much TO his delight, But acct.
dcntally hearing Of his powers, they were
all of, whereat that belligerent party was