New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-26
WHAT THEY TOLD ME AT WILSON'S
BAR.
IFrom the Overland Monthly

From the Overland MOnthly.l
The mining season was ended in the mar
row valley of one of the SacramentOs
northern tributaries, as, in fact, it was
throughout the whole region of ''placer
diggings;" for it was October of a dry year,
and water had failed early in all the camps.
The afternoon of a long, idle day at Will
SON Bar was drawing to a close. The
medium through which the suns hot rays
reached the parched earth was one of red
dust the effect Of which was that of mel
low Indian summer haze, pleasing to the
eye, if abhOrred by the skin and lungs,
compe He'd to take it in, whether brute or
human. In the landscape was an incOngru-
Gus mingling of beauty and defOrmity-the
first, the work of nature; the last, the mar
ring Of man.
To the east and to the west rose hills,
whose ruggedness was sOftened by distance
TO out lines of harmonious grandeur. Scat
tered over the valley between them, the
stately digger" or nut-pines, grew at near
intervals, singly or in groups of three or
five, AAarmOniZing by their pale gray-green
with che other half-tints of earth, air and
sky. Following the course of the dried-up
river was line, more OF less continuous,
of the evergreen oaks, whose round, spread
ing tops are such a grateful relief to the eye
ia the immense levels Of the lower Saera-
mentO and upper San Joaquin valleys. De
DCuuluE AIDlu AAG6b uuLG AuLlSg NClGIdDlC
looking boards of gray moss, as devoid of
color as everything else in the landscape
everyt hing else, except the California wild
crane, which, so far from being devoid of
color, was gorgeous enough in itself to
tighten up the whole foreground of the pic
6ure Growing in clumps upon the ground,
&c was CAV as bed of tulips. Clambering
UP Occas iOnal tall trees, it Haunted its Grim
son and parti-cOlored foliage with true bac-
chanalian iOlity, each Leaf seeming drunk
with its own red wine. There is truly moth
ing that grows in the Golden State more
beautiful than the Vitus California; in
October.
That was Natures side Of the picture.
The reverse was this: The earth every
where torn and disfigured by prOspectOrs,
whose picks had produced the effect of some
huge snout of swine, applied with the in
-dustry characteristic of that animal in for
hidden grounds. Rude cabins were scat
tered about, chiefly in tie neighborhoOd of
the stream Rockers sluice-boXes and
sleeves strewed its borders. Along the dusty
road which led TO Wilson's Bar tOiled
heavily laden trains of freight wagons,
carrying supplies for the coming winter.
At each little deviation from the general
level, the eight-mule teams strained every
muscle; the dust-enwreathed drivers sWOre
frantically and whipped mercilessly; the
immense wagons grOaned and creaked, and
tho world moved on, however much the
Che panied observer might wish to bring it
TO a stand-stlll.
a ROSY sunset beyond the western noun
Hains was casting its soft glamour over the
iscene-happily not without one apprecia-
tive beholder-When Bob Mathenys wagon
drew up in front Of the Travellers Rest, the
principal hotel of Wilson's Bar. From the
CJmrOtiOn which ensued Immediately there
upon, it would appear that Matheny was
person widely and also somewhat faVOra-
Div known: such calculations as "HullOa
Ghar's Bob MathenY," "HOw-dO, old fellerw
and many other similar expressions OF vel
come greeting him on all sides, as he turned
from blocking the. wheels OF his wagon,
which else might have backed down the
slight incline that led to Travellers Rest.
At the same moment that the hand
shaking was progressing, young woman,
mounted on a handsome FLY, rode up to
the rude steps of the hotel and prepared to
dismount; and Bob Matheny instantly
broke away from his numerous friends to
lift her from the saddle, which act Occa-
stoned sympathetic smile in that same
numerous circle, and a whisper ran round
it, half aud ible, to the effect that Bob had
'f'bin gittin' married." "a dOg-gOned purity
gal, ''The old cocks putin on frills, and
similar appropriate remarks, ad intinitum.
In the m eantime-the young woman disap-
pearing within the hotel, and Matheny
his team, and lastly with his own and those
of his travelling OmpaniOn-gossip had
busily circulated the report among the
idlers of Wilson's Bar that Bob Matheny
had taken to himself young wife, who
was &C cOmpanying him on his monthly trip
to the mountains. This report was pub
Aished with the usual verbal commentaries,
legends and annotatiOns; as relevant and
piquant as that sort of gossip usually is,
and as elegant as, from the dialect of Will
sons Bar, might be expected.
Late that evening group OF honest
miners discussed the matter over In the
Star of Empire Saloon.
He's the last man I'd a-suspected OV
dom sech a act" said Tom Davis-with
manly grief upon his honest cOuntenance,
as he hid the ace and right bower under the
brim of his ragged old sombrerO, and pro
ceeded to play the left upon the remainder
OF that suit-with emphasis, " the very last
mani"
It's powerful temptation to Teller in
his Shoes" remarked the tall Kentuckian
on his right. I" A young gal is a mighty
purity thing to look at, and takes a mans
mind tOf from his mistOrtins. You mind
the verse, don't ye,
Sorrows l divide and joys I double"
q And give this world world O. trouble"
subiOined Davis partner, with a good
natured laugh at his own wit. "Its your
~AAa-L~ AAuA11s AUUh anu SCS II al lub CdIQB
are in the pack. Deuced if 1 don't suspect
somebody's hidin' them"
"Every keed's thar thet l he'd in my
hands, eff you mean me, said the Kentuck-
tan, sharply.
%'Waal, don't mean you. A teller may
have his little joke, l suppose"
Depends on the kind O. Jokes. Here's
G1e two missin' keerds on the floor Now,
eff you say l put 'em thar, it's a little joke l
reckon | won't stand. Sabel 2"
Come, I'll pay for the drinks, old fell, if
yOu'l allow me to apologize. Waiter,
Glemen P
Now, that's what l call blarsted an
same" remarked Huxly, who was an Eng
lzshman from Australia:
Friend Of me soul, this goblet sip,
1Twilldry the starting tear
sTis not SO bright as wOman's lip,
But oh, it's more sincereF
Here's 10 ye, me hearties."