The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1872-02-17

OF these t0untS, Dove OIseu seco 0ss s0Asss'
tive face express the keenest pain
But bis mining occupation, thonghn sup
piled his immediate and pressing wants,
failed to iii his pockets with the glittering
dust that had dszzled his vision. It was.
therefore. no satisfactory solution OF the
problem he had dwelt upon 20 long; and he
abandoned II.
The succeeding four or i've years WAS
spent in wild. wandering, and eomewhat
irregular life, In different parts ct Cslttor
mia and Nevada, and the regions furthes
south: now in the mines, working IN the
most unavoidable ways. and now away TO
the mountains alone. on prospecting tour.
based upon some visionary snd wholly ny
pothetical theory of the formation and de-
posit of gold placers. Next with Walker,
the Nicarsgus lll:buster-though he took
less part in Walkers campaigns than 10 gen;
of n0madic savages. the 0ypsies OF America;
and now again on the broad plains OF the
Sacramento, mounted upon as0ustsng with
leggings, and the inevitable rata. dart'ng
and diving among the herds of Spanish cat
tie after the most approved fashion OF those
romantic daysof CALIFORNIA; transition from
a semi. bsrbssous chivalry to saxon civil.
zaticn. This yellow haired stripping was
miner. astr0loger, poet, lilibuster. Indian
sachen, and Spanish saquero. Not the
proudest Spaniard was his supertorin horse.
manship; and few, il any considered II safe
to claim equality with him - pisto! shot.
Knight.err by nature, he involved him.
self in frequent difficulties BY embarking 10
Quixotic enterprises to redress wrongs that
did not concern him. He closed this stormy
epoch Of bis life in the fall Of 1850, by re-.
turning to the home Of his parents-a little
clumsy in bis gait, by reason OF gunshOt
wound in his left thigh, a'little still IN his
right arm for similar reason, and marked
at few other points by too close contact
with arrow .heads-and quietly sitting down
a. . student in q lawyers office, In the vii
lage Of Eugene, the shiretown Of Lane
county. ... -....'
The educational basis upon which he com.
menced to build for . professional career.
Was not such as to inspire great confidence
IN mind accustomed 10 view matters from
the stand point of common experience. He
had enjoyed no opportunities whatever for
acquiring even the rudiments Of an English
education. The entire time he had attended
school did not exceed six months: and. a.
though be had, from childhood, read with
avidity such books as were within bis reach
and suited his peculiar mental constitution
and habits. and If late had given consider
0UlC 0SlCuSsOuS III u ObSSOAOsvS OuN ~uOy Nv
matte way, to those studies which are cons
monty supposed to constitute IN education.
he had made but Indifferent progress" and
his knowledge Of the elementary branches
was sadly defective. Certainly bis mode OF
life and habits of thought had all been most
unfav0rable to the deyelopelnent of that
power of accurate and metllOdical reasoning
which il indispensable to the lawyer. New
erihclcss, by some singular good fortune. he
gained admission to the bar, after only few
months of study, and while he was yet in
his minority. He did not, however, attempt
to enter Immediately into the practice Of his
profession. ga. ii ...gJ.
In the ensuing spring, there was an i'm.
mense rush to the then recently discovered
gold mines in Idaho Territory. Thither
went Miller; and thither. likewise: went
nearly all the transient. migratory class Of
| people of California and Oregon. and with
them the desperate and reckless men Of the
entire coast. Miller now appears upon the
field in character Of cole proprietor for
wardin9 agent, and messenger OF An TEX.
rress"-tbat 10, he owns two or three Indian
horses, upon which he conveys letters. pa
pers, small packages, aud gold dust from
one mining camp t" another. and from the
various camps to the towns where connec.
tiOn can be made with the mails and regular
express lines. The roads In the mining re-
gions were "a infested by highwaymen-
road agents" In the phrase aud time and
place-that 1t was universally regarded a
almost worth mans life u travel ALONE
through the country, carrying even a tri'
| ding amount Of treasure: and ON this &C
count traders and Others whose business
required the transportation OF funds frol1
one place 10 another, were always ready 81
l IL rAsas, A1v, fnr Il Miller eau
the opening which this state of affairs made
| tor him, and the dreamer was merged in tht
man of business. HIS finc horscmanshiI
and thorough knowledge Of the tactics o.
life in the forest and on the desert, in CANT
and tramp. stood hin In g0Od stead. Of nj
the thousands Of men who had drttted INK
| that Mecca of money seekers. there was ~
other so well fitted for this service A. he
therefore, he was sure Of . monopoly Of thu
perilOus business. Thus be reasoned; thu
did The stars and streams ut last v0ucbeaf,
their tardy response to the question he ask &
them 50 long ago: Bow shall get gold
The flavor of adventure winch pervaded tn(
enterprise slso lent it, stimulus, and tine fu
ture poet pushed his opportunity to tts ut
most possibilities. Faithful and active
prompt in fulfilling al bis engagements; eau
tiOus and crafty In cluding the road
I UC WV IVY OAtOSsSs~Sss
however periIous, if only il promised to b
remunerative. and he soon enjoyed the mo
nopoly he had predicted. Il was ncarlyi
i year before the ordinary and bctter organ
lied means Of transportation supplanted III
primitive express, and during that time b
4 Handled vast amount Of money for Others
ksnd accumulated some q. 600 or $4,000 fl
himself His career - IN expressmao ~
Q decided SUCCESS. .
Returning again TO Eugene. he took tn
editorial charge OF . weekly Newspaper put
lished ct that place, called the Democratic
Register. Warmly espousing the iskje o
the opposition. upon the moment0us ant
exciting questions that then sgitased th
d public mind and shook the Government It
self, and wanting the prudence, which, Il
those tumultuOyy times when passion die
taled the policy Of, Ill parties, WINS quisit
in conducting . partisan jOurnal-cspeciall
one opposed " the prosecution Of, tho w
aesinsS the revOlted htstes-he attracted q
attention OF the authorities, and bis papes
u sharing thS fate Of come others. waa f0fcs
4 To sucOumb 70 - military necessity" It va
4 suppressed This event took place about
year after he became its editor. .o''i' y,
I tAssSsoise the CORES fos dssassitAs RsoisA,
when Miller entered it, sanctum. was Mi
I Minnie Therosa Dyer. WhO reslded ~ Pm
Drford!M Che was . wdter Of verses, N
some of her psoductions ievinced consider.