River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-16

Attorney sat opposite Lanky Tom They
were playing with that self-poasessed ex-
citement and quick eyed esgerness belong
ing 10 old poker devotees.
Bet an ounce said the General, in the
professional low tone, and reaching over
20 snuff the candle.
"l'm out" said the District Attorney, so
softly as scarcely to Re heard above the
shores and gasps Of the sleepers, who
covered the door.
sSo'm ~ said Lanky Tom, giving a
sharp little kick to gentleman on whom
ne was warming his feet for moving.
"See your ounce and rase it two" said
0De.eyed Jim.
"Five better" qucth the General
"See it-call.o
Four Kings"
"You stole 'em," said 0ne-eyed Jim,
drawing his revolver and putting his hand
on the pile Of gold.
"You lie," answered the General, and
shot him through the head.
1t was done before poor 0ne.eyed Jim
could raise his pistol, and as the Cen
eral would in all probability have been
killed himself but for his pt6tnptnBsej no
body Cah blame him. Whether or not he
stole the kings is another and irrelevant
question.
This was the view taken of it by the
Flat next morning, and as a public mani.
festation Of confidence in the purity of the
Generals motives, every Flatter felt it
his duty to ask the General to drink. And
then, poor One eyed Jim had not been a
favurlte at the Flat. His profession hav-
ing been poker, many Of the Flatters re
called sundry losses and had their private
belief in an over-ruling Providence
strengthened.
But there was nothing mean about the
Flat. IL cheerfully voted holiday to
bury 0ne-eyed Jim. The District Attor.
ney was again pressed into the service az
Master of the Ceremonies. A party was
detailed to dig the grave in an old claim
that had once been the property Of the d.
ceased.
0ne-syed Jim, in life, had habit Of
oursing this possession as the means Of
driving him to poker, for he had never
seen the color in il after months of patient
working. Another party knocked up O
rough coffin for the body, and then, after
solemn drink all round, the funeral
cortege left the Cosnopolitan--the cofHr
on rough bier, aud General Hardingt
following, as chief mourner-- for the Gen
eral feelingly declared that no one more
than himself regretted the gentlelnan'i
misfortune.
The District Attorney began to think b,
had mistaken his profession. Previous t.
the funeral, and while drinking at the bal
with the General, he had confded to tina
gentleman that the ministry might hav,
been a more congenial field. He ais,
made secret resolve to brush up on til,
sacraments. We may write it to th,
credit Of the District Attorney that b,
made no pretence Of following the burial
service over the body of poor One-oye(
Jim. lie spoke knowingly of the increased
uncertainty of life and the many accident
incident peculiarly to this new Western
civilization. "The gentleman who ha
been the unwilling cause Of this unfor
tunate fellow-citizen's decease,n said tn,
District Attorney, looking soberly aroun,
among the solemn crowd, and indicating
the General, who stood at the head of tn
grave, hat in hand, with woe-begone OK
preston, "must, while regretting tn
necessity, thank God that no lower Law
than that universal enc of self preservation
has" AT that instant, to the astonish
ment Of every one, the General threw VI
his hat with shout of JOY and jumped
into the grave. In a second be stood al
with his head Just above the surface, anC
called aloud TO the amazed crowd
as he exhibited half-ounce nugget
Gentlemen, | give notice that l take ul
this claim for sixty yards, two hundred
feet each side, with all its dips, spurs, &c.
according to the laws OF the mining distric
of brandy Flat
The body of poor One eyed Jim was no
buried that day, nor the next, nor the next
for all Brandy Flat was wild with tearin,
up the ground of the new diggings ant
taking out the chunks Of gold that hav,
made the fat famous. Then the dis
agreeable duty was done by the Distric
Attorney and Mr.. Finnegan at night, il
ground that they made sure was no
auriierous.
"That marriage Of Finnegan's was
lucky speculation for me-" Mr.. Brow
says, when talking Of '46, for, besides
getting seven hundred dollars from tn
bridegroom for my services, ! had
quarrel with tho rascally General. III
wasn't SO quick with me as be had bee
with poor jim, 80 1 had the satisfaction o
burying him beside that poor fellow tw
days after, and then l Jumped bis claim an
and made my fcrtune.o-Arthur MeEwer