The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-09-02

had not succumbed. Their enjoyment was
poker. General Hardinge had One-eyed
Jim for gis-G-0is, and the District Attor-
ney sat opposite Lanky Tom. They were
playing with that self-possessed excite
ment and quick-eyed eagerness belonging
to old poker devotees.
"Bet an ounce" said the General, in the
professional low tone, and reaching over to
snuff the candle.
"I'm out" said the District Attorney, SO
softly as scarcely to be heard above the
snores and gasps of the sleepers, who cov-
cred the floor.
"So'm u said Lanky Tom, giving a
sharp little kick to gentleman on whom
he was warming his feet for moving.
"See your ounce and raise you two,"
said One-eyed Jim.
"Five BETTER" quoth the General.
See it-call."
." -Four kings" ...
You stole'em," said One-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 One-eyed Jim
could raise his pistol, and as the General
would in all probability have been killed
himself, but for his promptness, nobody
can blame him. Whether Or not he stole
the kings is another and irrelevant ques-
ton. ttf
This was the view taken of it by the
Flat next morning, and as public mani
festation of confidence in the purity Of the
Generals motives, every Flatter felt it a
duty to ask the General to drink. And
then, poor One-eyed Jim had not been a
favorite at the Flat His profession having
been poker, many of the Flatters recalled
sundry losses and had their private belief
in an over-ruling Providence strengthened.
But there was nothing mean about the
Flat. 1t cheerfully voted holiday to
bury One-eyed Jim. The District Attorney
was again pressed into the service as Mas
terof the Ceremonies. A party was de-
tailed to dig the grave in an old claim that
had once been the property of the de-
ceased.
One-eyed Jim, in life, had habit of
cursing this possession as the means of
driving him to poker, for he had never
seen the color in it after months of patient
working. Another party made up a
rough coffin for the body, and then, after
solemn drink all round, the funeral cortege
left the Cosmopolitan-the coffin on
rough bier and General Hardinge follow
ing, as chief mourner-for the General
feelingly declared that no one more than
himself regretted the gentleman's misfor-
tune.
The District Attorney began to think
he had mistaken his profession. Previous
to the funeral, and while drinking at the
bar with the General, he had confided to
that gentleman that tie ministry might
have been more congenial field. He also
made a secret resolve to brush up on the
sacraments. We may write 1t to the credit
of the District Attorney that he made no
pretence of following the burial service
over the body of poor One-eyed Jim. He
spoke knowingly of the increased uncertain
| ty of life and the many accidents incident
peculiarly to this new Western civiliza-
tion. "The gentleman who has been the
unwilling cause Of this unfortunate fellow
citizens decease," said the District Attor-
ney, looking soberly around among the
solemn crowd, and indicating the General,
who stood at the head of the grave, hat in
hand, with a woe-begone expression,
"must, while regretting the necessity,
thank God that no lower law than that
universal one Of self-preservation has"
At this instant, TO the astonishment of
every one, the General threw up his hat
with shout of joy and jumped into the
grave. In a second he stood up with his
head just above the surface, and called
aloud to the amazed crowd, as he eexhibited
halfounce nugget: "Gentlemen, give
notice that l take up this claim for sixty
yards, two hundred feet each side, with all
its dips, spurs, &C., according to the laws
of the mining district of Brady Flat.
The body of poor One-eyed Jim was not
buried that day, nor the next, nor the
next for all Brady Flat was wild with
tearing up the ground of the new diggings
and taking out the chunks of gold that have
made the fiat famous. Then the disagree
able duty was done by the District Attor-
ney and Mr.. Finnegan at night, in ground
that they made sure was not auriferous.