Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-02-26
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III there is one thirg that like it
is more than another" solilogmized
Five, thiuking himself unobscrved.
We heard him, for all that, for he
sat just outside the cabin, under tie
shed, watching between The whifls ui
Ills pipe, the drip, drip from the
shingles, while the foar ofus dropped
away at aw-pokcr inside.
The bar was flourishing lust
'hcn: nien were drifting rapidly into
TuoiumEc, attracted by the report Of
rich di2gings, and there was hardly =
square inch on the bar that was not
stakcd OFT with claim. Tie one
strectcd town was baslIipg, the cloth
houses, stores and saloons. with the
usual loaicrs, were drawn up ia Lrr-.
parade along the thorou..i!tarr, in
which pack trains lnelnderrd 10 a!l.!
fl lin the o!itcr wori-l. The half-hpors
of the ''B lila Union" and The "E n.
Wing continually swuu.: open, as
the boys went i'll ami aut fox their
hourly COMFORTS. The dcvoiecs OF
The gam iig table rcycilrd over The
cloths, tnl empty pouches and ring
ing heads were tie moruin. buIlc-
tins.
Our cabin stood q little Withdrawn
from the main street. thu home of five
OF us for many months. Those days
are past and zone, when Jack used to
toss his sleniniug sl..rjacks up the
chimney and deity catch them on the
oufsitlc-tnusc days OF almost unva-
ryime pork and beans. with u very
semi-occa-;n ;nnal touch OF fresh beef.
We knew quite well each Others
history, "a, far as general points went
all save that "i Five, who was an
enigma. OF him the only taug!b'e
and hiscoverablc mark Was blue
s." worked between his thumb and
fUrciingcr-aEi 50 he earned his title.
! n spare, nervous little min, with n
| black, sweeping monstac.Ic. Il care
worn couutcnauGc and restless eyes.
| The force that draws mem together
/ in pioneer times is incXp!Icahlc.
"Sini" lad been u minister; had slip
| ped from grace, and iio&.cd to the
gold country. "John Bunyau" was
/ a broken down merchant iron Troy,
fond OF his tirp!c. and a master hand
at II story. Brannan had last come
! from Calcutta, where he had been i,
missionary, he said bui he thuin bed n
Jacl: too well tor that. This WAS be-
fore the era of genteel clergyme.i,
Five and l, Il runaway from home,
made up our household.
Five, we used 1T first to ply with
questions, but gaining nothing by
our trouble gave it up. His only
/ companion was his dog, a briutil,d.
sulky, snappish brute, with a stu:npy
t.lll. His iaitlfulmess and love, with
drawn from every omc else, ceuiercd
in his master. Fivc's chief solacc
was his violin.
When others sought saloons he took
his violin and whiled away the hours
with touching melodies. soft, dreamy
airs Of home, or anon, wild, wai!ing
strains that thrilled the soul. Many
4 time haycI seen hnot OF rough
fellows hanging around cabin ut
evening, listening 10 the music us the
quiet air bore it swiftly to them. and
thus Five's violin was Il minister OF
csmfort to many a lonely man. lie
would rarely play when asked, and
then only some ditty like the
"Wrecker's Daughter or "Tom
Bigbee's Snake" whichsswould put
fits iuto fellows heeis-rcserviu.
for his communion the strains that
were so benetitting TO all. And in
this way le found q colnpanionship
that compensated him for lack of
friends. He was commonly set down
as 4 musical Portugee, but the sequel
will show that the conjecture was far
from right.
Hot! hot! terribly hot were the
summer days, and l, unused to hard
work, dropped my shovel one burn
ling afternoon, and went up to the
shanty tired out and disguised.
was surprised to find Five at the
house and III his bunk, for he had
gone out with the rest, and was al
ways asteady worker
"Sick, old man?''
Yes, lad. veiy sick, dead sick.
Brnce, lie down!'
For tie dog ii his head grow!ets
! viciuusly as pat my baud on Fiye's
forehead ami found it almost blister
( ing with fever.
. Not so bad as that. old man, you're
good for many T. day yet. Have Il
drink p
/ Il don't mind - something cool,
cool"
fetched him pan of water, aud
he drank It, saying: