New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-18
From the Overland Monthly !
THE. LOST CABIN.


THE LOST CABIN.
lind the ..blu.s." For already had be.
come satisfied thar the young metropolls Vi
1he Northwest, v hich Hope, with the typ.
zeal vermillou finger, had pointed out to Inc
as the city among ten thousana where
crowdng cases and To" ing ices wotHu over
wheIm :he ambitious disciple OF Blackstone,
lad already NOR. law" than it could con.
yenien,ly carry with any prospect OF mum
fipal progress Had every lnhabitant OF the
place given himself up entirely 20 the spirit
of acrimonious and i'm flacab!e li;igatio".
the telicitous eluip"ise OF demand and sup
plv would not yet have been restored; on
The contrary, gaunt forest OF les al limbs
would have remained idle and inappropriate
ed-waving bleakly in the winter Of newt.
able decay. A 'heart Of oak, surprising It
20 have been IN the law business, could not.
Under these circumstances, have been JOY.
ouely ;mpondera Bile; and it was no wonder
that nv Own being of very common timber,
weighed heavily on this April night. and
dragged me down into the fath0miess
depths of despoEdency. What was to do
when the few hundred dollars brought
with me had wasted utterly away! The in.
terrogattorv rose upon me again and again
with a s,Einx.li emphasis tina. was ap.
palling.
White amusing myself with reveIies Of
this cheerful nature, some one raped a; my
Office door. and in response to my 'come
in" not altered ia TIE gentlest OF tones. a
tai Young man, OF daik complexion and
labiied in suit OF heavy brown cl"'h,
entered, ! recognized him. after tie usual
salsta.ions had passed, as Il person who
had for several weeks heen 81 turning at
nv hotel, the c. House. Taking the
chair ] pvotfrred, he seated himself near
:he stove, and bending upon me, from un.
der a pair of heavy black eyebrows.
glance g..tter!ng and keen with scrutiny.
taG:
"l,'s nasty nigh, for April.' .
1T is. indeed" replied. STOPPING to re.
vlenish the stove; Ind You seem 20 have
had the benefit OF 1t
"Yes: had some difficulty 10 finding your
utiice-ani that reminds me that l did not
come here TO discuss :he. weather. bu: TO
talk business.
He bent his head for a ,nomen: as # 70 re-.
fleet, and fixed my selI in an Attitude OF
respectful attention. ny first fee being
the Hrs: idea which Was nPpermcsJ IN ny
mind.
"Are vou satisfied with ,his!' and as he
spoke he waved his hand sa:iricaliy to-
ward .he single Fallstatti III column Oh law
books. largely recruited lrom the patent
office Department.. On i sheii'aSalnsG the
wall Opposite.
sm'Il led. an! wilton: waiting for further
answer lie proceeded.
eff YOU succeed at al in :ilc practice of
:Le law in Portland. it will be alter years
at patient. persistent labor and life OF
hideous economy and Privati"n. l believe
that you realize this yourself, and for that
reason ! come To share with You valuable
secret. and To solicit Your assistance in a
project which, il successfully prosecuted.
will enrich as both
A suspicion of double. barreled burglary
flashed across me, and suppose he must
lave seen something Of the kind IN my face.
for he resumed i,uu.edi1 tely, with an llnpa.
;ient gesture, NAY. it is honorable: all
ask YOU in return tor the confidence am
about 10 lepose in you is a pledge OF sc.
cIecy. III the event that yuu do not JON NE
in the project TO which have alluded.
Having received every assurance of good
faith on my part, he drew his char closer
10 mine. and then. looking toward the door.
sugge sted that ! had better lock it. | got
up to do So and when ] resumed my seat
beside him. he had lighted cigar, and was
evidently going to be comfortable. lie
held his cigar case toward me and asked:
did you ever heav the story OF the Los:
Cabinl''
never had.
No! will tell it 70 YOU now. IN The
spring of 1885,, while the southern border of
Oregon was ringing with the battles of that
OF the Territory and the Shasta aud Rogue
River Indians, two brothers by the name of
Wilson-James and Henry-arrived at Jack.
sonville, and getting together small party
of hardy and experienced miners set cut.
fully armed, to prospect Tor gold along the
rivers and among the broken ranges of
mountains southwark Of that then prosper
Gus mining town. The party had been out
for several weeks, meeting with but little
success. and had just lost one of their num-
Der in q skirmish with the Indians, when a
council was called, and all but the Wilson
brothers concurred in the opinion that it
was best to return to Jacks onville and wait
for the conclusion of the war.
"The Wilson's were of a naughty. obsti- |
nate spirit. thorough in mountain craft and /!
brave to Righteousness. With them daring |
was a habit and danger luxury, and they |
held out against the arguments and en-
treaties Of their more prudent comrades. |
until it was agreed, finally, that they |
should have the greater part of the pro
visions. ammunition. etc. and continue IN !
their search, while the others would re-
trace their steps by the shortest and safest
route.
..On the morning of parting, James VIII
son rose in his stirrups, and swinging his
rifle aloft with an arm sp!endidly muscular.
exclaimed: Good bye. boys. and good luck
to you, but we cant 60 back. There Is
gold somewhere yonder behind that smoky
inc of mountains, and we are going to dig
/, out, though all the red skins of the
wilderness stand guard over it. Wei:
,ome back rich as kings, boys. or leave our
ZONES to bleach there; IT'S aglerious battle
ground
"This high speech fired the hearts Of the
etreating party for a moment, and some OF
hem turned, as though they too would !
ain peril their lives for that without which
ia is more bitter than death but the mo.
,eptary flash of heroism went down, and
laking their heads in denial, they rode
way. Shouting back rude words of cheer.
They never met again. The maiu d'vl-
On reached jacksonville after may day !
wearisome and perilous travel, and