The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-25
The New Chief at Betmick's Turn.

1t was certainly a very lively settlement.
New settlements everywhere are lively, and
new mining villages are particularly so, but
Betmicks, though but few months old,
proudly held its own among the inviting
neighbOrhoods on a certain creek in Califor-
mia in the early days of the gold fever. All
the mining camps occasionally enjoyed the
genial influences of stupendOus games, gen.
eral and mighty spreeS, and vigorous and
skillful fights Each camp possessed its
own great man, and challenged the whole
country to match him with bottle, cards, or
pistol. But the inhabitants of Betmick Turn
passed their days in one delicious unvaryng
atmosphere of excitement, for Baretop Billy,
Norfolk Ben, and Tom Luggs had ali found
at the Turn such dirt that they all remained,
instead of each moving in search of some
less favored locality where his light might
shine in solitary and unsided radiance.
1t was no wonder that the proud Bet
mickites looked down upon their less fortu-
nate neghbors-as did the Roman upon the
jew, or the jew upon the unfortunate Sa-
marian no wonder that when denizen of
the Turn invited a friend from some neigh
boring camp to call on him he did it with
that mistaken conviction of ability to enter
tain which can be likened only to the feeling
of a hospitable Bostonan during Coliseum
days, or of an owner of pew in Plymouth
Church. Nor was it any wonder that the
whole camp speedily resolved itself into
three great factions, and found itself in pos
session of some very bad blood. The spir-
itual influences at Betmlck's were invisible,
but the spirituous influences were numerous
and full proof and the absence of the form
er and the activity of the latter soon en-
abled the village undertaken to assert, with
no less OF truth than of professional pride,
that there were as many graves in the Gem
etary as there were battles at Demmey's
saloon.
Whether on account of equality of merit
among the three great leaders. or oftbat fair
play which prompts men to espouse the weak
er side, we know not, but certain it ia that
the three sets at Betmick's numbered so
nearly the same quantity of members that
the concilatory spirits of neither party were
able to gain recruits by showing that their
own leader was a pre- emineut favorite 1t
is also certain that neither party, in its
drunkest NON ants, imagined the possibility
of triumph by force of arms. SO all en-
counters were between single representa-.
tlves only, the chiefs disclaiming responsible
ity as promptly as do political candidates
Tor the irregularities of their followers.
But although each clique had its members
residing apart from the other sets. and those
of each party staked claims in immediate
proximity to each Ipther and away from its
rivals there was common ground on which
they met and it was found at Demmey's
saloon. They We're brave, and enthusiastic.
and willing TO kill or to be killed for princi
pies sake, these miners. but they were hu-
man. and humanity in those days and climes
found Its chief consolation in liquid form.
One evening. when miner who had
found nugget of comforting size, had invi-
ted the crowd to the bar to wash" his
happy discovery, Baretop Billyite happen
ed to Jostle one of Tom Lugg's adherents.
The agsrieved man promptly drew his weap-
on, his adversary also drew. Every one sat
down or stopped low enough to dodge stray
shots, and the undertaken was Just remark
ing to miner on his right that he was for
tunately able TO fit either man with a ready
made coffin. when the door opened and a
man rushed in exclaming.
Theirs woman come to camp"
The two men with pistols looked into
each others eyes, and in that manner agreed
that personal difficulties We're now of second
AIRY Importance. The undertaken groaned ;
business had been dull for some DAYS. and
this affair was an utter and sickening disap-
pointment; still he was a man, and he look
ed inquiringly toward the last speaker. The
great Baretop Billy himself, dropping eu-
chre hand which contained both bowers and
the king, asked
"What is she like?"
Well,' replied the man, -" she's Dutch
an somewhar between thirty an forty, an
she'd make good sized weighin machine
groan with agony. An she's toted in
washboard an couple of fat irons an
little bundle, an shes took Bucks old shan
ty, case ther amt no other empty"
"Ef theirs any of that kind aroun', let's
Civ 'em lift" cried Norfolk Ben, empha-
sizing his suggestion by humping ON a Ia
BILE with an empty bottle. A woman