The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-01

the beginning of his life with us, he might
have been often heard hilariously chant
Ing In ahigh-pitched nasal tsne -
1.-THE sand with gold dust is thick,
Pick up Jumps as big as brick,
OF Californy gold!''
Humorous, easy, and with strong dash
| ofegotism, combined with persistent good
nature and lively credulity-such swas
Lot, as we first knew him at the mines.
Eventually, however, his enthusiasm died
pressed it,: "The darn thing was e'en-a-
most gin eoutr'
AS / have before stated, for some rea-
son best known to himself, Lot had con-
sidered it expedient to remain behind, at
the time his partners abandoned his claim.
Our explanation of this was, that to his easy
disposition it seemed less difficult to 'tbear
the ills he had" than to subject himself
to the exertion of seeking those he "knew
not Of" Subsequently, however, consid-
erable additional light was thrown on the
subject.
One afternoon-it might have been
three weeks after the exodus of Lots
partners-one of our neighbors, engaged
in mining three miles further up the
gulch, refined into camp on his way back
from the city, where he had been to de-
posit his dust in the Miners bank, and
get out lot of supplies.
"Hallool George! Chris Here are
letters for you!' he cried, tossing us the
welcome missives.
Lot, lettering up, with quizzical smile,
perpetrated his standing joke =
wall, saay, We amt got nothin' fur
me, now, amt ye?''
"No, guess not" returned the other,
with peculiar twinkle beneath his bushy
eyebrows? but thar's woman an four
small children on the way, asking fur Just
sich looking feller as YOU"
Lots jocularity vanished in an instant !;
his jaw dropped, and with visible agita-
ton he blurted out:
"Come, naow. none of yer fooln'! Ye
don't pull that on with NE -
"Fooling? Nary time! It's sober
truth"
A sickly pallor swept over the mans
countenance, and he seemed to shrink
within himself until dwarfed much below
his usual dim'nutive stature.
"What! what's that yeou say?" he
stammered wildly.
81 say woman an four small children
ar coming this way, searching for hus,
band and father"
How fur behind?" gasped the anxious
Lot, whose legs were fast getting tremu-
lOus under him.
"Oh, matter of three mile, or there
abouts!" and with nod and knowing
glance, and NO further news, boys ="
to us, the little mule, answering the spur
of his rider, struck into a brisk gallop,
which speedily carried them both out of
sight.
There we stood, inquiringly facing Lot.
He gulped awhile; but finally out with
| it:
"The fact is, boys-I'm married ="
And with this lucid explanation, Lot,
with rapid and somewhat unsteady step,
disappeared within his cabin.
After a few seconds, he hastily emerged,
bearing in his hands pack of thumbed
and greasy cards. a set of dice, several
worn "dime novels" and an old Com
~ guess, boys, shan't need these any
engerl leFattly shrandg ia dd On one FOOT and then
shifting his weight to the other; so l
thought I'd clean 'em eout. Some VIM
men folk is pertickerler, ye know"
Chris took the articles, and offered to
keep them for him.
"Wal, if ye've mind to. I'd be much
obleeged to ye. 1t mought be possible
barely possible, We know-they'd come
handy some time" And Lot, his neck
just bending to receive the yoke, looked
| forward with vague expectancy TO dim
chance of future release.
Pitying the poor fellows evident dis.
comfiture, we refrained from joking OF
questioning him, and impatiently awaited
those looming events" which had so un.
mistakably 'cast their shadows BEFORE"
| just at sundown, novel train was seer
vending its way toward the camp. Lot
stood in the door of his cabin, while we
drawn together little in the background
watched for developments. In advance
rode a figure in female apparel, percheC
upon the back of a gaunt pack-horse, {
child, Just past the threshold of infancy
clasped by one arm, and another, also O.
tender years, sitting astride the pillion
its limited embrace aspiring to enclrclt
the maternal waist. A trif1e in the rea
came rouo h mountaineer, in the capacity
of guide, sandwiched between two chill
dren of a larger growth. the elder o
whom could not have exceeded the age o
ten years. A monstrous dog of the st
Bernard breed formed, successfully. flanl
and rear.
Checking the beast within few rods Q
us, the woman gave a keen, scrutinizinj
glance around, which rested at last tixedl,
| upon the countenance of Lot.
|, sThat's him!" she exclaimed, in
strong, decided, though not unmusica
voice, nodding Significantly to the guide
''We'n STOP"
Clasping the infant tightly, and loosin
the arms of the other from about he
waist, down she slid, 1.-THE as a youn
girl; and in a twinkling had the thre
children ON their feet, and the youns
J est transferred to the arms of the ten-yeal
old.
Lot waited in an apparently dejecte
. mood while she settled with the puiC
from her own pocAet, with business-lib
+ dispatch. Then she led her little brooC
5 followed closely by the dog, up to IL
= door of our neighbours cabin.
t "Well, Lot, we've come."
r 81 see you have, Marier!"
Y And the door closed upon Lot and h
: family.
? On the ensuing morning we were ab
to arrive at more correct estimate OF tl
G new conner, who early introduced herse
n to us as ''Lot's wife," She was of ia
t complexion, short in stature, and vel
e slim about the waist. Her thin flax
: hair was drawn smoothly back from
d prominent forehead, and fastened ia
" tight button-like knot at the back of h
e neck. Restless blue eyes, sharp nos
II thin cheeks, and firm, large mouth, II
3, ed with even, white teeth, completed t
y list of her personal characteristics: Ent
IS gy, decision, business, was written
Ie every lineament of the little woman
% countenance-spokein in every restless mo
of her ''lissome" body.
% In the-first three sentences she spoke
II contract was matured, to the effect th
e we, furnishing the wherewith, shou
2 thenceforward look to her to "keep
In pot boiling" at the average rate
al lStwentv-fiVe cents q heado per diem.