National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-01-24
DON'T DIE, J ACk.

j Some incident in its early career had
n given Loggerhead Gulch its name. just
a what that incident WAS did not live in
N the traditions Of the rough miners who
A dug and delved in the gulch Certain
A it was, however, that the name was no
n missioner, for no other mining camp in
4 the Territory was so rough, quarrelsome
4 and puglistic in the nature OF its inhab-
i ittuts. Everybody seemed ut logger
heuds with everybody else, and ready
upon the slightest proyocation to lynch
everybody else.
The diggings had not of late been very
productive of profit, and that fact did
uot add to the kindly spirits of the
miners, who were disposed to revenge
their luck upon anything that presented
itself as possible scapegrace. No min
ing camp can exist, or Mt least ever has
existed, without drinking saloon, and
Loggorhead Gulch had its shanty de-
voted to the retailing of drink. Its pro-
prietor was Jack Jeptha, and his dress
and demoanor indicated that he had
seen better days-had been a faro-deal
cr OF barkceper in a Wig Eastern hotel
or something of that tiashy nature.
Even now some traces of loud DRESSING
! hung about him but the brim of tle
ielt hat WIS battered, and there WAC
something the matter with the crown.
the flaming red tie failed to harmonize
with the most equally flaming and .shag-
GYrea beard Immediately above it: the
ShIrt collar was woefully time stained
the ycIyeteen coat was much mirchod
and had grown white at the seams. and
at least three buttons were lacking at
the vest
The only otheroccupant of Jack Jcp-
INA shanty at the moment that the
reader is introduced to it, excepting the
customers, was young woman-Jack's
"iLg' Nolhe by name-who, with her
Ie@Liy delicate beauty, seemed won
a'HlHy ont OF place in Loggerhead
Huich. She was about the middle I.
h'lSHt, between twentv-three m twen-
F-ionr years of age, slim and elegant as
20 Gef Dgure, fair as an angel is painted. .
|IIHSoit blue eyes and dropping lashes:
n'f mouth was small her Ii ps full and .
rosy, her teeth white as pearls. When
animated or talking to any one. plen- /
T'nt' fascinating smile would play around
Aef mouth; but at times, when she fam
'eq no one looking at her. the corners
w HeE mouth were drawn with a hard,
yue-""re expression. She shared the
Uonor5 Of the bar with Jack. and dis
feh'ed bad whislley and smiles to the
.,'Egfrheads !, with a dash and grace
sales. CAV "s'' 'os"'e
among the drinkers was one upon
"u9m LIBERAL potations had told consid-
NJ 9it'oiE his companions called him
a o"head from the color of his hair. and
,Hat was the name he had in camp. In
ms Pockethe had fair sized bac Of cold
aust, which he had incautjonslv dis.
},, gt'" several times during the even
g., At IL o'clock Towhead rose to go but
'jr' ,I'l he called Jack Jeptha outside the
Ioe, Ioo[ ana placed the bag of dust in his
: Ihor's my pile, Jack, he said, "an
I,aA Ea1t yer tokeop it till tomorrow. I'm |
'"'I''io too drunk to take it along with {
,...,., n,', ana thar might be somebody as s
"'pid follow me for it.
4aeN .,N slipped the bag in his coat. and E
'.H ., returned to the bar-room. q
,,i 5'3on aiterward the party broke up !
,' ~. iu!.epHted. Towhead's way led him $
~ walk for mile or more: and
,o., wy ieit his companions the form of y
T6 T'~ SAalked after him in the shadow.
alona lo,i.l,o,wod, Towhead staggered t
doene on uiIil ms path led him through h
the I n 6Gney, which had been dubbed t,
nDeNl Glen. Then and there his
kiIoI advanced from behind and h
A Laa4 nAn with murderons dirk stab. h
COSY search of the victims pockets i,
for n-htGd ,,-i the murderer that the prize l.
on. %i'ich 5ch he had committed the villain
arl;euce uce' was not there. Then the cow Il
,tor,, Oh the man showed itself. A
+ b,,aha n had been coming up. and now, as ii
lo,d ioTth IN thunder, lightning and d
lonJi', ne shiyered. With blood on his h.
la H., win horror in his eyes. and with W
lcI;Li LIileadful mark of Cain branded in tr
IeJ on his brow, the wretched man IL
allone ei,u!,tchlng ~, his breast with his pale.
.;s Lille Lille fngers, as if to tear hence
bo ol he went, flying over rocks and h,
tin ON una uprooted trees-on, on, ia
xhansio IHaple to stop until he sank tn
'le stor.l aa'ea beneath huge pile of rocks. Ell
ding ogn; was wildly, .madly CANNON E
ear Saihst the rocks, as if it would m
ngulf hay way 70 where he lay, and boldly in
h imaainrn, I'm put he heard nothing but b,
er! !"8anry "8onaary ana unearthly cry of "Mur- he
zee and 'Iw ~. nothing but the cold, still bf
Tou.ia Tia hieiess form of his victim nj
,en Heaa ,o;a had not been murdered fif-
,vered jiirtes b1. before his body was dis
ON "a oy party of miners returning in
some midnight carouse. Tbev la