The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-25
hat1l work fur her livin' ort to be euconr-

| ooWlDg pOllteiy toward MS rival. lHe
third member of the llustrious trio immedi-
ately followed with
Lets give her decent house to live in !;
she ken hev mine. and Ill bunk in with
some of the boys"
Bully" exclaimed Norfolk Ben, assisted
by several others, irrespective of party
q" But SEEM it's woman, | move we build
her a new house an a decent one, and that
each man agrees to kerry board from
Banksey's landin to do it with. Meanin' :,
though" continued Ben, mindful of the
amenities, which can be practiced even by
political adversaries, "to thank the hOn'ra-
bic gentleman for bein' Siiin' to turn his
self out of doors"
Mr.. Luggs instantly invited his rival to
drink, and the whole crowd clinked glasses
amicably after which it was agreed that i'm
mediately after breakfast the crowd shonld
start for the lumber for the new house,
while the barkeeper, who would be at leis-
ure, and who was the only man in camp
that could speak German, should signify to
the washerwoman the sentiment of the
camp, and the intention of every one to
give practical expression to their sentl-
ment
That night there was such a peaceable
time at the saloon that visitor from camp
farther up the creek went home early and
disgusted, and pronounced Betmick's Turn
the most unmitigated humbug in California.
The boys drank and gambled and used a
great deal of language not found in standard
dictionaries, but all was done in quiet,
peaceable manner which seemed almost hyp-
ocritical in fact, when Luggs man lost his
last ounce on sluf1ing with three of kind
one of the Benjaminites volunteered loan
with which the unfortunate man could make
fresh venture.
As the crowd was gathering in front Of
the saloon the next morning, Nashua, who
lived at the extreme end of the camp, came
slowly up shaking his head obviously.
a came by her shanty just now" said he,
d" AN as the door was open, just peeked in.
She was down on her knees. an she's got
cross agin the wall. I'm afeard she's Pa
pist."
Better wait till you see somethin' bet
ter yerself, young man." said Baretop Billy
severely, though Nashua was not one of
his clan Ef ther's anybody in this camp
that prays to any thing, they're mighty on
like anybody I've seed. Let's liquor and
git"
By noon the sixty odd miners of Betmicks
Turn had staggered into camp, each with
board. Then the hat was passed to raise
the price of the nails, and tools were brought,
and volunteers We're numerous enough to
build stately editice. The three leaders
retired for consultation, and then announced
that they had agreed to detail two men
81, .
work to advantage. When it was found
they had forgotten to provide window,
the bar keeper donated one of his own, grim
ly remarking, it had better be there than be
shot to pieces by poor shots who settled
their difficulties at the saloon. By dark
the edfice was completed, and though it
was barely equal in size and appointments to
a respectable chicken coop, 1t was by far
the finest building at the Turn.
1t was late it was supper time; it
was even past the time when the tables at
the saloon were pre-empted by those desir-
ing game, yet still the boys hung about
the new finished house, each looking as if
there was something he could say, if he dar
ed. At last Hoosier Jake broke the silence.
81 amt a-bossin' this camp" said he,
but all in favor of hevin' the house-warm-
in this very evenin' will say Aye.
One loud Aye" Was the response.
Il won't ask for the noes," continued
Jake, fur | amt onto the shoot to-day, yet
d have to express the general disapperba-
tion eff any feler said no. Git yer candles,
fellers, an eff yer got anything that 'ud be
handy to her. fetch it along.
The crowd rapidly dispersed, followed by
their chiefs, who tarried only long enough
to express, as a body, their distinguished
approval of Hoosier Jakes conduct. One
by one the boys returned with scraps of can
die, old TIN pals, frying pans, tin plates, case
knives and every sort of portable property
that lady could be supposed to need.
Even Lavarette, the surly half-breed, gal
lantly brought his only treasure, which was
a hideous yellow dog. and tied it at the door
of the new house.
who's to fetch herr" inquired Jake.
" Durn it, nobody in this camps seed that
woman yet-leastways, 1 haint, an it's
time"
Jake looked at each chief, and each chief
looked at the other two and Jake. 1t was
finally agreed that the three chiefs should
constitute a committee, with the barkeaper
as interpreter, to notify the lady Of what
had been done, and to crave her acceptance.
by Judas Priest !" cried an excited mi
ner, /" the chiefs will get into muss at last /;
there's three of 'em, and she can't take
moren two arms at time"
Every one admitted the gravity Of stua-
ton, and stared anxiously through the twi-
light. Suddenly the excitable Jake cried
ss .-f n +a11
in Dutch at her J"
The boys formed in line. each with a
lighted candle. Soon the procession ap-
preached, led by the barkeeper, who was
followed by the lady, supported by Tom
Lugg and Baretop Billy, while Norfolk
Ben brought up the rear, with the wash
board, tiat-irons and bundle. The lady was
not beauty, nor were any cultured lines
discernible in her face. but when the boys
lifted their hats and bowed, and the woman
saw what had been done for her, she turned
in the doorway and exclaimed: ~rtt-s.
. Gott pless you mems all mine huspand
vas digger too"
The crowd quietly dispersed and drank
her health and good luck. Baretop Billy
remarked that she ought to drive a brisk
business, and Tom Luggs, instead of contra
dieting him, as was the habit with the riv-
ais, actually admitted that he thought so
himself Norfolk Ben said nothing, but he
bought an empty barrel off the barkeeper.
and when ashua, after FIVE minutes of con
sumlng wonder as to shat on earth Ben
wanted of that barrel, stepped out to ascer-
tain. he was just in time to hear Ben saying
at the widows door:
I've toted yer up bar'l of clean water
COS the creek II be riled as soon as the
boys git to work in the mornin'."