The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-07-09

In the early days Of California-the
olden days Of gold, OF the golden days Of
old, - you please-in . certain miners
camp on the Yuba River there lived q
queer genius named Armstrong. He was
IN honest miner, mot differing materially
from his fellows, excepting that he had q
curious habit Of talking to himself For
the simple reason that no departed from
common custom In this ono particular he
was, of course, voted crazy BY the other
miners. To call al persons "craxy" Who
do mot follow the customs of the majority
is Q constant habit with men. But, day
after day, Armstrong worked away with
his pick and shovel, caring nothing for
the remarks of his neighbors, and seem.
ing to wish for no other partner in his
tolls or his rest save the invisible person.
age whom he always addressed In the
second person singular, and with whom
he was almost constantly In close and
earnest conversation The common drift
Of his talk, while At work, would be a.
f0ll0WOe , q
"RatAee tough work, Armstrong-rich
dirt though-grub dollar . pound-no
time to waste-pitch in, sir-hanged If I
don't wish I was in the States. This
INNINGS mighty hard work. Nonsense,
Armstrong; what fool you are to be
talking in that way, with three ounces q
day right under your feet, and nothing to
do but just to dig it out"
His conversation would be duly punctu.
ated with strokes of the pick and lifts of
the loaded shovel. And 20 the days
would pass along and Armstrong worked
and slept, and talked with his invisible
partner. Well. it happened, in due course
Of time, that the class of human vampires
commonly called gamblers made their
appearance at the camp where Armstrong
worked. A he was not above following
the example of his fellows, he paid the
new corners . visit. It ID the same old
story. Alter watching the game awhile
he concluded It was the simplest thing in
the world. Sohe tried his luck, and won
-41OOi Now, any new experience would
always ret Armstrong tO thinking and
talking to himself worse than ever. It
was 20 this time. "Now, Armstrong"
he said, - he hesitated about going to
his work next morning, shat is the east.
est hundred dollars you ever made in your
life. What's the use of your going into a
hole in the ground to dig for three ounces
day. The fact is, Armstrong, you are
sharp. You were not made for this kind
of work. Suppose you. just throw away
your pick and shovel, leave the mines,
buy suit of store.clothes and dress up
like q born gentleman, and 60 ct some
business that suits your talent" a
Armstrong was mot long in putting
these thoughts and sayings into action.
clothes. He looked like another man,
hspH ho~ mAS10 khn A
ertheless. He was not long in finding an
Walking forth in his fresh outfit he had
Just concluded = long talk with himself
about his bright prospects e when . he he
on it. "Miner's Rest.". Armstrong went
manned very long, but it was long enough
TO work . wonderful revolution in his
feelings. When he came out he was .
changeless' man. He was thunder
struck, amazed, bewildered. He had lost
his money, lost his new prospect, lost his
selfconceit-iost everything but his new
clothes and his old habit Of talking to
himself. It is useless to say that he was
mad. Armstrong was very mad. But
tuOAO was III VuO W w AAA0A 81 Out IA AA1e
strong himself, SO self number two was in
for rough lecture.
Now, Armstrong, you are q nice speci-
You inf" Well, need not repeat all
the hard things he said. Like King Rich
ard, he "found within himself no pity for
himself"
But mere words were not sufficient. 1t
Eos UsNk
never once thought of shooting, drown.
ing, hanging, or any other form of sui
eide. He was altogether too original as
well % too sensible for that. Yet he was
resolved upon something real and prac-
tical in the way of refOrmat0ry punish
ment. He felt the need of se1fimposed
decree of bankruptcy that should render
the present failure o. complete a. pos.
gible, and prevent q similar course in the
future. :,
So the broken firm of Armstrong &
Self" went forth in meditation long and
deep. Some of his thoughts were almost
too deep for utterance. But finally he
stood by the dusty road along which the
great freighting wagons were hauling
supplies to the mining camps up the Sac
ramentO. One of these wagons, drawn
by six yoke of oxen, was Just passing.
Snap, snap, snap, in slow, Irregular sue
cession, came the keen, singing reports
of the long Missouri ox-whip. "G'iang!
g'lang! wo-hswi" shouted the tall. dust
begrimed driver a. he swung his whip
and cast . sidelong glance at the broken
firm, wondering "what the dickens all
them store-cloihes was a-doin, thar"
Now, when Armstrong saw the long col
umn of white dust rising behind that
wagon he was taken with an idea. So he
shouted to the driver TO know if he might
be allowed to walk In the road behind the
wagon.
"Get in and ride" said the driver.
mo-" said Armstrong; II wish to
walk"
i "Then walk, you crazy fool" was the
swung his whip.
Then came the tug of war. Greek never
met Greek more fiercely than did the two
contending spirits composing the firm of
Armstrong & Self at that particular mo.
ment. SHOW, Armstrong" said the i'm.
perious head of the firm, "you get right
into the middle of that road, sir, and walk
in that dust, behind that wagon, all the
way to the Packers Roost on the Yuba
River" "What, with these clothes on!"
Why, 1t is fifteen miles, and dusty all
the way" mo matter, sir; take the
road. You squander your money at
three-card monte; I'll teach you les
son." {
"G'lang! g'langl'' drawled the driver,
as he looked over his shoulder with q
curious mingling of pity, contempt and
wonder ON bis dusty face. More and
more spitefully snapped the swinging
whip As the slow-paced oxen toiled mile
after mile under the heat of . September
sun. And there, in the road, trudged
Armstrong behind the wagon-slowly,
YEARLY, thoughtfally, but not silently.
He was . man who always spoke his
thoughts. 80.
This serves You right. Armstrong.
Any man who will fool his money away
Al three-card monte deserves to walk in
the dust" ut will spoil these clothes"
!" Well, don't You deserve its'' The dust
'fills my eyes" "Yes, any man who gam.
h1ea all hia s6uHts awav NJ fhroo carA