Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-09-18
Selected Misfellanp,
WHY THEY CALLED 1T ANGELS.

1t was an hour after sunrise when /
took my seat in the stage at Sonora,
bound for Stockton. Twenty thousand
dollars, with a valuable mail, was in that
coach, with driver, conductor and six
passengers to guard it. A loud crack
of the whip, rush of hoofs, and we
were off. Down the long street, fanked
on either side by row of bright-folaged
orange-trees, with here and there pink
blossomed olcander, whirled the stage.
Now we passed a substantial building,
iron shattered and doored; then we
catch sight of an ungainly issure, strad-
died by long spider-legged fumes. bear
ing muddy water and as we rolled along
there come little puffs of the dying breeze,
imprcgnated with the fragrance oforange-
blossoms We are passing through what
was once one of the richest gold-diggings
in the State. Now it is nearly depopu-
lated, the gold is almost all worked out,
and the place is falling into decay
Twenty years ago this was hourishing
town. teeming with busy life, peopled by
cosmopolitan army Where are they
now Scattered like the leaves of the
forest A few still live, rich and respect
cd. Some are still digging and delving,
as poor as when they began. Some are
in their graves, sent to their deaths by
the pistol-ball, the knife, or the Vigil
lants' rope. If those rocks could speak.
many tale could they tell of human
woes, of secret sorrows and tragic events.
An air Of romance, poetry, humor and
pathos lowered about these people, nor
was there lacking dramatic element
This same street has been the scene of
riot and boodshcd Each of these de-
serted saloons once did larger business
than dozen of the grocery stores now
hourshing. Once the crack of the pistol
was almost as common sound as the
stroke of the pick. Yet it is hard to be-
lieve that such things have been, for
everything looks peaceful.
1t was good twenty-mile drive to
Knights Ferry--the first station; but
there was never-ending change of
scenery to prevent stagnation. At one
moment we would be spinning through
deep cut, and at another would find
ourselves on the side of steep hill
Sometimes we crossed a rude bridge,
with stream ripping, leaping and
laughing beneath it, glittering like silver
until it reached fume, through which
it rushed and came out black and muddy
at the other end Before us. thirty
miles away, lay the Sacramento Valley,
its vast expanse stretching out as far as
the eye could reach--a glorious panora-
ma. Back Of US doomed up the noble
Sierra Nevada, its sides still in the
gloomy shadow, spotted here and there
with patches Of bare rock, towering ma
jestically over the dark green ofthe pines.
In the trees auttering gaudyfeathered
inhabitants; the blue-jay, the robin, the
bluebird, the woodpecker and the brill
liant hummingbird. Along the roadside
blossomed the azalea, the buckeye and
the syringa, making the air heavy with
their perfume. So we rolled along down
an easy incline until the horses fell into
a monotonous trot We had reached the
foot of the slope and were fairly into the
Valley. Phew how the sun beat down,
and how the red dust did rise and hover
in the air, penetrating our lungs and
settling on every available spot.
We were now in the tule lands, most
uninteresting spot to be in the midst of,
but very fine when viewed from dis
lance Occasionally our eyes rested up
on a far-spreading oak, and we longed
to lie under its friendly shade, if but for
a moment.
Having contemplated the scenery to
our hearts content, we turned our atten-
ton to our fellow-passengers -Four of
them we knew, they being old citizens
of Sonora; but the fifth was stranger.
He was a broad-shouldered, intelligent
looking man, and about fifty years of
age. He was dressed in plain black, and
had the appearance of man who was
well-to-do in the worlds gifts. His
countenance was open and honest, and
his eyes had good-humored twinkle
He seemed to be fidgety under the long
continued silence, and we were not at all
surprised when he broke it in the follow
ing words:
"Gentlemen," said he, "bave any of
you ever been at Angels Camp, in Cal
averas county%
Several admitted that they had.
II am an old settler, gentlemen" re-
sumed the broad-shouldered man. II
came out with Stevenson, and ! made
my fortune here, but have spont the last