The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-07-09
ARMSTRONG.


He was an honest miner, not Differing
materially from his fellows. excepting
that he had curious habit Of talking
to himself. For the simple reason that
he departed from common custom in
this one particular, he was, of course,
voted crazy by the other miners. To
eaH all persons ss crazy I" who do no.
follow the customs of the majority is 6
constant habit with men. But day
after day, Armstrong worked away With
his pick and shovel, caring nothing Tor
the remarks of his nsighbora, and seem
ing to wish for no other partner in his
tolls or his rest, save the invisible per
sOnage 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 as follows:
g Rather tough work. Arnsssraau-
rich dirt, thouga--gruh dollar q pound
no time 10 Waste-pitch IN. sir
banged If I don't wish I vas ii 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 pune
tuated with strokes of the pick and lifts
OF the loaded shovel. Aud 80 the davs
would pass along, and Armstrong work
ed and slept, and talked with his invisi-
bic partner. Well, il happened, In due
course of time, that the class Of human
vampires, commonly called gamblers,
made their appearance at the camp
where Armstrong worked. As he was
not above following the example Of his
fellows, he paid the new oomers q visit.
It is the same old story. After watch
ing the game awhile, he concluded It
was the simplest thing In the world.
So he tried his luck, and wOn-SIO0 Z
Now, any experience would. always set
Armstrong to thinking and talking to
himself worse than ever. 1t was 30
this time. ''Now, Armstrong" " he said,
ss he hesitated abeut going TO his work
next morning, "that is the easiest
hundred dollars you ever made In your
life. What's the use of your going
into hole In the ground to dig for
three ounces q day7 The fact Is,
Armstrong, you are sharp. You were
not made for this kind of work. Sup
pose you just throw away your pick and
shovel, leave the mines, buy q suit of
and dress up like q born
gentleman, and GO at some business
that suits your talent"
Armstrong was not long IN putting
these thoughts and sayings into action.
He left the diggings and invested in fine
He looked like another man,
but he was still the same Armstrong,
nevertheless. He was not long in ind
ing en- opportunity to try & new profes-
sion. Walking forth In his fresh outfit.
he had Just concluded long talk with
himself about his bright prospects,
when he had halted In front Of large
tent with sign on is, 's Miners Rest %
Armstrong went IN. It did not seem to
him that he remained very long, but it
was long enough to work & wonderful
revolution In his feelings. When he
came out he was a changed man-that
is to say, he was g changeiess" man.
He was thunder-struclz- amazed, be-
wiIdersd. He had lost his money. lost his
new prospect, lost his self-conceit-losk
everything, but his new clothes and his
old habit Of talk5ag 50 himself It IL
useless to say that he was mad. Arm
strong was very mad. But there was
no one to be mad st but Armstrong him
self, 50 self number two was IN for q
rough lecture
"Now, Armstrong, you are a nice
specimen-you foOl-you blk-you
dead -beat-you inf" Well, I need
not repeat all the hard things he said.
Like King Richard, he found within
himself no pity for himself"
But mere words were not sufficient.
Il was q time for action. But Arm
strong never once thought Of shooting,
drowning, hanging, or any other form
e esNA -
NAL as well as too sensible for that.
Yet he was resolved upon something
real and practical IN the way of reforma-
tory punishment. He felt the need of q
decree Of bank uptcy that
should render the present failure as
som lete as possible, and prevent
similar course in the future.
So the broken firm of " Armstrong &
Self went forth In meditation long and
leep. Some of his thoughts were al
most too deep for utteranee. But finally
he stood by the dusty road along which
,he great freightiDg wagons were haul
ng supplies to the mining camps up
he Sacramento. One of these wagons,
Drawn by six yoke of oxen, was just
Snap, snap, snap, IN slow, ir-
regular succession, came the keen,
singing reports of the long Missouri
" G1ang g'lang wo-haw T.
shouted the tall, dust-begrimed driver,
IS he swung his whip and cast a side
long glance at the broken firm, wonder
ing Sc what In thunder all them store
clothes was a-doin' thar" Now, when
Armstrong saw the long column Of
white dust rising behind that wagon he
vas taken with an idea. So he shouted
10 the driver to know If he might be
allowed to walk IN the road behind the
wagon.
q Get in and ride" !" said 4he driver.
No." said Armstrong s. wish to
walk.
sThen walk, you crazy fool. !" was the
accommodating response, as the driver
swung his whip.
Then came the tug Of war. Greek
never met Greek more fierceiy than I'D
the two contending spirits comssoEi &c
the firm Of Armstrong & Self, IS tssst
particular moment. s'NcE, Armstrong,
said the impeTious head of the firm,
ts vou get right into the middle Of that
road. sir, and walk IN that dust. behind
that wagon, all the way 10 the Packers
Raost, on the Yuba river. What
with these clothes on p Yes, with
those clothes on. Why, it is fifteen
niles and dusty all tbeway." No mat
ter. sir; take the road. You squander
YOU money at three-card monte I'll
teach you lesson
"GIang g'lang :" dravled the dri-
yer, as he looked over his shoulder with
a curious mingling OF pity, contempt
and wonder on his dusty face. More
and more spitsfuiiy snapped the swing.
ing whip as the sloW-paced oxen toilsd
mile after nile under the heat Of Sep
tsmber sun. and there, in the road,
trudged Armstrong behind the wagon
slowly, wearily, thoughtfuliy, but not
silently. he was q man who afwsys
spoke bis thoughts.
ssThis serves you right, Armstrong.
Any man who viii fool his money away
at Ehree-ca1d monte deserves 20 walk IN
the dust. I" 1T vii spoil these clothes. .
81 Well. don't you deserve it7s The
dust slls my eyes. Yes, any nan
who CANDLES al his dust aWay st
three-eaTd mante deserves 70 have dust
IN his eyes-and aIkah dust at that.
81 The dust ehokes me- All night /;
any man who vii buck ct monte de-
serves to be ehoked. Keep the roads
sir-the middle Of the Foad--close up .
the wagon. Do yos think yOu viii ever
buck at monte aEain. Armstrong