Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-02-13

then with Joe Miles, the proprietor; then
with the bluff individual who had first ac-
costed me. Pressing through the crowd,
he led me forward in triumphant man
ner.
"Boys," he said, al take 1t all back. This
is my old skipper came out with him from
Boston in 40. lie amt a preacher-he
spends his money Ikea man, and don't
whine. Any one that don't like him can
call on Hill Thorp. That's me, boys Let's
take suthin'."
Finding that things had taken an unex-
pected turn, Immediately took advant-
age of the new situation. Thorp stood
sponsor for me, and his emphatic assurance
of my unpreacher-like character and prop
or disregard of the value Of money put the
Bar in good humor so 1 explained my
business, and hoped to deserve well of
the boys. And l won the friendship OF
these people; not by pandering 10 their
tastes, or falling into their practices, but by
minding my own business. While alb
staining from rubbing against their preju-
dices, and scrupulously avoiding all inter-
ference with their pleasures, Isympathized
with them in all their troubles, and they
respected me. The Bar, by day, did not
seem to be very bad or boisterous place !;
in working hours 1t INDUCED in a kind OF
feverish rest. But it was by night that it
shone in the full glory of It's appropriate
name. Then it was that the vampires that
sucked the blood of honest labor, came
forth. Short card men, poker sharps,
monte dealers, faro dealers and others of
the fraternity, sneaked out TO prey upon
the earnings of the day, and the Bar ran ri
OF. 1t was then that great strong fellows,
who were wearing out their lives in daily
conflict with naturo-tearing open the
mountains and wrestling with the streams
that others might wear the.gold they won,
would gather round the gambling tables to
''try their luck"-and this thing called
"luck" in the early days was a strange
thing. Existing on the superstition that is
found in the composition OF every man in
a greater or less degree, it was nh--'-''
that haunted all classes, and catered into
all human calculations. Luck shamed rea-
son and set at naught all arithmetical GER
tainties, and forgetting that a mans luck
was inrch of his own making, ii was fol-
10 wed with persistent faulty that led the
feet of too many into bad and dangerous
places. 1t was the scape goat for all sins
and short comings. 1t was the rock upon
which were built the golden castles Of the
hopeful future; the shining sand that car
ried away with it the unfruitful aud dis
astrous past; the harvest whose sheaves of
promise often yielded only bitterness and
disappointment. In these tilts with fr-
tune the Bar drank deep. II twas dry by
day, it was unquenchable by night. If
luck was with the boys, they drank, and
dallied with it; il against them, they drank
still deeper, and cursed.
Altogether, the Bar was a wild and aban-
doned place; but attrition with these peo-
pie taught me that there are solvents for
even crystalized wickedness-that there is
no cloud 50 dark as TO be without a single
streak of silver, no nature so rugged as to
be impenetrable or beyond the reach of hu-
naaniains inn0snsss.
had been domesticated in my new home
about month, when a circumstance took
place which seemed TO change entirely the
whole routine of Hell-Roarlng. There was
an arrival one morning, aud the Bar thrOb-
bed with new sensation a quiet, unas-
suming lady-a Mrs. Hampton-and her
little daughter, who sought rest and health
in the mountains. Mrs. Hampton was
widowed, but no one inquired into her his
tory. She was welcomed as a new and
strange element among so much Wild,
reckless life, that brought back memories
of mother or sister, or sweetheart far away,
aud the Bar was pleased. The boys chris
tened the little daughter Daisy and she
was well named. From this day a marked
change took place. Every one desired 10
be well thought Of by the new comers
dress became an object of solicitude
drunken yells rending The quiet night were
less frequent; spirits of evil seemed 10 be
| quelled, and the Bar was on its good be-
havior.
Little Daisy was everywhere as a minis
tering angel. If there was sick bed in
the camp, Daisy was beside it with little
Injuries that the hand of woman only
knows how 10 prepare. If poor fellow
was about to "pan OUT the few last sands
of life, Daisy was there to wet the parched
lips, TO fill the poor neglected heart with
hope, or to write the last message to loved
ones over and beyond the plains. Quiei
and unobtrusive Daisy moved about in heI
ministrations. As she passed the saloon OF
her errands of mercy-her brown ha,r fold
ed over the pale forehead, her little basket
of goodies" on her arm, and a word ant
a smile for every one-oaths half uttered
were ehoked back, as If ashamed in he
presence. Even Oregon Sis-to whom
blush was a stranger-would hang her hcat
silently when Daisy was near. Somehow
the Bar was not so dry as formerly, ant
Joe Miles, its ruling spirit, neglected hi
business, and said he was sick of whiskN
selling. He laid aside a six-shoOter tina
had served him only too well on more tina
one occasion, with the remark that 9Th
Bar was so quiet now 1t was no use to car
ry H." Joe was very particular now abou
his personal appearance, dressing in tn
once despised "store clothes," and took I
solitary rambling about the neighborhood
1t was noticed that If Daisy had occasion
pass along the dangerous trail through til
canon, Joe was there with his strong han
to guide her. II she crossed the foot-lo
over the turbulent stream, steady arr
was generally there TO support her, an
more than once Joe was found in earne
r conversation with her, or reading the booI
with which she supplied him. Joe fnall
sold out the saloon, and invested in mil
ing claim, which he was industriousl
r working when closed out my busine!
= and left the neignborhood.
= visited the Bar once again. Down Il
I wild Sierra, by the same torluous and rul
: ged trail that had traversed nearly tv
years before; winding among the san
$ lordly pines, rich in fragrance and stan
ing like sentinels in the mountain passes
g through the same groves of laurel and maj