The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-04-16
A. CALIFORNIA IDYL.

The declining sun was casting his rays
over "Poor Mans Gulch," situated at
the foot of the Sierra Nevada, near
where the town Of Mariposa now stands,
at the close of one fine day (dry season.
in the year of our Lord 1854.
As we said before, the sun was cast
ing his rays over the Gulch up the tow
erng heights of the hills, bringing out
the rich green of the waving pines, and
lighting up the faces of a group of men
who stood Watching an advancing figure.
The aforesaid figure slowly plodded its
way along, followed by n very discour.
aged looking mule, bearing upon its
back the simple outfit of prospecting
miner.
There was q look of discomfort upon
the faces of the reception committee,
and they even eyed the stranger with
suspic on. The fact was, such num-
Der of strangers had come to their camp
claiming hospitality, who had been
weighed in the balance and found want
ing, that they were decidedly averse to
extending the right hand Of fellowship
to subject unless he proved to be Of
the right stripe.
All doubts were speedily dispelled as
the strangers honest face came in view,
and when Sim CarlOck, the spokesman
of the party, stepped forward and grasp
ed his hand, he received hearty well
come.
The new conner was not allowed to
say word until he had partaken of a
hearty supper, his long-eared compan-
ion in the meantime being well taken
care of.
The sun, with the promptitude so pc
culiar to that part of the country, had
gone down with a "plump, " very much
resembling the extinguishment of Il can
die by means of the application of n
finger and thumb. After supper found
the stranger seated in the midst of a
party who had assembled to make his
acquaintance, pipe in hand, and his face
wearing calm, contented air which
seemed to say "Yere / am yere / am
amongst good friends, and yere Pm 60
in to stay"
An awkward silence succeeded the
ceremony of introduction, as, according
to the then prevailing etiquette, it was
due to the newcomer to have the first
say.
The silence was broken by laconic
remark from the stranger to the effect
that his name was Hiram Tucker. Thus
encouraged, the party soon got from
him his simple story, which amounted
to this:
He was q bachelor, and hailed from
an Eastern state. At the breaking ont
OF the gold fever he took it il to his
head that to carry cargo of Yankee
notions around the Horn would be q
good speculation. He arrived at San
Francisco in good order, sold his cargo,
and lost his crew, who deserted as soon
as the ship cast anchor. There he was
in a strange land, with plenty of money
in his pocket and no means of returning
home. Accepting the situation in a
graceful way peculiar to himself, and
having no family ties, he decided to cast
his lot in the golden land, hoping some
day to become a useful citizen. What
with the high rates Of living and the
gaming-table Uncle Tucker--fOr 50 they
dubbed him-specdily became poor
man. Becoming conscious that he must
now work for living, he scraped up
enough from his shattered fortunes to
provide himself with an outiit, aud be-
gan grubbing in the earth and inspect
ing the rocks in search of that which
constituted the chief aim of man at
that particular time and place. His
statement included a long list of disap-
pointments, lucky finds, and wander
lngs, which would tire the readers
patience should we enumerate them in
detail. Suffice it to say that Uncle
Tucker met with the same good fortune
as nlne-tenths of his compatriotq. He
had more than once made nm his
mind "tew strike west, an &C
tew Jaypan," as he had heard mar
could live for almost nothing there
but here he was, high and dry, at Poo,
Mans Gulch, and if the bows woulf
lend hand he would set up shant,
and settle down.
The boys certainly would lend hand
and after cordially shaking hands the,
bade Uncle Tucker good night.
The next day the work of ereotin,
the new habitation began in good earn
est, and by night a neat, substantial 10,
shanty stood ready for occupancy.
Gentlemen" said Uncle Tucker tba
night, as the festivities came to close