Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-01


exasPerstng folly. It was not until six m on his
bad passed that Col. Stsrbottle, the second of
Calhoun Bungstarter, in moment of weakness
supeTiDduced by the social glass, condescended
TO explain. L should not do justice TO the par
ties IL did not give that explanation in the CO.
lOnels own words 1 may remark, in passing,
that the characteristlcid gnity OtlCol. StarbOtte
always became intsnsifisd by stimulants, and
that by the same process all sense of humor was
utterly eliminated.
"With the understanding that am address
ing myself confidentialy 70 men Of honor, )" said
the colonel, elevating his chest above the bar
room counter of the Prairie Rose saloon, 81
trust q az will not be necessary for me to pro-
tect mys IL from levity, as 1 was forced 70 do in
Sacramen on the only other occasion when
entered into an explanation of this delicate af-
fair by-er-er-calling the individual to a per-
sJnal accOunt-er! do not believe, ;" added the
colonel, slightly waving his glass of liquor in
the air with a graceful gesture of courteous
MISUNDERSTANDING what / do of the pre-
sent c0mpany-thAt such q course Of action is
required here. Certainly nOt-sr-in the home
of Mr. Hawkins-er-the gentle man who repre-
sented Mr.. Bungstarter: whose conduct, ged,
sir, is worthy of praise, blank mel"
Apparently satisfied with the gravity and re-
spectful attention OF his listeners, Col. Starbot-
tie smiled relentingly and sweety, closed his
eyes hall dreamily, as If to recall his wandering
thoughts and began
GAS the spot selected was nearest the tene-
ment OF MI. Hawkins, II was agreed that the
parties should meet there. They did so promptly
at halt-past 8. The morning being chilly, Mr..
Hawkins extended the Inequalities of his house
with bottle of Bourbon whisky-of which All
partOok but myself. The reason of that excep-
ton Il believe well known. 1t is my invaria-
bic custom TO take brsndy-a wine-glassful in a
cup of strong coffee, diately on rising. IL
stimulates the functions, sir, without pro lucing
any blank arrangement of the nerves."
The barkeeper, to whom, expert, the
colonel had graciOusly impaired this infOrma-
ton, nodded apprOviugly, and the colonel, amid
breathless silence went on
"We were about twenty minutes in reaching
the spot. The ground was measured, the wesp-
ons-were loaded, when Mr.. BungStarter con-
nded to me the information that he was unwell
and in great PdiHl On consultation with Mr..
Hawkins, IL appeared that his principal in a
distant part of the field was also suffering and
in great Pain. The symptoms were such as a
medical man would pronounce "chOleraic." L
say lCOtld have pronounced, for on examination
surgeon was also found to be-er-in Pain, and
regret to say, expressing himself In language
unbecom1ng the occasion. His impression was
that some powerful drug had been administered.
On referring the question to MIR. Hawkins, he
remembered that the bottle of whisky partaken
by them contained a medicine which he had
been in the habit Of taking, but which, having
failed tn act upon him, he mad concluded to be
generally ineffective, and had forgotten. His
perfect Willingness to hold himself personally
responsible to each of the parties, his genuine
concern at the disastrous effect of the mistake,
mingled with his own alarm at the state OF his
system, which-er-failed to-er-respond to
the peculiar qualities of the medicine, was most
becoming to him as man OF honor and gentle
man! After an hours delay, both principals
being completely exhausted, and abandoned by
the surgeon, who was unreasOnably alarmed at
his own condition, Mr.. Hawkins ana agreed to
remove our men TO Markleville. There, after
further consultation with Mr.. Hawkins, an
bic to both parties, and governed by profound
secrecy, was arranged. / believe" added the
colonel, locking around and setting down his
glass, ''nO gentleman has yet expressed himself
other than satisfied with the result"
Perhaps it was the colonePs manner, but
whatever was the opinion of Five Forks regard
ing the intellectual display of Mr.. Hawkins in
this affair, there was very little outspoken criti
cism at the moment. In a few weeks the whole
thing was forgotten, except as part OF the ne
cessary record of Hawkins's bluuders, which
Was already pretty full one. Again, some
later follies conspired to oblterate the past,
until, q year later, valuable lead was dis
covered In the "Blszing Star" tunnel, in the
hill where he lived, and large sum was offered
him for portion of his land on the hill top.
Accustomed as Five Forks had become to the
exhibition OF his folly, Ii was with astonishment
that they learned that he resolutely aud de-
cidedly refused the offer. The reason that he
gave was still more astounding. He was about
TO build!
To build house upon property available for
mining purposes was prepOsterOus; to build at
all with roof already covering him was an act
OF extravagance; to build a house of the style
he proposed was simply msdnessl
ct here were facts. The plans were made
and the lumber for the new building was al
ready sn the ground, while the shaft OF the
Blazing Star" was being sunk below. The
citC Nd7J III NcdilINy a very picturesque Ono-tl6
building itself of style and quality hitherto
unknown in Five Forks. The citizens, at first
keptlcal, during their moments Of recreation
ana ldIeness gathered dOubtingly about the To-
cality. Day by day, in that climate OF rapid
grOWths, the building pleasantly known in the
slang OF Five Forks as "the idiot ASYLUM I"
rose beside theigreenOaks and clustering fires OF
hawkins hill, as II 1t were part OF the natural
phenomena. AT last It was completed. Then
MI Hawkins proceeded to furnish it with an
e&pensiveness and extravaganza of outlay
a N M TNrfNh re
pets, sofas, mirrors, and, finally, a piano-the
only one known in the county, and brought at
great expense from Sacramento-kept curiosity
at a lever heat. More than that, there were ar
ucles and ornaments which few married ex-
perts declared only TT for women. When the
furnishing OF the house was cOmplete-it had
occupied tive months Of the speculative and Gu
rlous attention OF the camp-Mr. Hawkins
iOck ed the front door, put the KEY in his pocket
and quietly retired to his more humble roof
lower on the hill side.
have not deemed 1t necessary to Indicate to
tue intelligent reader all OF the theories which
OBTAINED In Five Forks during the erection OF
the building. Some OF them nav be readily
imagined. That ''the Hag" had by artfQI coy
ness ana systematic reticence at last completely
snojugated the Fool, aud that the new house
was intended for the nuptial bower of the (pra.
uesuned) unhappy pair, was of course the pre-
vailng opinion. But when, after a reasonable
time had elapsed, and the house still remained
untenanted, the more exssperating conviction
forced itself upon the general mind that the
When two months had elapsed and there seem I'D
no prospect of mistress for the new house., |
think public indignation became so strong that
had 'the Hag' arrived, the marriage would
have been publicly prevented. But no one ap-
peared that seemed 20 answer to this idea OF an
availsble tenant, and all inquiry of Mr.. HsN-
kins as TO his intention in building house and
not renting IL or occupying IL failed TO elicit
any further Information. The reasons that he
gave were felt TO be vague, evasiye and unsatis-
factory. He was in no hurry to move, he said:
When he l0GS ready, Ii surely was not strange
that he should liks to have his house all ready
to receive him. He was often seen upon the
yeranda or summer evening, SIN )king a cigar.
1t Il reported that, one night, the house was OBJ
served TO be brilliantly lighted from garrett to
basement; that neighbOr, observing this,
crelt toward the open parlOr window, and.
looking in, espied the Fool accurately dressed
IN evening costume, lOunging upon a sofa in the
drawing room, with the easy air OF socially en-
PERTAINING large party. Notwithstanding this
the house was unmistakably vacant, that even
ing, save for the presence of the owner, as the
witness atterward testified. When this story
was nrst related, lev practical men suyge ted
the theory that Mr.. Hawkins was simply drill
i"g himself in the elaborate duties of hOspi-
tally against a probable event in his history A
few ventured the belief that the house was
haunted; the imaginative editor OF the Five
Forks Record evolved from the depths of his
professional Consciousness q story that Haw-