New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-04
THE FOOL OF FIVE FORKS.
By BRET HARTE.

He lived alone. do not think this pecu
iiarity arose from any wish to withdraw
his foolishness from the rest Of the camp
nor was it probable that the combined wis
dom of Five Forks ever drove him into
exile. MY impression is that he lived alone
from choice-a choice he made long before
the camp indulged in any criticism Of his
mental capacity. He was much given &c
moody reticence, and although to outward
appearance strong man, was always com
planning Of i'll health. Indeed. one theory
of his isolation was that it afforded him
better opportunities for taking medicine
of which he habitually consumed large
His folly first dawned upon Five Forks
through the postotfice windows. He was
for long time the only man who wrote
home by every mail, his letters being al
ways directed to the same person, q woman.
Now it 80 happened that the bulk OF the
Five Forks correspondence was usually the
other way; there were many letters re.
ceived, the majority being in the female
hand, but very few answered.
The men received them indifferently, or
rs q matter of course: few opened and
read them on the spot with barely re-
pressed smile of selfcOnceit, or quite as
frequently glanced over them with undis.
guised impatience. Some OF them began
with INV dear husband" and some were
never called for. But the fact that the only
regular correspondent of Five Forks never
received any reply became at last quite no.
tOriOus. Consequently, when an envelope
was received bearing the stamp of the
Dead Letter Office addressed to the Fool,
under the more conventional title of ICY.
rus Haw kins," there was quite fever of
excitement. ! do not know how the secret
leaked out, but it was eventually known to
the camp that the envelope contained Haw.
lins own letters returned. This was the
first evidence of his weakness; any man
who repeatedly wrote to a woman who did
not reply must be fool. l think Hawkins
suspected that his folly was known to the
camp. but he took refuge in symptoms OF
chills and fever. which he at once devel.
Oped, and effected a diversion with three
bottles Of Indian chologogue and two boxes
of pills. At all events. at the end of
week he resumed a pen, stitfened by tOnics,
with all his old epistOlatOry pertinacity.
This time the letters had a new address.
In those days a popular belief obtained
In the mines that luck particularly favored
She foolish and unscientitic. Consequently,
when Hawkins struck pocket in the
hillside near his cabin there was but little
surprise. ''He will sink it all IN the next
hole.' was the prevailing belief. predlcated
upon the usual manner in which the pos.
SCISSOR Of "nigger luck" disposed Of his for.
tune. To everybody's astOnishn.nt. Haw.
kins, after taking out about $500 and
exhausting his pocket. did not pros pect for
another. The camp then waited patiently
to see what he would do with his money.
] think, however, that it was with the
greatest difficulty their indignation was
kept from taking the form of q personal
assault when it became known that he had
purchased draft for $1,000 in favor Of
:'thas woman" More than this. it was
finally whispered that the draft was re.
turned to him az his letters had been. and
that he was ashamed to reclaim the money
at the express office. ''lt wouldn't be a
bad speculation TO 20 East. get some smart
gal for 500 to dress herself up and repre-.
sent that nag. and freeze on to that $Sooo.
suggested a iar-seeing tinancier. 1 may
kris fair unknown as 1.-The Hag, without
having. am confident. the least Just'ilca'
ton tor that epithet.
That the Fool should gamble seemed
emnent!y tit and proper. That he should
occasionally win a large stake. according
TO that popular theory which have record.
ed in the previous paragraph. appeared
also a not Improbable or inconsistent fact.
That he shonid. however, break the faro
bank which Mr.. John Hamlin had set up III
Five Forks. and carry of a sum variously
estimated at from $4,000 10 $4,000. and
not return the next day. and lose the money
at the same table. really appeared incred.
;ble. We. such was ;he fact. a day or two
passed without any Snown investment OF
Mr.. Hawkins recently acquired capital.
..Ef he allows to send il to that hag." said
one NJ. prominent citizen. ..suthin' oush. to he
done: Hes just ruinin' the reputation OF
,his yer camp--this s!eshin' around a
capital on non-residents as don't claim it,"
Its settin' an example o extravaganza"
said another. 'ez is little better nor a
sviudle. That's morn five men III this
camp tibet. hearin'' tibet Hawkins haa sent
their hard earnin's, too: And. then. to