The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-13
The DAILY Argns.
Colorado Maduro.


Halls Gulch, in Park county, Col, is
an auriferous ravine in which the choicest
| picturesque beauties OF nature are supple
mented by that spirituallzed extemporiza-
| ton of nomadic architecture known as a
mining camp. What Hall, and wherefore
he gulched, are questions in the nature of
conundrum, owing half its charms to ex-
IRENE uncertainty of satisfactory solubili-
/ ty; thereby the curious mind being
prompted to unusual ingenuity of inven-
ton, and allowed to enjoy itself therein to
a perfectly indefinite extent. American
nomenclature has many mysteries, partic-
ularly in the branch most elastically affect
ed by the genial miner, and when partic-
ularly golden locality in California or Colo
RADIO can be mentioned by its pet name
without violence to polite phraseology or
the feelings of the unprotane it is a bless
ing 50 unexpected that the average audi
tor should accept it with unquestioning
gratitude, The unexplained guch, then,
Of the unidentified Mr.. Hall, until some
three weeks ago, as decorous rs its title,
and pervaded by the spirit of all that is
most innocent and graceful in the pious
mining life. The sturdy Puritans who
delyed all day for precious ore wherewith
to extend their proverbial charities, retired
late at night to couches which, entomologic-
ally speaking, were expressly adapted to
the repose Of the just, and if any deacon
or elder of the devout little community
felt at any time like exercising himself in
the pastimes of the world, he invariably
went up to the town of Fairplay, some
fifteen miles distant, and remained there
until his ensuing headache had entirely
subsidized. But no sooner is your earthly
Eden in its lovely prime than certain pest
ilent spirits from without select it as a
peculiarly favorable scene for their unholy
picnics. Look at virgin Nineland, with its
spiritualists PASTORAL Portland with its
convention Of scientists; and peaceful
Philadelph with centennial mauiacs.
Three weeks ago two tempcStuous charac-
ters invaded Halls Gulch with revolvers
and red noses, and from thencetorth the
simple manners of the unsophisticated
miners suffered contamination most deplor-
able. Their names were Harry Hall and
Michael Boyce, and having established Il
mill for the fluent utilization of cylindrical
glass goods. they cordially invited the
younger and more thoughtless of the peo-
pie to practice what is known to cereal
athletes as climbing around the rye As
this is an exercise VIGOROUSLY Stimulative
of political passions, it had not been prac-
ticed week before the gymnasts of the oc-
casiou involved the whole camp in confu-
sion equal to the last day of legislative
session. Sobriety was insulted. packs of
cards were drawn, loaded dice were habit
ually carried and convention to nominate
4 ,,al;ttnn1 Nft,nn son,nnI
imminent. The elders of the camp expos
tulated, mildly remarking that the Gulch
would soon be a second Chicago if things
went on in this wicked manner. and were
answered by shots from the pistols of Hall
and Boyce, to make it seem more like New
York. You'd better get your shooting
irons if you want any discussion with us,
observed bluff Mr. Boyce-known to famil-
lar friendship as Big Mike AS he placed
another round OF cartridges in his
trusty weapon; and his friend
| Hall and others protested that
he was really coming out amazingly.
Here are the very identical irons, then,
you was asking for, answered the elderly
miners aforesaid, emphasizing their spirit
to accommodation by neatly presenting a
dozen loaded rifles at the heads of the IA
ellie humorists. Regretting sincerely that
the range did not happen to be somewhat
longer, the two lively spirits surrendered
somewhat precipitately and consented to
be placed under guard in store house for
the night but native wit is not to be
wholly repressed by arbitrary restraint, and
the merry captiyes charged their captoys
with "CnsarlSm," and casually pledged
themselves to shoot at least one miner, yet,
for every hour they were held prisoners.
They even set the hour at which such re
tributive craftsmanship should begin on
the following day; and would, undoubted-
| ly. have been as good as their word, had
not that same hour found them hanging
side by side from limb OF a tree, near the
fresh ruins of their mill for the fluent util
ization of cylindrical glass goods.