Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-28
ARMSTRONG'S LESSON.
A Miners Penauce for Having Bnck.
ed Against Thrce-eard Monte.

A Miners Penauce for Having Bnck.
ell Against Thrce-eard Mcn;e.
In the early days of California-the
olden days of gold, or the golden days
Of old, as you please-in d Certain
mixers camp on the Yuba river, there
lived queer genius named Armstrong.
He was an honest miner, not differing
materially with his fellows, excepting
that he had curious habit of talking
TO himself. For the simple reason that
he departed from ecmrioh custom in
this one particular, he was of course
Seted crazy by the other miners. To
call all persons "crazy" who do not
follow the customs of the majority is a
constant habit with men. But, day
after day, Armstrong worked away
with his pick and shovel, Caring moth
ing fer the remarks of his neighbors,
anu seeming to wish for no other part
ner in his tolls or rest, save the. inYisi.
BILE parsonage whom he always I'D;
dressed In the second person singular,
and with whom he was almost con-
stantly in close and earnest converse
ton. The drift of his talk, while ut
work, would be as follows:
Rather tough work, Armstrong
rich dirt though-grub dollar apound
no time to waste-pitch in, sir
hanged if l don't wish l was in the
States. This INNINGS mighty kafd
work. Nonsense, Armstrong; what a
fool you are 10 be talking that way,
with three ounces a day right under
your feet, and nothing to do but Just
to dig it out.
His conversation would beduly pune
tuated with strokes of the pick and
Lifts Of the loaded shovel And so the
days would pass along, and Armstrong
worked and slept. and talked with his
invisible partner. Well, it happened,
IN due course Of time, that the class Of
human vampires, commonly called gam
blers, made theirappearanceat the camp
where Armstrong worked. As he was
not above following the example of
his fellows, he paid the newcomers a
visit. 1t is the same old story. After
watching the game awhile, hecohcluded
it was the simplest thing in the world.
So he tried his luck, and won-Sl00 /!
Now, any new experience would set
Armstrong to thinking and talking to
himself worse than ever. 1t was so at
this time.--"Now, Armstrons," he said,
as he hesitated about gong to work
next morning, "that is the easiest hun
dIpd dollars you ever made in your life.
What's the sense of your going into a
hole in the ground to dig for three
ounces a day? The fact is, Armstrong
| you are sharp. You were not made for
this kind o. work. Suppose you Just
throw away your pick and shovel, leave
the mines, buy suit of store clothes,
dress up like born gentleman, and 20
at some business that suits your
| talent"
Armstrong was not long in putting
these thoughts and sayings into action.
He left the diggings and invested in
fiEe clothes. lie looked like another
man, but he was still the same Arm
strong, nevertheless. He was not long
in finding an opportunity &c Try a new
profession. Walking forth in his fresh
outfit, he had Just concluded a long
talk with himself about his bright pros
poets, when he. halted in front of a
large tent with sign on it, "Miner's
Rest" Armstrong went in. IL aid
not seem to him that he Remained very
long, but it WIS long enough to work q
wonderful revolution in his feelings.
When he came out he was changed
man-that is to say he was change
less" man. He was thunderstfuck
amazed, bewildered. lie had lost hi:
money, lost his hew prospect, lost hi:
sef-ccnreit-lost everything but hi:
new clothes and low habit Of talking
to himself. 1t IS Useless to say that hC
was rad. Armstrong was very mad
But there was no one to be mad at but
Armstrong himself, so self number
two was in for a rough lecture,
Now, Armstrong, rou are a nice
specimen--you fool-you blk -yor
dead-beat-you inf" Well need
not repeat all the hard things he said
Like King Richard, he found within
himself no pity for himself"
But mere words were not sufficient. Il
was time for action. But Armstrong
never once thoughtof shooting, drown
IN, hanging or any other form of sui.
eide. He was altogether too original as
well as too sensible for that. Yet he
was resolved upon something real and
practical in the way of reformatorJ
punishment. He felt the need Of !
self-imposed decree of bankruptcy that
should render thc present failure as
complete as possible, and prevent a
/ similar course IN the future.
So the broken firm of Armstrong
& Self went forth in meditation long
and deep. Some of his thoughts were
almost too deep for utterancc. But
finally he stood by the dusty road along
which the great freighting wagons
were hauling supplies. to the mining
camp up the Sacramento. One Of these
wagons, drawn by six yoke Of oxen,
was Just passing. Snap, snap, snap, III
slow, irregular succession, came the
keen, stinging reports Of the long Mis-.
souri, OK whip. "G'lang, glang, wo.
haw." shouted the tall, dust-begrimed
driver, as he swung his whip and cast
a sidelong glance at the broken firm
wondering What in thunder all them
store clothes was a dom thar" Now,
when Armstrong saw the long column
of white dust rising behind that wa.
gon he was taken with an idea. So he
shouted to the driver, to know if he
might be allowed to walk in the road
behind the wagon.
"Get in and ride" said the driver.
No." said Armstrong; Il wish 10
walk
Then walk, you crazy fool, :" was the
accOmu Odating response, as the driver
swung his whip.
Then came the tug Of war. Greek
never met Greek more fiercely than did
the two contending spirits composing
the firm of Armstrong 6 Self at that
| particular moment. "Now. Arm
strong" said the imperious head of the
firm, 'you get right into the middle Of
that road, sir, and walk in that dust,
behind that wagon" What. with these
clothes on? Why, it is fifteen miles,
and dusty all the way" mo matter,
sir; take the road. You squander your
money at three card monte; I'll teach
you a lesson.
&c lang! g'lang." drawled the driver,
as he looked over his shoulder with a
curious mingling of pity, contempt or