The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-02-05
Select Story.
The Landlord If Nevada Gulch.
From she sex franc SEP craftsman.


The cumpl.tiol of The Pacific railroad
| by the laying of iIt ii;ghly-poIished lau
| ri tie at l'romontory Point, III 1863, was
| the signal for the disbanding of a gang
| OF men who, from the day ground was
broken at Omaha. had followed the gra-
ders from camp to camp, with the perti-
nacity of mosquitoes or birds of prey.
This banded brotherhood was composed
of men who had for many years been
wanderers upon the face of the earth.
Some of them had spent the greater por-
tion of their lives on the wide priirieS,
or in the midst of the rugged mountains
which form the backbone of the conti-
nent, hunting, trapping. and trading; at
times living with the Indians on terms
of equality, and at others fighting with
them. They knew not the restraints of
aw.-in fact knew no law other than
that of force, and were ever ready to ap-
peal to that OH the slightest provocation.
Others were outlaws who had fled to
the frontier for the purpose of escaping
from the punishment which would GER
tainIy have been meted out to them by
an outraged community for infractions
of the criminal code, had they not
were men who had all their lives preyed
upon the industrious and ignorant,
gaining a living by sfrewd tricks and
and dishonest practices with cards. This
element had come together, called by
IL single object, and for years had fol-
lowed the workmen, iieecing them in
one way or au other. \ common cause
had bound them together and made
Il
against honest working people, but sep
arilte and distinct elements when deal
ing with one another
The last tie had been laid, the golden
spike had been driven. The Occident
and Orient had shaken hands; the wat
ers of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
had been mingled with those of Salt
Lake, the wedding of the East and West
cities on both sides of the continent, and
in the midst of the desert by a crowd of
jovial spirits who had gone thither for
the occasion. The sun sinking out of
sight beyond the western hills was look
ing for the last time upon the busy
scene. fer the lawless element plainly
saw that their occupation was gone, or
going with lightning rapidity, and they
We're on the alert to do one more job be-
fore the grand smlsh-up. Consequent
IL it was dangerous to go twenty yards
from the cars, which were DUNG duty as
hotels. This fact having been duly i'm
pressed on the minds of all respectable
visitors. the tents wherein the gamblers
congregated, and where they had ex-
pected to realize great largeness from the
visitors were in a measure empty.
Here and there was game progress
ing, but Il great number of the gamblers
sat behind their tables lazily playing
with pile, oi gold and silver, waiting for
some Innocent to come and get plucked.
Behind one of these tables sat Dolly
Hamilton with cloud upon his brow;
ever and anon dark, sinister flashes ofma-
lignity would play over his features, illu-
minating them as the lightning does the
heavens when filled with black clouds.
Something evidently had gone wrong
with him. and he was sitting brooding
over it, or trying TO contrive some plan
by which he could ease or satisfy his
conscience.
Now the conscience of Dolly Hamilton
was an article of very strange compost
ton. 1t was not exactly as elastic as a
piece of India rubber, or block of gran
ite, yet deeds which would have troub-
led other consciences made no impress
ion on his. He had on several occasions,
with what he regarded as recommendable
public spirit, furnished the first corpse
for interment in the villages which had
sprung up at the terlnini of the railroad,
an action which he occasionally alluded
to as ''laying the cornerstone of the
graveyard" &c was also believed that
quite IA number of the California stage
coaches had suffered from his road side
interviews with the drivers, and that
the great corporation of Wells, Fargo l.
Co. had, even against its inclination,
been induced TO aid him in prosecuting
ms explorations of the great gold-bear-
ing districts. Still these little episodes
did not hurt his feelings or trouble his
conscience, on the contrary, they FORM
ed bright spots on which he was wont TO
let his memory dwell; but as we have
said, something annoyed him. Just
what that something was we might new
er have learned had not Dolly grown
communicative and laid bare his
thoughts:
DOG me if | know what to do! This
life is played out now. The game is
took in and we must all hunt fresh fields
and pastures new. Now, l aint much
sorry for the bust up, cause l am right
tired of this sain4 timing all the time; but
then what's fellow going to dol He
can't 90 back 20 the States, eos the war
has filed every place with roughs, and
gentlemen wouldn't have half chance
The mining towns might do fur while,
but thay peter cut 50 cOnfounded quick
that one wouldn't more'n get his seat
warm afore he has to git. Then, again
the game there amt near so sure as we
have been having. Them old miners
are too cute to be cheated, and all fel-
ler makes he must earn by square deal
ing, and that's too risky. interviewing
stage drivers don't pay now, eos thar is
too much certainty of being eotched. l
shouldn' wonder ef was forced to take
to honest ways, and that's what's both
ern' my conscience, that is"
The above remarks of Dolly were not
addressed TO any of his companions, but
were communings with himself, carried
on in an audible voice and overheard by
the writer of this veracious history.
1.-The great conundrum with Inc is,
what kin do eff l take to honest waysl
l haint got no edgecation thatll allow
me to take to the practice of law nor
physic, though I'm blest eff don't know
a good deal more than many as is law
yers and doctors; but eff I'm going to be
honest I'll be so clear through and not
on the surface only. Store keeping
might gin me an opening, if knew any
thing about dickering for five cent
piece but whar felIer has been all his
life keerless about the piekayunes its
not jest the cheese"
Again the brow of the soliloquizer con-
tracted, and the clouds hoated over his
face the twiching of the muscles around
his eyes, gave evidence of the fact that
he way busily thinking. The clink of the