Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-01-01
CALIFORNIA JACKSON.

| HAD just finished my days dissection
While in the act of gathering my instru-
ments together, previous to leaving the
dlssectlng-roOm, my attention was at
tracted to an adjoining table by hearing
the exclamation, "Guess I've done it
now!" On looking toward the speaker
discovered him to be fellow-student who
went by the nickname of "California
Jackson" He was man past middle
life, of reserved manner, peculiar habits
and style of speech, but wonderfully
successful student, plodding, dogged and
persevering to degree lie made no
friends or companions at college. His
pipe seemed to meet all the requirements
of his case. Except during class hours,
he was continually smoking.
No one seemed to know his history
particularly, but rumor was abroad to
the effect that he was al old miner" of
California man who had "seen life,"
who had dared the savage and the will
derness, and who had made very nice
little pot of money. How or why he had
become student of medicine no one
seemed to know. There was an air of
mystery about the man which had long
rendered him interesting to me. Many
% time did | gaze on his wrinkled cOun-
tenanCe, shaggy beard, and cold, steady
gray-blue eve with desire to know
what his life had been.
An extensive scar, the mark of what
must have been CHASTITY wound, existed
on one of his temples. 1t did not lessen
my desire to be made acquainted with his
history.
The present occasion seemed very
favorable opportunity. 1 crossed over
to the table where lay the subject" or
dead body, which he had been dissect-
ing, and found that my interesting friend
had accidentally punctured the palm of
his hand with the point of his dissecting
knife. This was u poisoned wound of
the worst description, and Jackson knew
that as well as l, yet he did not seem in
the least alarmed. After having sucked
the puncture thoroughly, he held his hand
out for me to cauterize it with point of
nitrate of silver, which | held ready for
use. The hand thus held forth was as
cool and steady as possible, and when l
grasped his wrist felt his slow, regular
pulse. Although the caustic must have
given him considerable pain, he did not
vince in the least; and when [ had fin
ished, and we were leaving the room to-
gether, he gave low, harsh laugh, and
said: Guess I've had more than this fore
nOwm
We walked along the streets together
as far as our common road lay, and my
hope was that when Jackson turned up
the quiet street where he lodged he
would ask me to go up and see his "dig-
glngs." But to my great disappointment
he only turned off with Good night,
mister, and thank yOu." Thus my hopes
of penetrating the mystery of "Califor-
MIA Jackson" vanished like dream, or
the mists of the mountain.
And as l walked slowly along the
crowded, gas-lit streets of the city occu-
pied my mind with endless conjectures
about the history of this man. asso-
ciated him with Indians, tomahawks,
scalping knives, silver mines in wild ra-
vines defended by hired ruffians, who pa
tro;led, rifle in hand, night and day to de-
fend natures treasure-cave. In short,
made my fellow-student the hero (?) o
the wild life which is led on the Pacific
slope even at the present day.
Reaching my dingy lodgings, let my
self in with latch, lit my gas and called
for tea My frugal meal was brought in
by the domestic, an ugly, shriveled, lame
old woman, who had that peculiar, ire
sistible, fascinating power over me pos
sessed by all extremely hideous or dis
gusting objects. This old creature was
a perfect study in "the ugly" had q
friend, young artist, who was forever
raving about the study of " the beauti
full" The model which studied die
not present feature destitute of ugli
ness. I do not know whether the con
temptation of this specimen of humanity
had beneficial effect on me or the con
trary. Charlie, my young artist friend
used to dread paying me a visit. ON
glance at sold Jenny" was, to his critica
artists eye, what discord in musi
would be to delicate and accurate ear
On this particular evening could no
Keep my eyes off the grim and grim.
form OF old Jenny" as she moves
ABOUT my room. An attempt at reading
anatomy only seemed to call up tn,
form OF vivisection practiced by the In