The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-24
From the overland Monthly J
LUMLEY'S PARDNER.
A Story Of Early California Times.

Story of Early California Times.
have forgotten the name he brought
with him from the states, for nobody here
ever called him anything else but "Lum-
lcy's Pardner.'
We miners have familiar knack of re-
christening, and name once altered sticks
to man as long as he sticks to the mines;
so, even after Lumley had thrown up his
claim and left the dggings, good three
years ago, Lumley's Pardner still re-
manned, a fingcr-post to trace the distance
back After all, John Jones, or Lumleys
Pardner, what mattered it, in that doubt
full tide of immigration setting in toward
the wild regions, where the first confiden-
tial question, after intimacy seemed to war
rant the liberty, was invariably, "Say,
comrade, what was your name before you
came here?'
You see, knew I.umlcy's Pardncr when
he first came into the mines. l was up at
Woods Diggings at the time he and a
party of two or three more came around
prospecting. | remember l thought what
fine stawart young fellow he was, straight
as young pine tree, and no fooishness
about him either, for he had been roughing
it year or two down on the Texas bor-
der. | never saw the boys more down.
right pleased over a newcomer than when
he bought claim and went in with us. He
was not man to talk much about himself,
nor one you would feel free to question;
but there was honest square-dealing look
| ing out of his clear gray eyes, for all the
trouble and unrest laid up behind them.
Lumley was as different as man could
be. | have often noticed that men take to
unlikes in mating among themselves, as
well as in choosing mates for life. He
came into the dggings week OF so later,
| and they somehow fell in together. Lum-
ley was what you might call an extra clever
| fellow. He looked scarcely more than a
| boy-these fair-skinned people never show
| their age-with his handsome, womanish
| face, bright blue eyes, and trim-built fig
ure but ne had confidence until you could
not rest, plenty of the gift of CAB, and a
| something about him--I believe people
call it magnetism; at least, when you were
with him you believed just as he did, and
then wondered at yourself afterward for
doing it.
Lumley always had knack of twisting
folks round his little finger, for all that the
lines of frmness were quite lacking about
his mouth. Lumley's Pardner, now, with
his close-set-lips, and square massive jaw
you might as well hope to move noun
tain as him against his will. lie would be
strong to do, or to bear; you could easily
see that.
do not know as it was exactly fair!
never meant to eavesdrop, but 1t happened
in this wise; One night, | went over to
| Lumleys shanty--it was amazing strange
how soon his name got tackled to every
| thing-to see about a broken PICK he want
ed mended used to do the smithng in
those days. AS opened the door, l saw
there was no one in, and being tired will
my days work, l dropped down on log
lust outside, lit my pipe, and sat leaning
back against the pine boards waiting fol
Lumley to come back. l guess l mus
have got drowsy and fallen asleep, for the
first thing heard was voices, and Lum
ley's Pardner speaking out bitter and short
in way we seldom heard him speak.
81 reckon it's Of no use to ask if there's
any letters come to my name," he said
''Theres no one to write to me"
! rubbed open my eyes and saw two
CLEANS of light streaming out through thu
omen door and the one loop-hole of win
dow, and then l knew that Lumley and hi
mate must have passed me by and neve
seen me in the twilight. Raising mysel
up, / saw Lumley through the window
sitting down to the pine table beside tai
low dip, with two or three letters lyinl
before him, and one open in his hand
Then it flashed across my mind that on
of the boys from camp beyond had gon
in to the station and was due with the mail
that night.
Lumley's Pardner sat over the far sid
of the table with gloomy look in his eye
Being in the same boat myself, knew hoy
lonesome it was never to have news fior