The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-02-18
THE POWER OF SUPERSTITION.
A California Sketch.

I was fond of the science of physiog-
Monty From my youth up was noted
for my proclivity for reading the charac-
ter of man from his face; and finally
became such an adept in the art that [
could occasionally guess the very thoughts
of the individual whose countenance [
was studying.
Soon after the gold fever broke out I
came to California; and here, [ must
confess, among what else there was to
interest me, I had grand opportunity
for exercising my skill upon all sorts of
faces, seen under all sorts of circum-
stances, from the highest triumph of sue
cess to the deepest despair of failure I
first tried my luck at digging gold my
self, but soon tired of that, and believing
could get money faster and with less
labor, opened kind of grocery and
provision store, and went regularly into
the business of trade, buying most of my
articles at Sacramento, getting them
hauled to my quarters and disposing Of
them at fair advance to the miners and
others.
My store, as I dignifed my place Of
trade, consisted of a rude skeleton of
poles, with suficiency of cheap muslin
drawn over them and pinned down to the
earth, and was stocked only with the
most salable articles, of which flour, pork
and whisky found the most ready mar
ket, especially whisky. In the dry sea
son it was very dusty, and everybody
seemed to be dry with a thirst which
mere water would not quench. If man
was successful he wanted whisky to bring
his body up to the altitude of his spirits
if unsuccessful, he wanted whisky tc
bring his spirits up to the altitude Of his
body; if it CHANGED to be little cool, he
wanted whisky to warm him; if it was
very hot, he wanted whisky to cool him
he needed whisky in the morning tc
make him bright and active; he needed
whisky at night to rest him, and make
him sleep well; he wanted it when he
bought, and when he sold; when he won,
and when he lost; when he stood up, and
when he sat down; in short, whisky was
the great regulator Of all human feel
lngs-the genuine eliTer Vit0H-and con
sequently did an immense business in
whisky.
Now this, though somewhat irrelevant,
brings me to my story.
My store being the headquarters Of
that locality for whisky and provisions,
was brought in contact with nearly
every specimen Of the genus homo thai
ventured In that region; and such an
other conglomeration of white, black and
red-such another mixture of gentlemen,
labOrers, mountaineers, gamblers, thieves
and assassins-it would be hard to find
outside the limits Of California. OF
course l had chance to study all sorts
of faces to my hearts content, but hay
ing, as [ have said, become an adept in
the art, an ordinary countenance, or a
man governed by ordinary passions,
whether gentle or british, did not inter
est me. I wanted to get hold of what is
termed a character, or one whose ex-
ternal would give no indication of his
internal to any but a conuooisseau;: or
one that would really puzzle you to tell
what to think of him.
Among the many, such / at length
found. At first did not notice him
did not think of him. At casual glance
there was nothing to distinguish him
from the herd. He came in quietly, un-
obtrusively, purchased a quantity of
-four, pork and tea, paid for the same in
gold dust, and went out about his bust
ness. He repeated his visits at different
intervals, perhaps some half dozen
times, before he attracted my attention
to anything peculiar in his appearance,
and then I should have been at loss to
say what I saw more in him ct last than
at first.
He was apparently about twenty-five
years of age, of medium height and
slender figure, of dark complexion,
regular features, with dark, straight hair,
dark eyes, and beard that covered the
lower part of his face-in all of which
there was nothing remarkable nothing
striking. He was quiet-not laxative;
had nothing to say except about the
business he came on, got what he wanted
when / was disengaged, paid for what he
got like a gentleman, and generally
retired with an ordinary "Good-day," or
some similar civility. And yet, as l have
said, he began to attract my attention at
last, and I began to wonder why. Was
it because he was SO quiet, reserved and
.gentlemanly, and did not purchase
whisky like the rest and occasionally get
excited and boisterous? AT all events,
he had begun to interest me in some
way; and the very fact, perhaps, that |