The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-02-05

who continued silent, trying to lover
] how h was going to ease his cons. :t.r.--.
.B, gosh, have it." he said. a- i.r
raised HI. les from the door. .s. 81
bright ray -.rpt over his face, ligi Ii
up with Il really pleasant smile. III!
keep tavern. L just believe XII, keep
IA hotel. and dog me if don't. No l.ro.-
keerds fur me. No more rode-side inter
views. No shenanigan. But a square
deal at tavern-keeEing, with an honest
tussel for respectability. That's the tick
ct I'll run on"
Dolly, after having arrived at this con
clusion, raked down his piles of double
eagles, his stacks of silver, and his rolls
of greenbacks, and slowed them away.
He threw the cards upon the fiocr, pre-
sented his silver faro-box and ivory
cheeks TO one of his acquaintance then,
walking to the bar, called the drinks for
the house. When the glasses Were filled,
he said:
Boys, Dolly Hamilton drinks TO your
health, and desires TO say that he for
sakes the brotherhood after tonight -
He will retire from active life, and seek
some nice place where he wilfkeep "a no.
tel Ef any of you 'uns come my way,
you may be sure the latch string will al
ways be hanging out" :"
The boys drank to DollyS health. not
only once but many times and continued
doing so the balance of the night Then,
when the daylight found its way down
upon the arid country, showing how des-
olate and uninvitingly it really was, they
retired to their tents to sleep of the eff
| fects of their carouse
That very day, Dolly started for the
| NIaita Dina l. rhast.rl,r
there might be an opening for him in
some of the towns that would be called
into existence by the wants of the min
ers. After his arrival in White Pine, and
he had spent several days in looking
around in Hamilton and other villages,
he came very near being wrecked. He
saw so many good chances to make some
| thing i'll the mines, that lie could hardly
keep from taking a hand. He had, how
ever, started out to lead an honest life,
and did not want to backslide before he
gave honesty a fair chance. Thus re-
strained. he bided his time, until news
was brought in that prOspectors had
discovered the richest ores yet found in
Bald Mountain district. \ large party
was immediately organized to proceed |
to the new district, for the purpose of |
building town, and carrying on the |
business that wonld naturally follow the |
working of the mines, and the filling up |
of the country. Dolly joined this par
ty, and thus became one of the pioneers |
of Nevada Gulch.
The prospectus looked so favorable on |
the arrival of the immigrants, that they |
at once commenced the erection of |
houses. At first they threw up tents, and |
then followed with more durable build |
ings. Our hero built himself a large ]
house, put into it a big stove, and in |
forty-eight hours from the time of arri- |
val, was prepared to furnish entertain
ment for imam or beast" He then set |
to work and built fine adobe hotel, |
suitable for the wants of the country, |
and fitted it up with all the contrivances |
to be found in public caravansaries.
The new hotel, when completed, was |
opened with grand flourish of trump |
cts. Dolly took a pardonable pride in
his new occupation, and soon gained
for the Square Meal House" an envia-
bic notoriety. From one end of Nevada
to the other could be heard praises of |
Dolly Hamilton and his hotel The fiat
terry, lavishly bestowed, was q balm to
the feelings of the landlord, who con-
stantly rubbed his hands together, and
ClluChleu us lie Thought HOW well lie was i
doing.
Several months had passed away and
been numbered with the things that
were, when Dolly discovered that his
venture had not been a paying one
He had, it is true, made money, but, at
the same time, he was greatly out of
pocket. Quite number of his Oldest
and most constant boarders had never
him n cant rtna1a ciorl. IN,
tended to. The amount on his books
shovel that he had made money,
while the amount he had paid out of
his own pocket, sufficiently convinced
him that he had lost. AS Dolly sat on
the porch in front of his house, thinking
over this matter the clouds came and
went. from his countenance, as of old, and
those who knew him best felt that he
was in no enviable humor. Repeated
duns had failed to arouse his debtors to
a sense of their duty. and his creditors
were pressing
81 jess wish could get my mind down
to hard work, and work out this sum
that is a-puzzling of me- | know kin
keep hotel if kin git my mind mixed,
so as to work out the right road, but it's
cussed hard to DO that last. I've been
trying it for several days, but haint sue
ceeded yet"
: While he was musing, three men,
whose appearance denoted that they
were gamblers, came down the street
and entered the house. They each car
ried large sack of gold coin, and one
of them called to Dolly to come in and
join them in a social drink. While
standing at the bar, they told him how
they had won several thousand dollars
from some flush miners who had recent
ly sold a mine. Then Dolly. in the
mildest manner possible, suggested that,
being loaded with double eagles, they
could liqUidate the debts they owed
him, and by doing so relieve him from
financial embarrassmentS which were
encompassing him.
The delicate manner in which Dolly
had preferred his request, was not ap-
preciated by his debtors. who laughing
ly derided him, saying they could not
think of reducing their "bank" while
they had such a good goose-for th9
miners would certainly give them an
other rattle during the evening.
The snubbing received by Dolly acted
In singular manner ON him. His brow
cleared up, and he walked away whist
ling merry tune. During the remain
der of the day Dolly was in the best of
spirits; he laughed slyly, as he saun-
tered around the premises, winking
knowingly at his employees, and saying,
wait until tomorrow morning and
see
The tomorrow morning came, and
found three men engaged in digging |
three uspicious-looking trenches be-
meath the shade of large juniper tree
which grew upon grassy beach but a
little way from the front door of the ho-
tel. Dolly Hamilton Was superintend-
ing the work. He appeared TO be burst
ing with fun, which overfiowed from in
ripping smiles and waves-guffaws. \
number of men, who had congregated on
the porch, were watching the proceed
ings and speculating on what the trench
es were to be used for. All agreed that
they looked like graves, but then no
person had died or been killed for sew
eral days, so they could not be intended
for such a purpose. The crowd had
been swelled by the addition of the gam
blers to whom allusion has already been
made, when one of them called out:
Hello, Dolly, what the deuce are you
doing there"
Dolly looked up, smiled pleasantly,
and said:
I