The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-09-03

SouV w At0 S0Clout 11I1stS9 Iu8t CUuH1Oe5Se
bic portions Of Italy, Spain, France. Switz.
erland, etc, would be enveloped in per
petual snow; while the Rhine, Danube,
and other rivers would be changed into
great glaciers! And il these eventually
would be the results, would tho imme. /
date advantage gained by Africa compen-
safe for the disastrous loss to Europe :"
- ~. 5000 49,: .i.!...- :. =. :. <&'i - = 4
i: 81: : : +. THE DocToR's STORY: 't'1d|
Co.. 49, '>"A::sE!j s1s> / ~, -i.'$;<: j
Ill.,. By AN oLDlcALiyoRN1AN. ;,at.t 4,
In 184o, near the middle of the year,
landed at Clark's Point, San Francisco,
with high hopes and low funds-the low
est Of funds. for the three. round dollars I
had just paid the gentleman's son, with
the. classical education and the blue flannel
shirt, for pulling me and my chest ashore
in his flat.bottomed dinghy. were all that
were left of just ten times that many, with
which Was ballasted wnen launched at
New York upon my Fl Doradoward VEN:
ture by allmeans do not cucumber your.
selves with luggage, - urged our pruden- \
tial advices from the placers and had
obeyed the injunction with exemplary
literalness. To get my baggage to the
Parker. House, engaged the commercial
editor Of The Alta Cali or,,ia, who was
timeously on the warf prospecting for;
items. He was paid with the chest, which,
considering the price of fire.wood forty
dollars = cord was as much hire as that
editorial laborer> was worthy of. In less
than week, / was wholly disencumbered
Of luggage, my spade having gone for ono
dinner, and the pick for another. had
slept three nights on nv shaving case, and
shaved with my bowie-knjfe instead. All
that remained was pilot-clotn pea: Jacket,
apair Of corduroy t:owers, and the bible,
which, Of course, Was Of no use to anybody
but the owner. At the rate of twenty.
four dollars dozen for washing, and in
view Of the tenderness. Of my knuckles, to
say nothing Of some hereditary prejudice
against the laundry as an occupation for a
gcntleman's son, I rejoiced when had
fairly got my last check shirt off my mind.
All this time had been looking about
for something to do. My profession, med
icine, was an impossibility Il had brought
no dispensary with me, and the last lot
quinine-the panacea in those days for all
the ills that Californian flesh was heir to
had sold for four ounces (sixty.tour
dollars) an ounce at auction. By reason
of rents-one hundred dollars month
for dog house-7,an Office was not less
visionary to me than palace. Besides,
my appetite was growing fearfully, and
my ditty.box was not good for soup. In
those days, Old Californians never darned
sewed buttons on counting the worth Of
time. it was cheaper to buy new Clothes,
of which there was great glut in the mar.
ket. Then the free sand.hill, where had
slept at first, was fierce with heas. NV
skin was scarifed between unsparing ir-
ritation and great loss of blood, my health
was filling. My physician that's me-
strongly recommended tent, soft plank
and Mackinaw blanket. So must stop
looking about for something to do, and
set about doing something at once. To
be sure, Smith, Jones, or Brown. would
have been driving mules by this time, or
tending bar. or peddllng jack.knives for
another man, or working on lighter E;
| but the reader must remember that I was
gentlemsn's son.
How to begin, them. There were my
letters Of introduction, neglected until
now for a splendid idea of independence.
There were six of them: 7 would try them
all and l did. Five gentlemen, friends
of the family, were most happy to see me.
Five gentleman congratulated me on ar
irving out so ear1y; l had fortune by the
fore'lock. Five gentlemen considered
this splendid country-great openings
for young men of enterprise and talent,
especially doctors-half the population
| i'll, and fees enormous-two ounces 4 visit
medicines in proportion-a dollar a
grain for quinine, a dollar drop for
laudanum-wonderful, sir, fabulous -
really envied me--wished they were doc
tors hemselves-of course, would send all
their friends to me; in about week I
would be overrun with patients-would
| be happy to advise me as to investments
-.knew some lovely water:lots new towns
at head of navigation, only ten miles from
the richest mines-sWeet ranches in the
valley Of San Jose-that is, if was of an
agricultural turn of mind-could raise
| potatoes at a dollar pound, squashes
and beets according-must excuse them
now very busy getting up lumber for
q new hotel under way next week.
splendid housc--bridal chamber--all the
delicacies of the season--come and see
them--take care Of myself, old fellow
There still remained ore letter, from
venerable fellow-citizen and friend of
my father, to his son in San Francisco
"a spirited young fellow, who, having oh.
tanned commission in one Of the new
regiments at the breaking outoof the Mexi-
can war, had subsequently distinguished
himself in several engagements. At the
close of the war he was ordered to Cali.
fornia, where, though still holding mill.
tary appointment, he engaged in some
seccessfu1 speculations on private account,
and was said to have built up for himself
q considerable ''pile." One evening, IN the
Parker House, 1 recognized this gentle.
man, rs much by the family likeness As
by certain remarkable scar by which he
had been described to me. Approaching
him IS he stood at the bar selecting ci.
gar, I introduced myself at the same time
presenting my letter the contents of
which were unknown to me for his faith
er had asked permission to seal it. He
received me with cordially, and, on read.
ing the missive, drew from his pocket
three ounces (fifty dollars), which he Of.
fered to me with thanks. But immediate
ely, observing my unaffected surprise, he
explained that the letter contained a re-
quest that he would pay to me these fifty
| dollars, due for several wears to nv faith.