Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-03
A TALE OF CALIFORNIA LIFE.

startling and Romantic.
Sonora Democrat
We are about to relate an incident
which would in our opinion form a first.
class basis for "a story Of California
life, as portrayed by the thousand and
one amateur imitators of Francis Bret
Harte. First describe the surroundings.
An alksli village in the heart of the
Mono country where the FIRST low wash
of civilization is indicated by battered
oyster cans and empty bourbon bottles.
The village itself is a conglomeration of
adobe and canvas, saloons, aud cabins,
vice and virtue, reckless independence
and supernatural idiecy. The occupa-
tion Of the inhabitants, anything appro-
pirate to that section of the country
at present we are at loss to suggest any
occupation suitable to the surroundings
but have no doubt that the fertile brain
of the amateur will readily fnd some
thing for his heroes to earn their diurnal
sustenance by. AS for a name for this
dilapidsted, out-of-the way place, Satan
Roost will perhaps do as we'll as any
other. 1t is not at all necessary that all
should be prominent but their remarks
Tin dialect Of course must be judiciously
selected and crammed 10 whenever a
writer is at loss for paragraph. Let
the broken.down hummer play the male
hero. 1t may be as we'll to call him o
man of superb education and classical
parts, formerly placer miner in the
southern mines. The woman who is to
lend grace to the story must be the only
female in the camp" Don't picture
her as pretty or over virtuous, for that
would be entirely unorthodox, and
not at all after the style Of
the master Bohemian Around these
/ two the incidents of the story must clus-
ter. The man drinks like a fish and the
woman is unconventional takes in
washing for living. and is idolized by
the community in which she lives; all of
which many be entirely inconsistent with
the truth, but no mater, you are writing
q California romance, and inconsistency
must be your ground plan. The man s
name is SANDY" or " Scotty" or
jim" or any suggestive title. The
woman may be, The Pride of Mono"
or Cherokee Sal" or Chiquita," it
matters not which. And now for tbs
incident. " Sandy" or whatever his
name is falls in love with the pride of
Mono" His passion is reciproeated
A gambler called "Short card Bill !"
classical cognomen) is also in love with
the heroine. Deadly animosity exists
between the hummer and the gambler in
consequence, and they plot each other s
ruin Finally the woman tells the gam
bier that she cannot love him. He RACES
around for awhile, and OF last comes to
the conclusion that he will decide the
matter by an appeal to chance He
throws dice to see whether he shall kill
the hummer, Sandy" and marry
Cherokee Sal, or whether he shall
mount his splendid thoroughbred, and
depart in the early dawn just as few
drOwsy Cinnamon are vending their way
down the rocky ravine to their daily la
Dor. The dice decide that " Sandy"
must die. The scene changes to the
Howling Wilderness saloon. At this
point the amstenr may display his pow
erS of description and his knowl-
edge Of perverted DIALECT. Enter
+" Sandy" Enter Short card
Bill. Enter ether cRdaVerons mon
strosities designated citizens OF Satsn's s
Roost." The gambler provokes a guar,
rel with the meek-eyed hummer A pis.
tol Gght ensues. Here the amateur can
literally " throw himself" He can get
up a scene Of confusion and carnage
that might rival the famous fight Of
| Gilgal, where they piled the dead oat-
side the door by cords, and in which
the short. sharp crack Of the derrin-
ger was heard sogRdiAg the knell Of
departing SOULS The gRmoleR ia yicto.
rious, and SANDY" stretches himself
out on the floor preparatory to dying in
orthodox California romantic fashion.
/" Shortcard Bill mounts his horse, and
in company with "gheFokee Sal, " who
has relented, departs from that vicinity
forever. In the meantime the blood
slowly oozes from the left side Of
Sandy" Apparently the hummer
A minutes ere numbered The only phySi
clan in the place is called, and the fol
lowing realistic" conversation ensues
"Doc, old pard, what's the chancesY
"Slim, Sandy, slim"
Has she gone, Door
A world Of pathos burdens these wordI
Of the dying man.
"Yes, Sandy, she's gone"
Tears we'll up in the eyes Of the by
ISLANDERS, eyes that had not known tear
since they last gszed upon the well-worI
strap that hung beside the psternal fire
place
Gone, and left me gone, gone
gonel" a pause and silence in thl
HowlibE Wilderness that was tomb
. like in its solemnity.
How much longer Doc. kan I ham