Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-08-09
10 COUNTY. IOWA, AUGUST 9. 1876.
MISCELLANY.
"A MISS AS GOOD AS 4 MILE.

1 . q i = t x
81 MISCELLANY.
-~S~~.~~~>~~-~~~
"A MISS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
pThe incident which is the foundation scs III
following sketch was releted to the writer ~
known here at the time, being engaged il til
practice Of his profession. The name Ii change
for obvious reasons, but many will recognize th
last We heard from him he was said to be leadin
better life than he did while here Davenpol
Dempcratl
One autumn evening I was sitting
in my room feeling rather lonesome
l had just returned from the Office
my days work was done, and as
was listlessly gazing into the graf,
which was'glowing brightly, musinf
land indulging in castle building,
was partially aroused by hearing .
fknock at my door. Somewhat an
lnoyed at being disturbed, said in M
very amiable or inviting accents
I"Come ill.," when the door opened
land gentleman entered whom ]
failed to recognize. "Phil Warner
said my visitor, after we had gaze1
at each other for nearlya minute, so
lyon don't know me, Ell? Well, that's
not strange, for it's about twelve
lyears since last we saw each other,
and then it was amid the booming q
artillery and the smoke of battle ol
the plains of Val Verdi!"
"Ned Bingham, as l i've" / ex,
claimed. "Why, how are you, old
fellow, and where did you drop
1t was one of my old comrades in
arms, with whom, when news of the
call for volunteers reached the Pacific
coast--we were both then in San
F'rancisco-I had shouldered my mus
ket, and entered the service of Uncle
Sam in the "Colnmn from Califor-
MIA"
| "Sit down, Ned, sit down. ex-
Eclaimed, and soon he was comfort
ably ensconsed in my old rocking
chair, while sent out for bottle Of
wine and some Havanas.
| Filling our glasses and handing
him cigar, we drank to old times,
lit our weeds, and leaning back, l
asked him to tell me all about him
self since last we saw each other.
l "Well, old fellow, you know that
certain domestic difficulties of which
will not now speak, was the impel-
ling cause of my complying with
your request to join the Union army
with you in 6l. l was comfortably
fixed in Frisco, and was very happy,
tuntil--until--that dark shadow cross
ed our threshold. And after that en-
counter with him, was glad of any
means to get away--tO forget, il l
could, and strive to Danish all
thoughts of home and her from nv
head and heart. Once out of the
state, | made up my mind never to
cross its borders again--never to see
her again. The war over, found me
in T. tab, and being freed from the re-
straints of camp life, l sought excite
ment in the gilded gambling hells of
Denver, whitherI immediately went.
A short life Of dissipation, and l
awokc one morning to find myself
penniiess, dcbauched and without q
companion in the world there whom
! could call friend! Phil, old boy,
then thought Of y0u, and some Of
the old chums i'm Frisco, with whom
l had spent so many happy hours. A
yearning siezed upon me to go back.
Perhaps | would meet some of my
old friemds-see you---and besides. /
knew it was imperative should do
something. By going East. l could
do nothing knew no one, and l
must have money. In Frisco could
get it.. | thought at first would re-
turn tncogafto, turn my real estate
there into cash, and then quietly de-
part. She would never know had
been there--and then thought,
probably. | might get a chance to see
my darling child once again-press
kiss upon his lips, and then leave the
spot forever where my happiest and
.bttcrest moments were spent. I'm
fortunately, or fortunately, while
strolling out that morning after
breakfast, | met an old friend from
the SLOPE who was enroute to New
York. In course of conversation, /
told him my plans and projects. He
invited me to accompany him East,
offered me very generous loan, and
would not take no for an answer, as
he desired my company for trip
around the horn from New York.
Reluctantly / yielded. In due time,
we arrived i'm the metropolis Of the
East, where we remained for two or
three weeks, doing the city, Falling
in with captain Of vessel, under
sailing orders for California, with
whom my friend was well acquainted,
we determined TO take passage, and
ore morning early, we went on board
the good old ship, Queen of the
West which soon weighed anchor
and left the port of New York. We
We're not long out, before we felt the
sunny influence of the tropics. We
crossed the equator, and a tier running
along the Brazilian coast, put into,
Rio .Janeiro. where some few passen-
gers Tor the land of gold got aboard.
In due time, we doubled the Horn,
and entered the placid waters of the
South Pacific. Our voyage up was
pleasant, and we stopped at the port
OF Valparaiso. 1t was here, that a
character came on board who had
prominent part to act in what / am
abont to relate. He was also bound
for the gold regions, and although he
spoke English very wen. knew that
he was of Spanish birth. He had
sneaking expression about the eyes,
which set far back in the head under
the cover of a heavy mass of eye
brows. He associated with no one,
held aloof from all the passengers,
and l was unfavorably impressed
from the first, with this Dartois, by
name. a@ ts4 At
"One day, seated upon the deck with
my friend, when nearing San Fran.
cisco, our conversation naturally
turned upon my intentions. related
to him that it was my desire to sell
what property / had in Frisco, which
would net me about $1,000, and then
return TO the East and go into busi-
ness. He told me that would be fool
ish-ten thousand was mere baga-
telle, when, by a judicious invest
ment, | could treble it, aye, quadrnple
it in short time. Then he told me
OF the celebrated c. mine, which
had been opened during the war, and
how many fortunes had already been
made by buying and selling shares,
etc, and advised me, when turned
my real estate into gold, to invest in
that, if wanted to make big stake.
He had made $4,000 clear in three
months. Happening to look up that
moment, | saw, the Spaniard a short
distance to our left. evidently listen
ing to: every word Of our converse
ton. Seeing that perceived him, he
walked away. detected cunning
glance in his eye, and felt from that
moment that the. man meant me no
good, and for the, life of me could
assign no reason why he should
mean me harm, At any rate took
an antipathy to him, and could hard
y treat him conrteously when we
met at the table or on the promenade
deck. sss 3s
Swell, we arrived safe in San Fran
cisco, and ! tell you, queer feelings
look possession of me, as | trod
the well knows streets, and thought
of the old times. l took leave of
my generous friend at the corner
~