The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-06-22
"REMINISCENCES OF CALIFORNIA
LIFE.

ing u UaDrlel OOHTOy aHu IT'S au1hoi
says: Brete Harte really owes little to
California. He never made his pie
there. After it had refused to make
him wealthy, he panned out from him
self some sketches and poems that did
more for the glory OF California than
California ever did for him. [ have
heard him express the same aversion to
California that he expresses in his book.
He is personally not a popular man; but
I have always liked him. His converse
ton is as good as his writing. He once
told me that certain time he WAS in an
inland valley, where sunset had taken
to a tavern a number of struggling
travellers, of whom he was one. In a
corner sat little man with his head
bowed upon his hands in melancholy
meditation. Men were sitting around
and playing cards and drinking, when
suddenly there rose tall, strong stran-
ger, who, folding his arms, roared:
ST am the man from the mountains I"
There were no responses. This was
challenge to fight. There was fight in
the air Again he said, with words of
emphatic intent:
81 nm the man from the mountains -
He got no takers. The affair became
very impressive, and the mans manner
became more and more obtrusive. Sud
denly the little fellow who had been sit
ting quietly with bowed head in the cor
ner, softly rose and in subdued but ear
nest tones, uttered:
ssAnd-I-am-th -from-the
valley
The big bully looked at him mo-
mont and then took out.
This reminds me of story told me by
General John Goshwlder, one of the
leading capitalists of California, and one
of the really good fellows of that State.
One day in the early tines he was stand
ing in pioneer saloon, in company with
Il great big fighter who was the terror
of that camp and town. There was
nothing that this giant could not whip,
and very little that he had not whipped.
This big fellow was sitting near the bar
when stranger entered. He was new
conner in town. He was not more than
twenty-five, slenderly built, pale, with
big eyes, delicate features, and hand
like girl. He stepped quietly up to
the bar and asked for glass of brandy.
The glass was placed before him, where
upon the bully rose from his chair, put
his big brawny hand in front of the
youngster, took the brandy and drank it.
The young man said nothing, but quiet
ly laid down four bits and said:
"Give me another glass of brandy"
The brandy was put out, the glass was
filed, and the bully again reached for
ward, took the brandy and drank it.
The youngster put four bits on the
counter, and said, easily:
s'Give me tao glasses of brandy
The two glasses were put out, filed,
and the bully the third time reached
forward, took glass and drank it. The
young man paid no attention even to the
giants pistols and knives, but, taking
the other glass, drank it, and put down
81. Then, with easy manner, he left
the bar for the door, walked five or six
steps, turned Ike a flash of lightning
and shot the bully through the heart.
AS he walked out of the door he said
to one of the bystanders:
''That fellow might have hurt some
body yet"
Jim Kavanagh, formerly member of
Congress from Montana. was telling me
the other day that on one occasion there
were seven men standing on empty boxes
and with ropes around their neckB under
the limbs of a tree, just ready to be
hanged. One of them, German, be-
gan to cry bitterly as he thought that he
was about to die. The man next to him
was an Irishman, who was much bother
ed by the Germans weeping. So hitch
ing his foot to one side he gave the Ger
mans box push, leaving him swinging
in the air, he said, ''Stop. you big suck
er, won't you?' But the same act top
pied over his own box, he could not re-
gain his footing, and. with laugh at
the trick he was playing on the German,
he, too, swung into eternity.
l was one day standing on the plat
form of the worst Of all restaurants of
the world-at Rawlins, Wyoming, Ter
ritory. A lady and her little girl were
sitting at one of the tables inside. On the
platform was hunter with breech-
loading rifle, and belt full of cartridges.
In fooling with the piece it suddenly
went off; the bullet drove through the
thin clapboard, passed through the coat
of man inside, and whizzed between
the heads of the mother and her little
daughter. He quietly smiled, and put
IN another cartridge. 1 was thoroughly
maddened at his cool indifference. and
under the impulse of the moment said:
I'D like ODE big enough to lick you, you
big chucklehead. He turned around
indifferently, slapped me on the should
er till l though the earth was shaking
for miles round, and said, with a smile:
..Pari, yer amt big enuff, and yer can't
do it. Yer'd better git yer hair cut and
go West. Pard, OF boy, what,l YOU
drink Nothin' Not even with me .
Then yer'd better tie tin pan ter yer
tail and git West. Say, pard," said he
patting the..clapboard, s'Ain't that q pur-
tty smuthe hole Them Henry brich-
leaders is
When Horace Greeley was on his way
to California he met n Forty-niper com.