The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-01

kept the shanty hotel of the Pac kcrs'
koost had a woman for a wife. She,
being 4 kind-heartcd creature, hesought
her lord to go down and help the poor
crazy man out Of the water
Vshaw" said tic oN-drivcr. 'hc amt
a crazy man; he's a fool. He walked
behind my wagon and talked to HIM
self all the way from StrahblctoWn.'
Thercupou arose lcugthv di-cus-
sion about the difference bctw ,cn era
~ man and fool. But, after awhile,
the landlord and the ox-driver went
down to'tl.e bank, and agreed to go
Armstrong; security against huching
at monte il the future, il he would come
ont of the water. SO he came out,
and went up to the house.
'Will YOU have a cup OF tea o. cot
frci' sad the woman, kindly.
YES, madam said Armstrong, q
will take both.
Iic is crazy, sure as can hc,' aid the
woman. But she rought two cup,,
As ordered. Milk and suga::' ~hc m
quircd. kindly, as before.
40. madam; mustard and rcd pep
per, au,W~Icd Armstrong.
Il do believe H. is a fool, SAID tGc
woman. as she went for the pepper and
y F~iard.
Armstrong, with deliberate toolncss,
put spoonful oi red pepper inio the
lea. and spoonful of mustard into the
coffee. Then he poured the two to-
gethcr into large TN cup. Then the
old conflict ragged again, and, high
above the iattling OF TIN cups and pew
ter spoons. sounded the stern command,
Armstrong, drink it, sir-drink it
down. y momcn,arv hesitation, and
Il few desperate gulps, and ii was down.
'Oh, yes said our hero, as his throat
burned, aud the tears ran from his eyes,
y You buck your money away At three
card monte, do vou?'
Now, the Thomsonian dose above
described very nearly ended the battle
with poor Armstrong. lie Wa silent
iof quite iin>', and everybody else was
silent. \i;cr aw hlc the Landlord ven
,urcd TO suggest that Il bed could he
provided. il II were desired. '\o,' said
Armstrong;, IN Sleep ON the floor.
! uu ecc, .J,n@>r. sajI ne, cl M the
lardiord Wilu p.cui.M expression,
'this frni ha, been $laaNi"''"% gold
ddst Il; monte thr,v-ct,d rloutc and
So ~:r'yr 70 "ndS tip i }r y ~, He'
hv g"im. to h>A on the '|ror. len
came the dreams. lie first Dreamed
that hc wa sleeping with ii, fee, on
the North Pole and his head on the
tropics, while all the miners oi Iuba
were ground >lucinI IN his stomach.
Next he dreamed that he had swal
lowed Mount Shasta for supper, and
that the old mountain had suddenly be
come an active voCano, and was vonit
ing acres of hot lava.
Then the scenes were shifted, AMI h,,
seemed to have found hi, final ah"'ir in
in place of vile SMELLS, and fierce
flames, politely called thc an'ipodes of
heaven. And while he wrilhcd in
agony, Il fork tailed ticnd, with his
thumb at his nose, wa, saying to him,
in a mocking voice: You bnck your
money on Mree carte mo,,tc, ,fo you -ch?'
But even this troubled sleep had an
end at last, and Armstrong arose.
When he looked ut himself in Il brok en-
looking glass, that hung on the wall,
he thought his face bore traces of Wis
dom that had never been there before.
So he said; Armstrong, think you
have learned 4 lesson. ou can go
back to your mining n,iw, sir, and let
monte alone Time showed that hc
was right. His lesson was well learned.
The miners looked little curious Is 4cn
he rcappcarcd at the camp, and still
called him crazy. Bat he had learned
a lesson many of them never learned,
poor fellows. They continued their
old wavs, making money fast and spend
inc it ioolishly-evcn giving it to monte
dealers. Bat the Armstrong firm was
never broken in that way bat once.
After that, when he saw one q; The pc
culiar signs, 'Rohbcrs' kooet,' Flee
cr.' Den, OF 'iool5' Last { hancr,
Armstrong would shake hi, head with
Il knowing air, and say to himself. Is
he passed along, 80, yes. Armstrong,
vou'vc been there; yoa know all about
that; YOU don't buck your lnnney away
at three card montc--not much.
These are 3inc inks in he history
Of that melancholy man, Armstrong ~
an episode of whom i, given i'll the
aboYc, from the Oucrtn'M .No"thy-
.ApNn only t. few Of his friends,
that justice to him demands should now
be made public. HIS carly history Of
himself, AMI of the FIRST great trouble of
his life, arc related by him with pa
thos that can scarcely ial to bring tears
to the eyes oi the least unsynlp pathetic
Being Of poctl-al turn Of mind, his
thoughts naturally flowed into verse,
and hc gave vent to his feeling i'll the
following appropriate lines;
Come. all 81 a. slr'- fond Of VOC.
hni Listen ..dtr
Ard " s!ieaIt- ".t ill Win sorrow
III. sOl clrp.i ar''.
49, icirs iul dr"u Ia ton 'ni-,
Like ia.u 10 f..nGcf ..pt'it.
',i. Ifscuo. ] lrraf..l = r.. nDr ever
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