Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1877-03-24
SOCIETY STRATA.
In Irregular Order-Number 5.
FORvY-NINERs,


sketches shall be devoted to 49-ers,
though it is with some misglvings
that we tackle the Old Bows, as they
reached their majority two or three
years before the writer. Since so,
however, we have been watching
their boyish pranks and we now pro-
pose to give some results Of our OBJ
servation. They are clever, whole
souled set for the pioneer days
naturally imbued them with all the
generous traits of man, and life in
that halcyon time freed them forever
from all the narrow ideas and preju.
dices which too often degrade man
almost to the level of the brute. In
those days the Boys were always
ready and even anxious to divide
their last bean with any needy conner,
aid thousands to-day recall in living
memory the open-handed generosity
that cooled tile fevered brow or
bound up the accidental wound, and
nursed either with wOmanly tender
ness into health again, without
thought of any return therefor unless
misfortune overlook the donor. This
trait OF the pioneer disarms unfriend-
~ criticism OF any bad habits into
which individuals may have fallen.
AS time passed Ola come of the Old
Boys have become wealthy, some
have attained high honor, some hsv.,
hold middle ground, and manv are
still plodding along on the low runts
of the social ladder, but in all the
walks IT life we still find the old
traits clinging to them. The flush
days If 40 caused many of them to
fall into the habit of trusting the
Oliver Of all good almost as implicitly
as do the little birds, and they
seemed to think that sufficient unto
the day was the evil thereof" This
mode Of thought is the main reason
why so many are to-day found i'm
pecunious.
Many of the Old Boys became ad-
dicted to drinking, and the fell de-
stroyer fastened the downfall and
final death of more than one, but
Others have shown wonderful
vitality aud are still engaged in the
deadly conflict, it'll some indication
that victory will yet perch upon
their banners. The contest is GER
talnly unequal, but unfaItering
bravery is better than hosts, and the
enemy may BE- compelled to sue
cumb. Only the other day, how
ever, we saw An account of the sad
ending of one brave warrior. He
asked for some more of the enemy,
but the devlish Keeper gave him
water instead, which he drank and
Instantly tell dead.
Most of the Old Boys also learned
to like the excitement of contests
with the tiger and other lve,-footed
animals, AID many of the SCARED vet.
Grams still think they can beat the
game. This hallucination has kept
them poor for twenty eight years, but
while there is life there is hope. They
do not despair 50 long as they can
fetch, and while money is ma ie
by hard knocks and perseverance,
they will be enabled to return occa-
sionally to the fight, with firm faith
that they will yet send their old enc
my to grass" The Old Boys are
not discouraged at trif1es, and they
have been schooled in adversely until
the lessons are quite lost upon them.
But the 49-er has his joys MS WELL
All happiness is comparative. The
young mother fondling her first horn
Is not more happy than the 4y-er
when he has scaled the turn" or is
holding full" These constitute
the acme OF joy, but there are many
minor degress-success at whist or
any games of chance for ever so
small a stake, or even for the drinks,
etc. II he is broke aud cannot play
himself, it gives him pleasure to wit
ness the triumphs Of friend, and
stories are told of his watching
game of poker for SO and 4S hours
without food or sleep.