The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-12-05
THE FLOODED GULCH.

i WaTQ never mcdAG luz uO 6dllO(,
warn't; but I come of a great nation,
and when a chap out our way says he'll
du thing, he does it. I said I'd go to
sea, and T went-and thar you are; !
said I'd drop hunting, and take to min
ing, and thar I was and that's how it
come about.
You see, we was rather rough out our
way, where Hez Lane and me went with
our bit of tent and pickers, shooting
irons, and sech like, meaning to make a
pile of gold. We went to Washoe, and
didn't get on then we went to Fort
Laramie, and didn't get on there. Last,
we went right up into the mountain,
picking our way amongst the stones, for
Hez ses: "Look here, old hoss, let's
get whar no ones been afore. If we
get whar the boys are at work already,
they've took the cream, and we gets the
skim milk. Lets you and me get the
cream. and let some O. the others take
the slim milk" :.
"Good for you," I says; and we
tramped on day arter day, till we got
right up in the heart o the mountains,
where no one hadn't been afore, and it
was so still and quiet, as it made you
quite deaf.
1t was a strange, wild sort of place,
like AZ if one O them coons called giants
had driven a wedge into O mountain and
split it, making a place for bit of a
stream to run at the bottom, and lay
bare the gold we wanted to find.
"This'll do, Dab," says Hez, as we
put up our bit of q tent on pleasant
green shelf in the steep valley place.
"Thisll do, Dab; thar's yaller gold
spangling them sands, and running in
veins through them rocks, and yaller
gold in pockets of the rocks.
"Then let's call it Yaller Gulch," I
says.
"Done, old hoss |" said Hez and
Yaller Gulch it is.
We set to work next day washing in
the bit of stream, and shook hands on
our good luck.
"This'll do, says Hez. "We shall
make pile here. No one won't dream
of hunting this out"
"Say, stranger !" says voice us made
us both Jump. "Do it wash well? ?"
And if there warnt long, lean, ugly,
yaller-looking chap looking down at us,
as he stood holding mule by the bride.
Why, afore week was over, 80 far
from us keeping it snug, reckon there
was fifty people in Yaller Gulch, washing
away, and making their piles. Afore
another week was over some one had set
up store, and next day there was o
gambling saloon. Keep it to ourselves !
Why, stranger, I reckon if there was a
speck Of gold anywheres within five
hundred miles our chaps'd sniff it out
like vultures, and be down upon it.
1t warn't no use to grumble, and We
kept what we thought to ourselves,
working away and making our ounces
the best way we could. One day I pro-
posed we should go up higher in the
mountains; but Hez said he'd be blamed
if he'd move and next day, if he'd
wanted me to 60, I should have told him
I'd be blamed if I'd move; and all at
once, from being red-hot chums, as
would have done anything for one
another, Hez and me got to be mortal
enemies. :.
Now, look here, stranger. Did you
ever keep chickens? P'r'aps not; but
if you ever do, just you notice this.
You've got, say, q dozen young cocks
pecking about, and as happy as can be-
smart and lively, an inherent as
chickens should be. Now, just you go
and drop pretty young pullet in among
'em, and see if there won't he row.
Why, afore night there'll be combs
bleeding, eyes knocked out, feathers torn
and ragged-a reg'lar pepper-box and
bowie set-to, and all 'acause of that little
smooth, brown pullet, that looks on 80
quiet and gentle, as if wondering who
made the row. Now, that's what was
the matter with us: for who should come
into the Gulch one day but an old store
keeping ort of fellow, with rs pretty 9
daughter as ever stepped. and from thai
moment it was all over between He2
and me.
He'd got a way with him, you see, as
I hadn't; and they always made him
welkim at that thar store, when it was
only Glow do you do?" and "Good
morning." to me. T don't know wha'
love is, strangers; but if Jass Burn ha6
told me to 60 and cut one of my hands
off to please her, I'd ha' done it. I'd ha
gone through fire and water for her, Goo
bless her and if she'd tied one of hel
long, yaller hairs round my neck, she
might have led ice about like bear,
rough as am.
But it wouldn't do. soon see which
way the wind blew She was the only
woman in camp, and could have the. pick
and she picked Hez.
was bout starin' mad first time
met them two together-she hanging
on his arm, looking up in his face wor
shipping him like some of them womer
can worship great, big, strong he; anc
as soon as they war got by I swore {
big oath as Hez should never have
her, and plugged up my six shooter
give my bowie whetting, and lay il