The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-31

received always with 0hildrlike delight the
ao Of p fRs eRe aSl
us nigh week week. boys get up 9
for miles round &c the raisin and yer's
you boys -rascals 20 are, too-runs this yel
dark Eth, eli. you're teachin' the old folks
new tricks, are yer All, get along, youp and
In playful stimulation Of anger he would shake
| his white hair and his hickory staff ut the
"rascals." The only Indication Of the conser-
vatiye tendencies ct age was visible II his
boys. why" he would say, "a family, {,
hull falnily-leayln' alone me and the old
woman might be supported on what you
young rasGals throw away Ia q single spree
scattering half dollars on the stage the other
night when that Eyetalian Papist was singin'.
And that money goes out OF Ameriky--ivry
cent?"
i here was little doubt that the old couple
were saving, II not avaricious. But when 1t
was known, through the indiscreet volubility
Of Nanny Downey, that Pappy Downey sent
to dissipated and .prodlgal son In the East
whose photograph the old lnan always carried
with him it rather elevated him In their re-
gard. when you write to that guy and fes-
compliments, and tell him, II he kin spend
monty faster than can call him Toll
him, Of he wants first. class jhmboree, to
KEN out here, and me- and the boys will show
him what sqpare drunk is y II vain would
spirit OF the gift; the miner generally re-
turned with his pockets that much the lighter,
and 1t is improbable q little less intoxicated
than lie otherwise might have been. 1t may
be promised Tint Daddy Downey was strictly
avoid hurting tho feelings Of tho camp was
by accepting the frequent donations OF
whisky to be used for the purposes OF lini-
ment. h@ t,mI.c
whisky is good for rubbin' onto old bones to
make 'em Timber. But pure cold water,
'sparklin' and bright In its liquid light, and
so tospoak, retlectin' OF Gods own .linyments
on It's surflss, Is the best, onless, lik poor OF
Nanny and me. We gifts tho dumb agur from
over-use." ' Et
The fame of the Downey couple was not
confined to the foothills. The Roy. Henry
bronchial tour of California, wrote to the
Christian, Pathfinder an affecting accounted
his visit to them, placed Daddy Downey sage
in Rough-and- Ready to their influence. The
gifted literary Hesslan, Bill Smith, travelling
in the interests OF various capita lists, and the
trustworthy correspondent Of four .''only in
American journals" quoted
duced by the climate, offered him as an exam
pie Of the security Of helpless life and prop
erty In the mountains used him as an adver-
tisement OF the Union Ditch, and, 1t is said. In
some vague way cited him as proving tho cpl~'
lateral facts OF timber and Ore-Drot1ucing
region existing in the foothills worthy the
attention OF Eastern capitalists. J.
Praised thus by the lips OF distinguished
report. fostered by the care and sustained by
The pecuniary offerings Of their .fellow-citf-
tens, the Saints led for two years peaceful
rom the embarrassing appearance OF elee-
nosynary receipts-an embarrassment felt
more by The givers than the recipients the
OF Rough-and- Ready was
anS ri aaa ta int dus :. %
performed by him, with the advice and as
,istance Of the boys. II few letters went
.stray at this time, it was easily attributed |
% this undiseipIined aid and the boys them
selves were always ready to make up the |
value Of a missing money-letter and ''keep |
he old mans accounts square, To these
unctions presently were added the treasurer
ships Of the Maso1s and Odd Fellows chari- |
able funds---the old man being far advanced
II their respective degrees and even Che |
position Of almoner Of their bounties was su- !
Here, unfortunately, Daddy's |
habits of economy and avarieious propensity
anne near making him unpopular and very |
ften needy brothers were forced to object to /
he quantity and quality Of the help extend |
elief from the private hands Of the brothers |
themselves, and the remark that the Oh man |
vas trying to BET an example-that he meant
that they would yet be thankful |
Or his Jealous care and economy. A few, |
hink suffered in noble silence. rather than |
ring the old mans infirmity to the bubble
office. ="
And so with this honor of Daddy and Mann
Nv, the days OF the miners were long and
rofitable In the land Of the foothills. The /
lines yielded their abundance, the winters
,ere singu]arly open, and yet there was no
lenty smiled on the Sierrean foot hills, from
heir highest sunny upland to the trailing
aida OF wild oats and peoples. Ii certain
uporstition got abroad among the other,
amps, connecting the fortunes OF Rough-and-
ente, harmless fancy and was not, think hin
holly rejected by the old people. A certain
lrge, patriarchal, bountifu manner, of late
isible in Daddy, and the increase Of much
,hite head and beard, kept up the poetic H.
nd more like somebody's fairy godmother.
n attempt was made by q rival camp to
mulate sthese paying virtues Of reverence,
nd an aged mariner was procured from the
ailor's Snug Harbor in San Francisco, on
.ial But the unfortunate seaman was more
q weakness for ardent spirits, and
nally, to use the powerful idiom of one of
is disappointed foster-children, ''up and died
/ week, without Singing airy bIessin."
But yicissitude reaches young and old alike.
outhful Rough,and- Ready and the Saints
ad climbed to their meridian together, and
seemed fit that they should together de-
line. The first shadow fell with the immi-
ration to gh-and-Ready of a second aged
air. The landIady of the Independence Hotel
ad not abated her malevolence toward the
bar and az who
ad been enjoying for some years seques-
red retirement in the poor-house at East
[achias. They were indeed very poor. By
hat miracle, even as automatical specimens,
,ey had been preserved during their long
,urney was mystery to the camp. In some
espects they had superior memories and re-
liniscenses. The old man--Abner Trix-had
q muskct in the war of 1912; his
life, Abigail, had seen Lady Washington
he could sing hymns; he knew every text
etween 1.-THE lids" of Bible. There is little
onbt but that in many respects, to the super
cial and giddY crowd OF youthful spectators.4