The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-03-21

A NICHTlN THE BAR ROOM.

1t was away back in the old flush
California days that, one rainy Octo-
Der evening, little after dusk,
found myself at hotel in Bidwell' S
bar, on the Feather river. At that
period Bidwell's bar was but a rough
mining camp, not much different than
a hundred other camps in California.
| soon discovered that some bolster
Gus characters were guestslin the no.
tel where had found quarters for the
night. They were miners, transfers,
and stage drivers; and when the sup
per was over and the transfers and
hostiers had taken care Of their stock
for the night, as by mutual consent
all gathered in the long, low bar room,
to make night of it. Some clustered
around a rough table to try their for
tunes at poker; the transfers in Il
knot conversed upon the state of the
roads, the probabilities of an early
and hard winter, or the merits of their
respective mules; a sententiOuS stage
driver called "Curly," was telling
characteristic stories, and, for a
while were in the best of humOr. At
length, however, there was trouble at
words were passed between the two
players, when they sprang to their
feet and, for three minutes, fought
like tigers. The crowd separated the
fighters, and as they held them, asked
what the trouble was. One answered
hotly: Il had Just anted Il five dollar
piece, when the black thief stole it.
That yellow haired vagrant never
had five dollars in his life," was the
reply of the other, and then two men
struggled like wild beasts to get at
each other.
Just then some one in the room
saw something glisten at Il distance on
the floor, and picking it up it proved
to be the missing half eagle. and it
was apparent that the money mad
been brushed from the table by ac.
cident.
The mutual apologies and express
sions of respect and esteem followed
between the two men. IL drink was
taken all round and the game resumed.
\ broken-off story by "Curly" was
scarcely recommended when a man
far gone in liquor reeled into the room
and staggering up to the bar, de-
manded drink. The landlord was
absent at the time, hut his daughter.
Il kindly faced girl of fifteen or sixteen
years of age, who happened to be
standing near the bar, with genuine
California candor, said: "You have
had too much bad whisky already; YOU
cannot get drink here.
At this the man commenced to
assail the girl with a perfect shower
of epithets. but in IN instant one of
the teamSters, called "Posy, sprang
up. seized the man swung him to the
door. and opening ii. hurled him clear
over the broad poarch into the night.
Atthat moment the landlady entered,
and seizing one of Posey's hands in
both of hers exclaimed: .'Oh. Posey.
POSey. | owe YOU ten thousand thanks
for that noble deed"
Without the change of muscle
Posey answered: ~ thousand will
do. my good woman; a thousand 5
plenty for carrying a small load o..
freight like that. He's bulky, but he
don weigh much. x-ss - -
But the episode furnished excuse
for drink al round, and the drinks
were repeated until some of the men
present had too much aboard. At
last Curly. the stage driver, proposed
that Il literary society should be
organized: that every man in the room
should Join it, and that when a
member was called up he should
either tell story. sing Il song, or
treat the crowd.
An uproar of approval followed: the
cards were put away and the fun com
menceG. | WAS one of the first called
upon. and. 10 manage the matter in
the easiest way possible. l babe the
landlord ''set ii up for the boys, and
10 give them cigars also. At this
they demanded my name. and elected
me true gentleman ana thorough old
Californian. by reclamation. right
there and then. rs bystander ex-
pressed it .'spite of his store clothes
and or nary looks"
Then followed such stories as were
never told outside of California. such
songs as are only heard on the tur.
hulent frontier, and frequent drinks
All through the evening. young
man. almost Il boy, indeed had beer
sitting alone in one corner of the
room. He was pale and frail looking
and had sat as if half stupefied annie
the revel, never once moving, excep,