The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-09-21
DANDY FERGUSON.

| do not believe that Quasomodo was
more pitiably deformed creature, or
Quilp more hideously unnatural look
ing object, than was Dandy Ferguson
when | saw him for the first time, that
calm summer afternoon, laughing and
Joking with a crowd of boon companions
in the cool shade of an awning at Quartz
Mountain
His face was scanned and distorted by
peculiarly glossy scars-the ineradicable
evidence of close and long contact with
that shriveling element fire. His body
was bent, and he walked with a siding
movement He was a sickening spectacle
at first sight, suggesting fearful suffering
in the past, and my curiosity in regard
to him was thoroughly aroused.
Who is that MANI" / asked, accosting
tall, blue shirted miner who was stand
ing in front of the postoffice.
Don't you know him." answered the
man; "why, that's Dandy Ferguson. l
thought everybody knowed Dandy Fer
guson."
Why do you call him Dandy Fer
guson?"
Because-well, because he used to
be dandy-a regular out-an' out sport.
When Dandy Ferguson first came to this
camp, he was a gilt-edged gentleman,
an no mistake. He wore a plug, an
flashed a spark in his billed shirt front as
big as peanut. He put on more dog'n
a mine perintendent, an most of the
boys was down on him from the start.
Thet was about three years ago, an be
come up here from the Bay to get
Whit o'fresh air, an make nature an the
pines give him back what ned lost
spreein' round with them sharps an
young bloods o. Frisco"
No, he don't look like he was more'n
half human, that's fact; butt ruther
have them sears O his then wear the
clothes of the richest man in Californy
that is, eff I'd gone through what he
has an suffered what he did. Proud of
EN-! Mister, thar amt man in this
yer county-no sir, nor in this yer state
AS is prouder'n Dandy Ferguson of
what other men might grieve over an
sigh about, an no mans got a better
right to be proud, either. When he first
came TO Quartz Mountain he used to
parade the streets with his nose cooked
up so; he'd hydraulic himself with pat
chouly an smell water till you couldn't
get within mile of him. He was del
icate looking cuss, am his hands were as
soft As a BARRIERS. The bows used to bet
that if big Bridget Sullivau-our wash
erwoHan-was To take it into her head to
jump him she'd knock spots out O. him
in derned short order. That was our
opinion of him when he played his small
cards in this yer camp-but he showed
down both bowers an the ace before he
quit the game, you bet yer life. Dive
see that quartz mill over thar on the side
hill? That's the Chapparral mine, We
know, an it's thar that Dandy Fergu-
son showed us what sand was
One night, about month after Fer
guson got here, somebody out there veil
cd Firen an the camp turned out. The
h'istin' works was in light blaze. an
the flames shOotin' high up in the dark.
We all rushed to the spot like pack o.
mad animals-you know how fire stirs
men up an excites 'em. OF course. no.
body knowed what to do, an for a
minute we all stood round lookin' at the
fire ereepin' long theeaves, an the burn
in shingles droppin' down the shaft.
Purity soon some one says WHAT kind
er sharp an fierce like. Then there was
little movement in the crowd. an q
man as pale as death springs away from
the mouth o the shaft yellin' frantic
Water! Water! For the love O Goo,
turn on the water-the night shifts in
the lower drift ="
There was an awful agony in tibet
mans voice; he had jist remembered
tibet his brother was down there, an
that the fire under the biler of the en-
CINE was banked, that the cage was too
heavy to work by hand, an the timbers
in the shaft pitch pine, an dry as a
bone, with great sparks droppin' down
like fakes in snow-storm. You've