Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-29
A Night i'm a Bar.R0Om.


Sarah o. Je,cett, ST. Nicholas for June
A Night in a Bar Room.
1t was away back in the old flush Cal
fornia days that, one rainy October evenin
II little after dark, found myself at
hotel at Bidwell's Bar, on the Feather ri,
er. AT that period Bidwell's Bar was br
a rough mining camp, not much differer
from hundred other camps in California
soon found thot some boslerous charac
lers were guests in the hotel where l ha
found quarters for the night. They wer
miners. teamsters and stage drivers; an
when the supper was over and the team
stors and hosllers had then taken care q
their stock for the night, AS by mutual n
sent, all gathered in the long. low bar
room to make night of it Some clus
tered around u rough table to try thei
fortunes Mt poker. the teamslers in kno
conversed upon the state of the roads, th
probabilities of an early and hard winter
OF the merits of their respective mules;
Nententious stage driver called Curly
Was telling characteristic stories. and for
while all were in the best of humor. A
length. however. there was trouble at tn,
poker game; few hasty, sharp word.
passed between two of the players, wher
they sprang to their feet, and for thre,
minutes fought like tigers. The Grove
separated the fighters. and, rs they held
Them asked what the trouble was. One
answered. hotly, had Just anted five
dollar gold piece when the black THE
stole it.
The yellow haired vagrant never had
five dola in his life, was the reply of the
her, and then the two men struggled like
wild beasts to get at each Other.
Just then some one in the room saw
something slisen at - distance on the floor
and picking it up it proved to be the miss
ing halfeagle. and it was apparent that
the money had been brushed from the ia.
BILE by accident.
Then mutual apologies and expressions
OF respect and esteem followed between
the two men, drink was taken all around
and the game resumed.
A broken-off story by Curly was scarce
ly re commenced when man far gone in
liquor reeled into the room, and stagger-
ing up to the bar demanded drink. The
landlord was absent ut the time, but his
daughter, a kindly faced girl of fifteen or
sixteen years OF age. who happened to be
standing near the bar just then, said,
with Il genuine California candor. You
have had too much bad whiskey already :;
You cannot get drink here.
At this the man commenced to assail
the girl with n perfect shower of epithets,
but in An instant one of the teamsters call
ell "Posey" sprang up, seized the man,
swung him to the door, and opening it,
hurled him, clear over the porch into the
night. At that moment the landladv enter
ed, and, seizing 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, Posev
answered: A thousand thanks will do, my
good woman; a thousands plenty for car
rying "A small load of freight like that.
He's bulky. but he don't weigh much.
But the episode furnished excuse for q
drink all round, and the drinks were re.
peated until some of the men present had
too much aboard. At last Carly, the stage
driver, proposed that II literary society
should be organized, that every man in
room should join it, and that when II mem,
Der was called upon he should either tell
Il story, sing song or treat the crowd.
An uproar of approval followed; the
cards we've put away and the fun com
menced. l was one of the first called
upon. and to manage the matter in the
easiest way possible, l hade the landlord
" set it up" for the boys, and give them
cigars also. AT this they demanded
my name. and elected me true gentle.
man and II thorough old Californian, by
acclamation. right rhere and then, us II
byotander expressed it, in 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 turbulent frontier,
and frequent drinks.
All through the evening. a young man,
almost boy, indeed. had been sitting
in one corner of the room He was
pale, and had sat as if half stupeied amid
the revel, never once moving, except when
the ruffian had in-uted the girl, when he
sprang 10 his feet; but the big teamster
was too quick for him, and he quietly
settled back into his chair At last, one
Of the men, excited with liquor, struck
he youth under the shoulder. and said
rudely.
Come, pale face, song, story or
drink.
The young man rose to his feet and said
quickly, cannot sing. | cannot tell
stories, and do not drink.
The deuce you can't and won't, said the
miner. What kind of white livered
are you, any wayp and turning to
the crowd, he continued: | say, boys
what do you think of this rooster? He
srn't sing, he can't spin yarn, and he
don't drink.
A general howl followed this outburSt,
and the crowd gathered menacingly around
The youth.
Curly, the stage driver. here interferel
and said: Young man. better consider;
The boys don't like it; try II story, or try
a song. or order the poison.
- But l don't drink. said the youth;
cannot sing, and cannot tell stories, and rs
he spoke he turned u full, fearless face
upon the excited crowd.
A murmur of disapprobation began, and
one rusty miner was calling attention to a
= city chap rs was too proud to 60 chats
with common miners and teamsters,
when big teamster Posey. with wave of
mis- hand, stopped hun. and marching up to
,he youth. said: think there's misun-
here. If you don't sing, nor
ell stories. nor drink, your education has
been badly neglected for some kinds of
business, sure; but think it over a minute;
vou might do something else, perhaps.
The Young man looked down for a mo-
nept, and then said: | might read you
something, which, perhaps. would answer
n lieu Of story or song.
| knowed it. said Posey. knowed
here was game in him when he jumped
,ut of the chair a little while ago when
he loafer commenced to insult the Lily"
Room here, and light for the boy to read
oy. , ,-
The crowd fell back, half morose and
,alf respectful. A candle was brought,
vbich Posey claimed the responsibility of
.1Itno Tha hnv draw n little volume