The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-07
A CLEAN SHIRT.
The Unfortunate Fate of Civilized
Young Man i'm Nevada.

Drol things happen in Nevada. The air
out there, as everybody knows, Is full Of ozone,
and ozone in the atmosphere makes people
wonderfully vigorous and original. A story
which comes from Virginia City illustrates
the fact pleasantly It isn't quite assured
that the account really comes from that place,
but it Is credited to it, and as Inc story drifts
eastward In the vague sort OF way stories
from the Far West usually do and Is merely
in its bearings O barOmetriCal showing OF the
condition of the social atmosphere in mining
towns generally, 1t may be located in Virginia
City as we'll as anywhere else.
There came to Virginia City @ young physi-
clan from the States" possibly from st.
Louis, q talented nice young fellow, with
considerable genius in making out diagno-
sis or bill, but inheriting from decent par
ents fatal weakness. He could not over
come q passion for putting on occasionally
clean shirt for taking his Dantal0ons out OF
the tops of his boots, and In other ways con-
forming to habits popular with the super
civilization Of the Orient. He forget that he
was in the OcCldent, where ways are different
For time after his arrival among the ozone
fed Virginia Cityites he concerned in mOdesty
and deCenGy to their ways. He wore dirty
shirt Of miners flannel, and tucked his panta-
looms inside his boots, swOre with strange
oaths, grew bearded like the pard, chewed
navy Mug tobacco and spat wickedly to lee
ward. He was rapidly acquiring popularity
and an immense practice in his profession,
when he yielded to temptation and so fell
fell as thousands Of bright minds have
fallen In the past.
There came upon the young physician q
passion for old phantasies. He chung again
to the flesh-pots of his early life, and took q
course insulting TO all about him and danger
Gus to himself. AS upon the reformed drunk
ard comes at times horrible thirst for drink,
as comes to the Opium-eater who has tried to
save himself an overwhelming passion for
the fatal drug, SO upon the young physician
| came fierce-lOngiDg to wear again o. shirt
| all clean and washed and starched and to don
| in otherwise the garb OF Eastern cities.
OF course the infatuated young man knew
we'll enough that he was Wronging those
about him, He knew that in putting on q
clean shirt he was Offering gratultous insult
| to every other man in Virginia City, in the
| intimatiOn thus expressed OF his own superb
ority. He knew Of the popularity he had
| gained, and relied upon it for protection.
The rest Is soon told. One morning the
young physician come down town with his
trousers worn outside his boots. HIS Hlends
| noticed it but said nothing; they thought tt
merely an oversight on his part. The night
passed and the next morning the young man
appeared upon the streets wearing white
| shirt. He had shown tact enough to put on
| his adOrnmentS gradually, but he did not re-
alize the full terror Of his situation. Still
nothing was said. There was muttefing
among the populace and nothing more An
other day came and with it the appearance o.
the Eastern man in public, his white shirt still
worn, his pantalOons still outside his boots
and upon those boots, not plain Nevada muC
but polish of blacking. Then the people
gathered in groups AMI discussed something
earnestly. The blinded victim Of impending
fate saw nothing. He appeared next day, still
clean and neat and carrying cane. That
night the vigilance committee metl
The next morning proved q clear and pleas
ant one, which was lucky circumstance, az
it enabled most of the population of Virginia
city to stroll out and speculate upon drOll
object i'm the suburbs. Suspended from the
limb of tree, swinging gently in the morn
ing breezes, hung the foolish young physi
clan from the East. Upon the back of an old
envelope pinned to his breast was inscribed
the curt legend
his pop larity."
But, as said before, the scene Of this inter
esting episode of the OzOne-bathed mountain
regions may not have been Virginia City
The story comes irregularly.