The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-04-04
Two Saints of the Foothills
BY BRET HARTE,

1t never was clearly ascertained how
long they had been there. The first
settler of Rough and -Ready-one, Low,
playfully known to his familiars as 1.-THE
Poor Indian declared that the saints
were afore his time, and occupied cabin
in the brush when he blazed his way
to the North Fork. It is certain that
the two were present when the water
was first turned on the Union Ditch, and
then and there received the designation
of Daddy Downey and Nanny Downoy,
which they kept to the last. AS they
tottered toward the refresbment tent,
they were welcomed with the. greatest
enthusiasm by the boys or, to borrow
the more refined language of the Union
Recorder, "Their gray hairs and bent
figures. recalling. as they did, the happy
paternal eastern homes of the spectators,
and the blessings that fell from venera-
BILE lips when they left those homes to
journey in quest of the Golden Fleece
on Occidental Slopes, caused many to
burst into tears" The nearer facts that
many of these spectators were orphans,
that others had enjoyed States guar
dianship and discipline, and that a ma
jority had left their paternal roofs with
out any embarrassing preliminary
formula, were mere passing clouds that
did not dim the golden imagery of the
writer. From that day the Saints were
adopted as historical lay figures, and
entered at once into possession of unin-
terrupted gratuities and endowment.
1t was not strange that, in a country
largely made up of ambitious and reck-
less youth, these two-types of con-
servative and settled forms should be
thus celebrated. Apart from any senti-
ment or veneration, they were admirable
folls to the community's youthful pro-
gress and energy. They were put for
ward at every social gathering, occupied
prominent seats on the platform at
every public meeting, walked first in
every procession, were conspicuous at
the frequent funeral and rarer wedding,
and were godfather and godmother to
the first baby born in Rough and Ready.
At the first poll opened in that precinct,
Daddy Downey cast the first, and, as
was his custom, on all momentous occa-
sions, became volubly reminiscent.
"The first vote I ever cast" said
Daddy, "was for Andrew Jackson |; the
father O. some on you peart young chaps
wasn't born then, he he!-that was
way long in '33, wasn't it ? I disremem-
ber now, but if Nanny was here, she
bein' schoolgirl at the time, she could
say. But my memory's failin' me. I'm
an old man, boys yet likes to see the
young go ahead. I reckloct that thar vote
from a suckumstance. Squire Adams
was present, and seein' it was my first
vote, he put goold piece into my hand,
and, sez he, sez Squire Adams, let that
always be reminder of the exercise of
glorious freeman's privilege 7 He did /;
he he! Lord, boys feel 80 proud
of ye, that wish had hundred votes
to. cast for ye ALL"
1t is hardly necessary to say that the
memorial tribute of Squire Adams was
increased tenfold by the judges, inspec-
tors and clerks, and that the old man
tottered back to Nanny, considerably
heavier than he came. As both of the
rival candidates were equally sure of his
vote, and each had called upon him and
offered conveyance, it is but fair to
presume they were equally benefcent.
But Daddy insisted upon walking to
the polls-a distance of two miles-as
moral example, and text for the Cali
fornia paragraphers, who hastened to
record that such was the influence of the
foot-hill climate, that ga citizen of
Rough-and- Ready, aged eighty-four,
rose at six o'clock, and, after milking
two COWS, walked a distance of twelve
miles to the polls, and returned in time
to chop cord of wood before dinner"
Slightly exaggerated as this statement
may have been, the fact that Daddy was
always found by the visitor to be en-
gagged at his wood-pile, which seemed
neither to increase nor diminish under
his AKA fact, doubtless, owing to the
activity of Nanny, who was always at
the same time making pies, seemed to
give some credence to. the story. In
deed, the wood-pile Of Daddy Dowr ey
was q standing reproof to the indolent
and sluggish miner.
sole Daddy must use up a pow'ful
sight Of wood; every time I've passed by