The Red Cloud chief., 1878-09-19
DANDY F'ERGuSON.

n q pitiably dcformcd creature, or
Quilp n more hidcously unnatural look
ing object, than was Dandy Ferguson
when | saw him for the first time, that
calm summcr afternoon, laughing and
Joking with u crowd NJ boon compan.
ions in the cool shade of nm awning nj
Quartz Mountain.
y His face was scanned and distorted by
Acculiarly glossy sears the incrahica-
biz evidence of close and long contract
withthat shri,eling element, tire. His
body was bent. and he walked with u
siding movement. lie was II sickcning
spectacle NJ first sight. suggesting fear
full suffering in tho past, and my curl
osity in regard to him was thoroughly
aroused.
.'Who IL that manp" ! asked. accost-
ing n tall. blue shirtcd miner who was
standing in front Of the pos, office.
Don't YOU know himP answered
tho man; "why that's Dandy Fcrgu.
on. ! thought 'v'rybody knowrd Dandy
''Why do you call him Dandy Fer.
gusonP"
'Bccausc-well, because no used To
oC uutttNN i'Eui" w hiik-'Ntt NIpIt
When Dandy Ferguson first came tO
this camp no was n gilt.edged gentle
man, and ho mistake. lie wore u plug.
and flashed u spark in his billed shirt
from. as big rs n peanut. lie put ON
more dog'n n mine superintendent, an
most Of the boys was down on him from
the start. Thet was about three years
ago, and he come up here from the Bay
To got n Whit VI fresh air. an make ma
ture an the pines give him back what
Ned lost sprain' round with them
Aarps an young bloods o Frisco.
Mo. he don't look like he was more'n
half human, that's d fact; but I'd ruthcr
have theQ sears u his than wear tho
clothes of VIC richest man in Caliiorny
that il. Of ld'gone through what hc
has an suffered what he did. Proud
of 'cm! Mister. thar amt n man in
this yer county--no. sir, o in this yer
State--as is %proudor'n Dandy Ferguson
of what other men might gricvc oyc
an sigh about, an no mans got n bet.
tor right to be proud, either. When h,
first came to Quartz Mountain no used
o parade the streets with his nose cock,
cd up SO; he'd hydraulic himself Will
pat chouly an smell water till yo,
could't get within a mile of him. II,
vas n delicate looking cuss, an hi
lands were rs soft us u BARRIERS. Tn,
ooys used to bet that il big Bridge
Sullivan-Our washerwoman-was e
take it into her head to jump him she'C
knock spots out q him in dcrned shor'
order. That was our opinion of hin
when he played his small cards in thi,
yer camp-but he showed down boil
bowers an the aoc before no quit tn,
game, YOU bet yer life. Dye see tina
quartz mill over thar ON tho side hill
That's the Chapparral mine, 70 know
an it's thar that Dandy Ferguson show
cd us what sand was.
''Ono night, about q month after Fer
gusOn got here, somebody out Their,
yelled 'Firer an the camp turned out
The h'istin' works WAS in q light blaze
an the flames shOotin' high up in tn,
dark. We all rushed to the spot like
pack o mad animals--you know how
fire stirs men up an excites 'cm. 0
course, nobody knowed what to do, an
for a minute We all stood round loOkin
at the fire creepin' long the caves. an
the l'urnin' shingles drOppin' down tn,
shaft. Purity soon some one says
What! kinder sharp an fierce like
Then there was a little movement in
the crowd, an u man pale A. dea,t
springs away from the mouth o. tn,
shaft yellin' frantic Water! Water
For the love o God, turn IN the waite,
the night shifts in the lower drift
There was an awful agony in thai
mans voice; he had jist remembered
tibet his brother was down there, and
That the fire under the biler of the en-,
CINE was banked, that the cage was toe
heavy TO work by hand, an tho timbers
in the shaft pitch pine, an dry as q
bone, with great sparks droppin' down
like flakes in a snow storm. You've
heered how fast q MAJ thinks in time.
IT danger. Jim Slocum thought of his
,rother, the dry timbeis, the engine,
he cage, an water all In a second, hui
het was all. He didn't hev time e
hink OF the fact tibet there wasn't q
,arl OF water within q mile of the
nine.
Somebody rushed up to the tank
Their was about q tubful there. The fire