The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-27
An Incident or Indian bar.

|
above we then called soak Bar" The
valley was thus named because Of an In
dian family that had pitched their tents
thcre during the long winter months. They
were curious huts, made Of pine boughs
and skins; and, even IN those early tiries:
discarded gunny bags, and pieces Of canvas
had been utilized by the squaws to supple
ment the rude comforts of their bark and
bower houses. Our home was at Oak Bar.
Our houses was mado Of poles, covered
with boughs Of trccs. Our bedroom. q
DUNK; our roof and coverlid, an India-rub
Der blanket; our pillow, our, boots; our
Kitchen, an ovcrshadowing pine our lsun-
dry was the rushing Yuba. For cooking
utensils we had bakc.kettle,a frying-pan,
coitee-pot; for table furniture, tin cups.
tin plates, two timed forks, and sheath
knives. Our knives were wiped upon our
boots, and carried in our belts; our plates
and cups were hung upon naii. This
saved washing; our kettle, pot. and pan
| needed no washington We never placed
anything dirty in them; and th ,ueh beans
succeeded bread in the kettle, bacon SUD-
plementcd beef IN the frying pau, and slap
jacKs succeeded lean or fat and stew or fry.
| we were not faslidious. We had no time
10 minister to our creature comforts, no time
to prepare luxurics for our palates. Our
| appetites, lying below our plates, demand
cd prompted service; and the quick passage
OF the plcasurc-patk Of tho throat was made
that tho stomach might perform Its more
practical duty of administering strength to
bone and musclcs-that all day strained
Win PICK and shovel, or rocked the aurl.
ferrous gravel. ,01 I-3@T
In the valley was the store, made Of can
vas. 1t was not large, but 1t was store
that held q prnlt aasort mani IF that 1,tsa -
merchandise that was Indispensable to
wear and to eat, and that was comfortable
10 drink. 1t was hotel, ahd warehouse.
ana a post -oltice; club, and c: general iu-
telligcnce office, and gold exchange, and
markct; reading-roon, and a court
mouse, ana hospital, and Il gambling hell.
1t was never 80 crowded that there was
not room for another to stand on the out
side, or sleep with his blankets under tree
III the Immediate vicinity. Its proprietor
was every inch a gentleman, and the writer
bears cheerful testimony to tho fact that ha
gave honest weight Of flour anu sugar, and
raw potatoes, and beans-all ut a dollar a
pound. Pickles; vinegar, and potatoes.
eaten raw, were articles of antiscorbulc
luxury; Hour, bacon, coffee, and sugar
were inc necessarles of life. Brandy was
eight dollars bottle; certain other luz
uus
chant host dealt an honest card, and when.
ever he presided at faro monte. or engaged
III The social game of ''draw"-was the
very embodiment of judicial fairness, Ho
the common miner was content with ,pant-
aloons Of buclslkin and boots of horse
leather, with coat of canvas or shirt of
''hickory chcck,' lie indulgcd in the lux
ury of immaculate linen, q suit Of fash.
ionablc black, and boots Of Furnished
brightness. Upon his domestic relations
he was silent, and seemingly sensitive.
Kate was modest and womanly-bcauti-
full, we all thought for she was the only
thing Ill dimity from Longs Bar to Down
isvillc. She never attended the store. but
shc some sometimes presided as lookout at
tho faro game, when her "husband'', dealt.
llcr room was canvas square. From its
opening fly we caught glinlpses OF CARPET.
easy chair, luxurious bed, and books; and
from its reccsses we sometimes heard the
plaintive touch Of tho guitar--not the
music OF Ski led hand, but the patient,
pickng-out OF melodious notes, as though
tho hand sought to find strain Of music
to satisfy )mo want of the soul"
That he killed Alexander fairly-Wil.
liam Alexander was the name, as we as
ccrtancd after he was dcad-sWild Bur'
everybody callcd-eyerbody agreed; that Is
he told Bill to draw and defend himself.
and if Bill was not quick enough, that .was
not his fault. Bill was drunk, and this
was urged by some of tho more! copserya-
tive Of tho miners as reason why he should
have been spared; and all agreed that he
was clever, harumscarum, good fellow
although do not, at this distant day, recall
any particular good that hoover did, or
that was mentioned at the time It WAS
universally agreed that to insult lady was
an unpardonuble offcnse, and that hate
was "perfect lady" have her own auth
orlty for saying; for once heard her mako
the remark, in answer to the unguarded
expression Of a miner that ''there wasn't
an honest woman within two hundred and
fifty miles of this internal hole"-referring
to Indian Valley.
However, Bill was dcad-kiilcd in the
presence Of tho lady whom he had insulted
| ny limiting that she was less than wife. She
slt upon her lookout stool, o calm and
| unnlovcd spectator Uf the deed that sretch.
ed dead bcIrrc Ii or human form. With 4
serene and unMovcd expression, she gath
cred together the checks and the cash, and
withdrawing to her private apartment, did
not again appear I'LL after the funeral.
| Win q gcncrous iberality that slenced
| OIL ohhihN SAiviSAoiii3 tho ECutlclllau WuO
did tho killing c)aimed the privilege OF
paying all the cxpenses OF the burial, which
he did--as we all agreed--handsome
Nothing was spared, OF either expense or
trouble. The only articles that Bill left
his saddle, silver-mountcd; bridle, also
silvcr-mounted; larIat Of braided hair,
his spurs, his bowie-knife, and bis revolver,
with his name engraved upona a gold plate
--werc carefully preserved for his friends
or relatives, If they should ever 'tutrn up"
There was no clergyman In that vicinity,
but there was scarce miners cabin that
had not q Bible or prayer.book. His
grave was dug, and we oil gathered around
It.. With revcrent voice and prayerful
heart, the writer of this sketch read over
1t the service Of the church. In his pine
coffin, with the wire sieve Of q sluice-box
for the glass plate, we took the'last look at
poor Bill, in his clean white shirt and