Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-23

NO 81.
Gales ano Skettbes.
STARTING A PAPER.
From the Carson tNevada) Appeal.

Dan De guile and Mark Twain attempted
to start paper in Mendocino county.
They took the type and material Of their
recently defunct establishment in San
Francisco. and loading the stuff on big
wagon. struck out into the country to re-
triove their fortune. They packed their
type Just rs it stood III the forms, tied up
the articles with stout cords by y process
well known 10 printers. and, packing
them closely in boxes. vowed TO establish
i newspaper somewhere which would be
The leading exponent OF politics and his
tory OF the Pacific coast. Had not an UNI
fortunate circumstance taken place It Is
evident that the newspaper which they
contemplated starting would have been
alive to-day. Their journey over tie
mountains was utterly unevcnttul until
they reached Simpsons station, place
well known to travellers on that route.
Here they met party of emigrants max
ing Tor Lower California. and the latter
had with them Il small mountain howitzer
which they had brought with them across
the plains.
Twain took "a great fancy to this gun,
and offered fifty dollars for il with two
kegs of powder. The cmigrants were
glad enough To part with it. rs they con-
cuded the time for its use had passed.
Dan thought the purchase of the artillery
aud military supplies was a reckless
piece of extravaganza. and said rs much,
but Mark replied;
''When we start our paper we must fire
a salute. 4 newspaper office with altil-
lery has big bulge on the business. No
well-regulated office in California should
he without a howitzer. II a man comes
in for a retraction we can blow him into
the next county. The howitzer goes"
This silenced argument, and the next
day the two journalists took the road with
their printing Office and artillery.
The next night they camped in noun
tain ravine, fifteen miles from Simpsons,
and after building the usual camp fire fell
asleep.
About eleven o'clock the horses awak.
| cned them by prancing about. and the
two journalists were led to the conclusion
that party of Indians was making ar
rangements for night attack. In the
clear moonlight human forms could be
distinguished about halt mile away at
| the foot of the ravine. The idea of en-.
countering Indians had never entered the
| heads of the two fortune seekers and they
had no arms. Suddenly Twain brighten
| ing up, remarked:
| 1.-The howitzerp''
I'VE have got nothing but POWDER
said Dan.
well. powder'll scare 'em; and well
load her up"
| The piece was Immediately loaded with
good big charge, and the two men felt
quite certain that the Indians. hearing the
roar of the gun. would beat an unconditi-
| n rba bor l,,
ed and placed in position when about for
ty redskins came charging up the ravine.
| Twain seized a brand from the camp.
fire and was about TO lay it on the touch
hole, when Dan yelled Hold ont" as he
rammed something into the mouth of the
piece and remarked:
Turn er loose
The roar of the howitzer echoed through
the lonely forest. and the savages, with
frantic cries of pain, reeled down the ra-
vine in wild confusion.
"What in ibid YOU put in?' asked
Mark.
"A column of solid nonpareil and
couple of sticks of your spring poetry"
The poetry did the business. Dan. Get
one of your geographical articles ready
for the next charge, and guess it'll let
the red devils out tor the present cam
pagn."
The savages again advanced. Mark
attended to the powder, and Dan assorted
the shot, so to speak.
'Jeems Pipes song, My Mountain
Home
Good for three Indians--sock'e 'er in"
"An acrostic by John B. Ridge, in long
primer"
eth paralyze EN-
Frank Pixley on the Constitution
half column of loaded brevier.''
'.If it hits 'em the day is won.''
''Your leader on Law and Order
'.Save it as last resort
Dan pulled the type out of the boxes,
and stuffed column after column in the
howitzer's mouth as the savages came
charging on. Another round from the
gun, and the redskins rolled over each
other like boulders swept away by a
mountain cloud-burst.
Mark, in an ecstacy Of delight, pulled
an American flag out of his effects, nailed
it to the tail-board of the wagon. and was
about to make speech. when the dusky
figures OF the foes were once more seen
moving to the attack.
The piece was again loaded, and this
time with a double charge. Marks lead
cr on .'Law and Order" "the puff Of an
Auction-house," by Fred McCrellish, and
~ sckener." Dan said; Frank Gross 3
verses on 1.-The Rebel Yell - an agricul-
tural article by Sam Seabaugh. showing
the chemical juice as an educational lev
err; maiden poetical effort by Olive Har-
par, and some verses by Colonel Ceremony
and Frank Soule completed the load.
"That~poetry reaching 'em first will
throw 'em into confusion, and my editorial
coming on the heels of the rest will result
IN lasting decentralization. It will be
like the lasting cavalry charge Of the
French troops at the battle Of Austerlitz. =
For the third and last time the faithful
howitzer belched its itstypographical compli-
ments to the advancing foe. The havoc
was terrible. There was wild yell from
score Of savage throats, and then the
low groans of the dying foated up the
ravine on the gentle wind. The two mer
walked over the field Of slaughter and
counted fifty six aboriginals lying IN heaPe
The bodies were horribly mutilated wild