The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-05
A Black Hills Duel.

Il closed the day that Jack McCombe
sold the " Maid of Erin" mine on Car
Donate Hill, Leadvile. The considera-
ton was S03 900. The " Maid of Erin"
was not the only one of Jacks mines,
he was interested in the " Highland
Chief" California Tunnel" and a
dozen others, and his heart was just as
big as his purse. He was one of Lead
ville's first six aldermen, and made 1t a
point to know every man in the mines,
and jollier fellow could not be found
from Denver to Saynache pass. Jack
determined that portion of the pro-
ceeds of his sale should be devoted to
his friends and as consequence 1t was
gala night in the Carbonate camp
Drinks and cigars were free at Johnny
Shea's Gem saloon, in Harrison avenue,
and the programme. was to conclude
with the stage box and an unlimited
quantity of champagne at Tom Kemp's
Grand Central theater, the largest varie-
ty house ever erected in the West, or
East either, for that matter. Being "a
newspaper man." as Jack put it, the
party would not be complete without
the writer, so, dropping my work, and
and accom- panied by Harry Norton, the
city editor of the Chronicle, L Joined
the gay party.
A gay party it was, too. Apart from
the host there were Lieutenant. Governor
Tabor, Alderman Ed. Kavanagh, Alder
man j. M. Murphy, Alderman Kelly
and half a dozen local majors and
colonels, and one general from the regu-
lar army, whose name cannot recall
The female members of the theater were
also well represented, it being the Gus
tom in that city for the actresses, from
song and dance artists to the leading
lady, to visit the boxes and quaff cham
pagne. On that particular night Ida
Corey, of the Corey Sisters, most fin
ished dancer, flirted with Governor Ia
Dor, Maggie LeClaire, clinked glasses
with Alderman Kavanagh, and Viola
Wray, Amy Tudor, frankie Russell,
Lottie Beaumont and Fannie Garretson
entertained the company.
Amid all the hilarity Harry Norten
appeared i'll at ease. He drank few
glasses of champagne, and then remov-
ed his chair to the corner of the box,
out of the glare of the footlights, and lit
a cigar.
"What ails you, Harry 2" L asked,
1t cannot be possible that you have
the blues tonight ?"
"No,' said he, "but was just think
ing of little incident which happened
to me four years ago tonight, in Janua-
ry, 1876, in the Black Hills. If you
care to hear it, draw your chair little
nearer"
Harry's manner of speaking impress
ed me strangely, for he was seldom COM
municative, at all times reticent, and he
rarely referred to his past life. He was
a dashing fellow, about 35 years of age,
and there was not thread of silver in
his raven hair or heavy dropping NOUS
tache. He was native of Buffalo, and
had been connected with the Courier of
that city, had written half dozen books
and there was very little of the United
States that he had not thoroughly eX-
plored. His full name and title was
Captain Henry j. Norton, the title
having been acquired in the recent Gu
ban revolution.
"Ths incident, as L am pleased to
term ii" he began, "has never been
narrated but once before, and then it
was poured into the ears of a priest at
the st. Charles Hotel, New Orleans,
about eighteen months ago. When l
cross the range and go prospecting in
Gods country, you can tell it if you see
fit. Four years ago tonight L was in
Deadwood. / had returned from an eX-
pedition up the Yellowstone river and
published q book on my research. Dead
wood was at that day what Leadville is
at the present time-all life and fire, and
riches and glitter. There were no beg
gars in her streets, and every man was
the possessor of gold, mining stock or
unlimited credit. L was guest of the
Dakota House, and passed my nights,
in the main, at the theaters. AT one of
the theaters woman whom l had
known in Detroit three years before was
singing ballads. She was too noble a
woman to tread the boards of any stage,
but, like many others, gifted with
sweet mezzo- soprano voice, she found
on the variety stage an easy avenue to a
livelihood.