Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-04-13

new Ofk 10 Oau Il EhuCioSo lhVoS ""J''
and the tall, slender, hungry, ipenniless
lad " ho I an'pd along here twenty
nine years ago, seeking his forInne Ike
anelher Dick Wilmington, WAS a weary
and home-sick one, as we'll
BY here which you have twice
used, do you mean this veriiable valley
Of the Sacramento = said Ruth.
The very same. Ny objective point
vas a place now famous in the annal'
of that period, called 'BidwelPs Bar
IN account Of iich bar IN lhe Feather
river, full Of golden sand, which wa'
discovered by General Bidwell. Tht
place was many miles from me; the
country was sparsely settled; | did MOI
KNOW a soul (or even tramps were
scarce in those early days., and so my
courage and my legs gave out itoget el :
Pulling OF my bUots about D o'clocs
one sultry day, I barred my bli'tered
feet to the cool evening breeze. and
creeping into q clump OF young man =
zaLilzas, fell asleep, hoping that
would never again wake this side OF the
stars. I did. however, conscious thai
nv toes were being licked in gentle
fashion, and discovered that 1t was
being doEe by young brown setter
dog, about as hungry-lookiog and
generally dilapidated as was myself
Where he came from Fever knew
but looking into his half human eyes,
we speedily entered into d sort OF dun
compact to trddge on together. l found
that the poor fellow Il never could call
him brule) had sore knee, inh'med
and bleeding. 1 tore strip of from
my last handkerchief 10 bind it NJ, and
in place Of The Good Sa naritan's oil and
wine, gave Lin my last scrap oil cold
bacon. 1t is strange, but fOrlorn as
| VAS in those days, recall them with
tender pleasure almost unaccoun'a'
bic. If l had been raised a Brahmin,
would have believed that some I'm
mortal spirit of unfailing cheertulness
aud uuendlng resources was imprlson ed
in that dogs body. Did you ever read
the fairy legend Of The White CAT,
who, after she had persuaded tie
young prince. her lover, to cut of heI
head and tail and throw them in the
fire, suddenly stood before him wo'
man, as fair as Aurora Fritz, flr that
was the name by which ! called the dog
looked at me with Jennie's brown eyes,
half roguish, half thoughtful, and to-
gether we resumed our journey. Nor
would l have followed Id the wake ol
The young prince, even had l known
The result would be similar, for Fri 2,
The dog, was invaluable just as he "a''
All louesomeness was gone now that
he rarely left my side, and although Oul
shadows had grown less BY the time
we reached the Bar our immatelh'l
enlilies we're in piime order for any
thing in the shape Of adventure. Have
never seen aby gold bug p Then III
not at this late da, spell your first lm'
2resslons OF a minel's camp by desciiL'
my mine, as l approached Bid~ell
Bar. | may say though that oHe mi1hi
have supposed an earthquake or tornado
had iust been al work there, teatlng VI
LIE hundreds Of thousands Of cu1io fs'i
that bad been moved and removed p)
mortal hands in their frantic and per
sistent search for gold.
Tue bar was a world in miniature
Almost every nationality was There
represented, aud almost every feature
of human kind but Humanity. Armed
ith pick, pan and shovel, l. IKE
hundreds OF otaers, began to dig an
burrow and was dirt. but my labo
and its results would not balance, lOl
somehow my little leather bag OF golt
dust grew 10 heavier, toll as "oulo
Wagea being good | stopped digging
and hired myselt as camp stullion'
did every kind OF jobbing within th
the range Of miners wauts. Wash
ing DIRT, flAunel shirts aud cotton over
all., patching leather trousers aud cook
lug flpjacks is not The most dIsnlne
and fion er.strewn path 10 fortune, 30
must know and ID boy, whose Idea
Of chivalry, independence and deeds
knightly valor were purely and intcns'
ly Byronlc, such tate you must az
knowledge, vas sort OF poetic justice
Ny aim, though, was TO earn enoug
mouty With which to buy certain ciaiI
OF which knew, aud that | mad, IN ad
vance, labeled 'bonanzl.'
Imight have succeeded, but wa
prostraled by a malarial lever, and IL
DAYS and weeks lay unconselDu9 at tn
tender mercy ola few rough Wells
miners with human hearts. My lltt
hoard of money aud my energy melIe
away together like spring snow Bt
for Fritz, I'd have died OF dlsappoin
ment alone. He had adopted II
never say die motto, and as oite
read in bis glorious eyes The sentence
You great old coward! AT him again
as teuder aud appreciative s'Inpatn
which the gift of speech could not nav
made more assuring. Ny nurses LA
ni,cned me a tent On the south side
low hill, and lef. me to get well
nv leisure. My bottom dollar h'
!dwiudled INTO the value OF a dune, N
legs into (tor all appetite was gone)'a'
Que evening hope IaiIed me. BelieVlI
I afsa1 al