The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-02-18
WHISKY BOB'S CLAIM.

frtslSky I1OU Muo iIAlAl bAb4AOs 1NA y
tired, and wanted to sit down and study
his situation and what was best to DC
done.
"Here / be again, the same derned
fool as ever, ruined by whisky after malS-
in piles Of money; just deserve it.
What d doggoned jackass a human can
make his self with whisky"
Taking up his pack, Bob toiled slowly
up the ridge under the trees until
he came to the top, where it fattcned
out in the level places and slight depres-
sions. Birds were singing and flowers
blooming around him; and, as he sat
down to rest, he heard, to his astonish-
ment, not very far off, the clear sweet
voice Of female, singing.
Peeping cautiously under the young
pine tree, there, in a little open flat, sit
ting on rock, was the singer. 1t was q
pleasant picture to look at for a lonely
mana tall, shapely, buxom young girl,
with light, golden hair, blue eyes, and
very regular, pretty features. She was
dressed in short calico dress, with moe
assins on her feet, and a sun-bonnet
thrown back on her head. Her hand
rested on long Kentucky rife. She
was representative Of the better class
Of Western girls, who were continually
in those earlier days arriving ia the
mountains OF California from the long
trip overland, emigrating in families
frcn Kentucky and other States.
Whisky Bob listened to the song with
delight, and gazed at the singer in ad-
miration; and then, with his pack on
his shoulder, eoolly walked out into her
presence, and, putting his pack down
not far from her, sat down himself. Then
she spoke to him:
!. well, Mister, who might you be,
that walks into young ladys drawing-
room without knocking, even on the
bark Of tree?"
please, Miss, Tn called Whisky Bob
out prospecting.
mo miss about it, Mr. Bobb, please.
My name, for short, is Nell Green to all
friends, md to others we'll, I've shoot
ing-iron, said the girl, and continued.
'Your name Of Whisky is bad one,
young man, and reckon shows you are
being ruined by corn juice. Is that SOP
well, Nell, that's d fact-but rather
rough, said Bob, who saw the girl had
ahalf smile on her face.
Now, Mr.. Bob-without the Whisky
lit seems to me- said Nell, "yere
throwing yerself away, and there might
be something better for yer, if ye'd seek
it, and she looked at him with am ex-
preston Of some interest.
= know it, Nell, if l could only dc
it,
Got no folks, no family, to keer for
you?" said Nell
Marry one, replied Bob; never had.
toted myself andfpack up this ridge to
lest seek my luck once more, and quit
the corn Juice and reform. L said to my
self Bob, il ye could only meet wo-
man anywhere in these diggins, and
stake out claim where she stood, il
would bring ye fresh luck and ye might
turn over a new leaf, and be somebody
once more. And here, sure enough, I've
met you.
.'Ye mean right, I'm sure" eaid Nell
sotty. but down the tSaiI away yondel
see my folks are coming along, witt
their tixings and plumber, pau, mau anc
the rest EN-. / must put out, stranger
but Mr. Bob, let me say kind word t.
ye on parting from short acquaintance
You say a woman brings We luck every
lime. Now just hope I'll bring goot
fortune to yer, and you may take you
pie out Of this ere spot, though l cam
see where it is. Mr.. Bob, /" said the girl
hesltating, ''ef We do not find it, and &C
up to yer good intentions about the corr
|uice-well, then, Mr.. Bob. my folks ar
raising log houses and shed fixings dow
On The opening at the foot Of the creek
away there you can see a break in tn
.fees. We mean to locate" And walk
ing up to Bob, she put her hand on hi
shoulder, ''and Mr.. Bob, if We raise ye
plle yer can bring jest a little piece Q
cod down for Nell to remember sh
Drought better life to ye."
de took his rocker and put it in run
ning order down the ridge by littl
pool Of water, fed by q small stream
wneEe he could bring his dirt and was
out lor half an hour, and then pack dow
more while the pool was filing wit
water again. Auf
Next he went and rolled away I'll
roek where Nell had been sitting an
singing BY the dry pebbles Of the rivule
and taking his pick, began digging OF
= dltch In the grass, about two feet dee
ana Two feet wide, down stream, an
.ook the dirt to his rocker. He worke
un'al !. sunset, only finding about six bi
y coarse gold, but in his last buckle
Nnen washed out, he found good sol
plsee Of gold weighing three ounces.
a tne morning be arose by dayligh
We after his breakfast of fried pork an
Sgnee, ending with the usual smoke
nis PIPE, he went to work again, dete