The Osceola times., 1881-10-29

Balty, and Industry and seOrsety STOOD
by snd cursed.
Balty was the principal owner in the
General scott, a river bed claim. None
save he and Gotham lived near, who,
twelve years before, had seen that por-
ton Of the bed laid bare. Balty had
long waited the chance 10 work his
ground. Year after year had the Frank
lin Pierce claim, just below. put up their
lam, backing water" over the General
Scott rifle. At last the Franklin Pierce
was worked ont" The General Scott
people could now go in" They did SO.
Fifteen years before the General Scott
oomrany numbered a dozen persons.
One by one they had dropped of. Haw-
kins' bar dwiudled down from 20 houses
10 %. from 20 to 10, from 10 TO ). from
70 I. Only Balty and Gotham were left.
They now constituted the General Scott
company.
At the end OF the season, when the
river rose, Balty stood upon its banks
the richer man. Phoenix and Pike, hear
ing Of Balty's luck, again cursed the un
disciplined brute which had borne him
once and forever beyond the spell Of
Chinese camp. Sonora anticipated. All
were disappointed. Balty said he was
going east. Everybody in secret laughed.
Az soon should Table Mountain slip its
moorings and go to san Francisco. But
Balty was in earnest. He bought team
Of mustangs and a rickety buggy. Goth
am opened his eyes. Balty had certain
ideas as TO the style in which opulence
should travel He dashed around the
country for few DAYS. Every groggery
received new financial impetus. Feo-
pie wondered how soon the team would
run away and the buggy become wreck
They wondered aud waited in vain.
Balty. after coruscatiug abOut Tuolumme
for a fortnight, suddenly dashed off at a
tangent gold, MUSTANGS, buggy and all.
The establishment was never seen or
heard of after. Balty was invisible for
two months and two weeks. At the end
of that period Balty dropped down again
on Hawkins Bar without cent, and the
two bottles tied together by a string
one full, the other empty. Receipt in
full. He had been east, he had seen his
native city.
II was a miracle that Balty--for eigh-
teen years not able to go further than 20
miles from Hawkins s'-should weather
all the temptations of San Francisco and
90 on board the steamer with sound
skin aud a comparatively sound pulse, as
he did. But the marvel Of the miracle
was that he saved money to buy return
ticket. The miracle was at last partially
explained. Balty in San Francisco, had
deposited sufficient money to purchase
that return ticket. Community had not
given him enough credit for orforethought.
Balty knew that he was to squander five
thousand at least, so he planned not
only 10 keep his communications open
with California, but even with Hawkins
For all the way to Stockton be had paid
even the stage fare, lodgings and meals
for the return trip, two months and two
weeks in advance.
Beyond the bare fact that Balty had
been TO the States, the sparse population
of the river were not much wiser. He
rambled vaguely, at times, about sundry
trips between New York and Phladel-
psia, and lady"
Gotham had trusted him with messa-
ges for a mother and brother. Gotham
lad regarded their proper delivery, be-
ing dependant upon Balty, in the light
Of a forlon hope. But years had passed
since any one had gone direct from the
river to the States. Balty might make
good his promised connections. A few
stranger things had happened Balty
promised. Gotham received those
promises in silence. He knew Balty
could and would promise.
A few months after Gotham received
letter from his brother. II saw your
friend Balty," it read. Gle did not seem
quite himself"
"lt's easy enough 10 know how it was
with l}alty," said Gotham, speaking con
fidentially on the subject. "EIe met Mac
in Philadelphia. Mac, you know, was
sport here in 80. Mac saws to hmgelf:
Here, Balty will rid himself # his c sh
as fast as he can. II 1 don't get some Of
it, some one else will And so guess
they worked Balty's lead ont as quick as
they could, AMI whizzcd him back again
10 California"
Balty is working i'm Doestick's gulch.
lie has struck nothing for eighteen
months lie knows he must soon. II
has been ordained that he shall unearth
a certain amount of virgin gold before
he dies. Destiny sent him to the Tou-
lumne river for that purpose. ltmatters
little TO him whether the strikes be
near together or apart. lie was born TO
develop not to retain wealth. lie fully
realizes this. 1t is that which impels
him doggediy, gtolidly 10 work on. OF
what use for him 10 speculate or enter
on any legitimate business
Once he struck out and invested i'm
hogs; bought a mother with a large litter
he saw himself in fancy, hog droyer,
and the whole surrounding country was
covered with his stock. His hogs brought
only trouble; they broke into the miners
cabins and ate their provisions; bread,
baking in Dutch ovens by outdoor fires
the men being at work on their claims
was polluted; infuriated sufferers cla-
mored at Balty's cabin for redress. His
hogs disturbed his own rest during the
frosty nights; they slept ina pile by his
door; the inside of that pile was warm;
the ontside cold; the external pigwauted
10 be the internal, the internal wished
TO remain 30. There was the long night
a steady squeal, grunt and struggle.
Balty at last became disguised with the
pig business lie sold out, the money
was quickly put in circulation; that was
Balty's mission. He saw it clearly; lie
sees it clearer now than ever. He holds
that IL is not for him to accumulate
wealth; he is merely a medium in the
hands Of ghostly gold seekers, 20 find
gold, dig it, and keep up the metallic
basis Of our currency.
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