Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-29
A Touching Story.

Calamity is the name of man who
lives at the gold camp of Cummins City.
He has another name, but nobody seems
to know what it is. 1t has been torn
off the wrappers someway, and so the
boys call him Calamity. He is a man OF
singular mind and eccentric construc-
ton. The most noticeable feature
about Calamity is his superstitious dread
of muscular activity. Some people will
not tackle any kind OF business enter
prise ON Friday. Calamity is even more
the victim of vague superstition, and has
dread of beginning work on any day
OF the week, for fear that some disaster
should befall him.
Last spring he had a little domestic
trouble and his wife made complaints
that Calamity had worn out an old long
handled shovel on her, trying to con-
vince her about some abstruse theory of
his. The testimony seemed rather
against Calamity, and the miners told
him that as soon as they got over the
rush little, and had the leisure, they
would have to hang him. They hoped
he would take advantage of the hurry of
business and go away, because they did
not want to hang him so early in the
season. But Calamity did not go away.
He stayed because it was easier to stay
than to go. He did not, of course, pine
for the notoriety of being the first man
hung in the camp, but rather than pull
up stakes and move away from a place
where there are so many pleasant associ-
ations, he concluded to stay and meet
death calmly, in whatever form it might
come.
One evening, after the work of the day
was done and the boys had eaten their
suppers, one OF them suggested that it
would be good time to hang Calamity.
so they got things in shape and went
down to the big Laramie bridge. Calam-
ity was with them. They got things all
ready for the exercises to begin. and
then asked the victim if he had any thing
to say.
He loosened the rope around his neck
little with one hand 80 that he could
speak with more freedom, and holding
his pantaloons with the other, said:
Gentlemen of the convention, L call
you to witness that this public demon
stratlon toward me is entirely unsought
on my part. have never courted no.
toriety. Plugging along in comparative
obscurity is good enough for me. This
Is the first time have ever addressed an
audience. That is why / am cmbar-
raised and i'll at ease. You have brought
me here to hang me because [ seemed
harsh and severe with my wife. You
have entered the hall, we'd presence of
my home-llfc, and aSsllin the prcroga-
tive OF subyerting my hon chold drsci.
pine. 1t is well. do not care to 1--we.
so long as my authority is questioned.
You have already changed my submis-
sive wife into an arrogant, sclf-rcliant
woman. Yesterday l told her to go out
and grease the wagon, and she straight
ened up to her full height and told me
to go and grease it myself. 1 have al
ways been kind and thoughtful to her.
When she had TO go up into the guich in
the winter after tirewood, my coat
shielded her from the storm, while / sat
alone in the cabin, through the long
hours. | could name other instances Of
unselfishness on my part, but l will not
take your time. She uses my smoking
tobacco, and kicks my vertebre up into
my hat on the most unlocked for occa-
sions. She does not love me any more.
and life to me is only hollow mockery.
1S"tAAy WIN NlOC NitSbc VI tlcTudl
calm and its shoreless sea of rest, is
glad relief to me. / go, but / leave in
your midst skittish and able-bodied
woman, who will make Rome howl. |
bequeath her to this camp. She is
yours, gentlem' 4. She is all l have to
give, but in giving her to you feel that
my untimely death will always be locked
upon in this gulch as dire calamity.
The day will come whcu you will look
back upon this awful night and v sh that
was alive again, but it will lie too late.
l will be far away. My s"ul viii be IN
land whero domestic lnfelicity and
cold feet can never enter. Bury me Mt
the foot of Vinegar Hill, where the saee-
hen and the fuzzy bnmbebce may gam
Dol DER my lowly gravr."
When Calamity had finished, an i'm
promptu caucus was held. When it was
adjourned, Calamity went home to his
cabin to surprise his vito.
She has not yet fully recovered from
her surprise.