Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-09-22
THE HIsrORY or YANKEE JIM

r.. II. StoijdTd.
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THE HISTORY or YANKEE jim.
One scorching afternoon in July, 1s5-.
the Hangtown stage creaked slowly over the
plank roadway forming the principal street
of Sacramento City, finally coming to full
stop in front of the FL Dorado hotel. 1t had
not actually stopped before the usual knot of
idlors were collected to stare, as they had
done year in and year out, at the dozen or
80 dust -begrimed passengers who alighted,
and who began thrashiDg themselves like
men who had been out in heavy fall of
snow, instead of having just finished the
hottest and dustiest sixty miles OF road in
America.
This particular stage usually made connec-
ton with the day boat for The Bay" as
San Francisco was universally termed in the
interior but On this occasion it had come in
too late by an hour at least and the boat was
consequently at that moment twenty miles
down the river. Upon learning this disa-
greeable piece Of intelligence, the belated
travellers scattered, grumbling at deten-
ton which each took good care to explain
could never have been worse timed or more
inconvenient to himself than upon this par
tcular afternoon.
One traveller, however stood apparently
nonplussed by the situation for a moment or
two longer, until his eye caught the word
Bank" in big golden letters, staring at him
from the opposite side of the street. He
CROSSED over, read it again from the curb
stone, and then shambled in at the door. He
knew not why, but once within, he felt a
strange desire to get out again as quickly as
possible. But this secret admonition passed
unheeded.
Before him was a counter, extending across
ha az the IanE nf 1u1hioh
wall of brick. Within this was built the
bank vault the iron door of which being half
opened discovered bags of coin piled upon
the floor, and shelves from which the dull
glitter of god-dust caught the visitors eye
directly. The middle of the counter was oc-
cupied by pair of tall scales of beautiful
workmanship, in which dust was weighed,
while on table behind it we're trays contain
ing gold and silver coins. A young man,
who was writing and smoking at the same
time, looked up when the door opened to ad-
nit the person of whom we we're speaking.
To look at the two men, one would have said
that it was the bank clerk who might be ex-
pected to feel the presentiment of evil. Real
iy the other was half bandit in appearance.
In the solitary individual who has Just en-
tered the bank We shall describe not one man
only, but type of the thousands who, like
migratory ants, passed and repassed the great
highways leading TO the mines of the Golden
state He was a bronzed, bearded, and
weather beaten hOm6re, dressed in faded
wooden shirt pantaloons secured at the hips
by belt, and tucked loosely within a pair of
miners boots, broad brimmed felt hat that
had been hastily crushed upon his head, and
a pea Jacket dangling from his left shoulder
like the short cloak of an ancient clbdlLerO.
The haft of a bowie knife protruded, ready
to be grasped, from his belt and when he
walked a big ''six shooter" tapped against
his right hip at every step. The man seemed
a walking arsenal but had the well-dressed
young person behind the counter been
searched, a "Derringer" would have been
found in his pocket, while a revolver lay con-
venient to his hand underneath the counter
Although he was alone and unnoticed, yet
| the strangers manner was undeniably ner-
vous and suspicious. Addressing the cash
| ier, he disjointedly said: Il say, mister, this
yer boats left; can't get to Frisco afore to-
morrow ?" Qnquiringly.)
''That's So" the cashier assented.
"Well," continued the miner, "heres my
| fix bound home for the States" dropping
his voice); "got two thousand slowed away ;
don't know live hOmbre in this yer berg,
and might get knitted afore morning in some
! fandango See?"
That's so," repeated the unmoved official
| Then, seeing that his customer had come to
an end, he said, ''I reckon you want 80 de-
| posit our money with usY
That's the how of it, stranger. Lock it
up tight whar kin come for it to morrow"
| "Dowu with the dust, then" observed the
| cashier, taking the pen from behind his ear
and preparing to write but seeing his GUS
| toner throw a wary glance right and left, he
| beckoned him to more retired part of the
bank, where the depositor very coolly divest-
ed himself of his shirt, in each corner of
/ which five fifty dollar 'slugs" were knotted
| An equal sum in dust was theu produced
from a buckskin belt, all of which was re-
ceiyed without the least comment upon the
ingenuity with which it had been concealed.
| A certificate in due form was then made out,
specifying that James Wides had deposited
with the ''Mutual Confidence and Trust COM
pany," subject to his order, two thousand
] dollars CHANGING at the scrap of crisp pa
per as if hardly comprehending how it could
be an equivalent for his precious heap of coin
and dust upon the counter, Jim heaved IA
deep sigh of relief, then crumping the GER
tificate tightly within his big fist, he ex-
claimed: Thar kin eat and sleep now,
reckon. Blamed if ever knew afore what a
coward a rich man was"
He then started for the door, hesitated,
came back to the counter, and asked the
clerk, in confidential tone: 81 say, what
| mlkul Dt Aub Nhllug VI Ahut bhANAAAA- PAA VI
youIn? The old woman at home might like
some kind of a trinket, you know"
The clerk eyed the questioner sharply,
carried his hand hastily to the diamond clus-
ter flashing in his shirt front, and said, short
ly, "Sixty ounces"
Jim gave long whistle and went out in
search of a nights lodging.
Our man, who had acquired among his fel
low-miners the nickname of Yankee Jim,
had been a sailor before the mast. When the
ships anchor touched the bottom be with
his shipmates started at once for the dig
gings," where he had toiled for two years
with varying luck, but finding himself at last
in possession of what would be considered a
little fortune in his native town. We see him
now returning, filed with the hope of hap
py meeting with the wife aud children he
had left b -ind.
But viii. Yankee Jim slept soundly, and
dreamed blissfuly of pouring golden eagles
into James lap his destiny was being fulfill,
ed. The great financial storm of lS5- burst
upon the state unheralded. Like thief in
the night the one fatal word passed over the