St. Landry democrat., 1882-10-14

Hill tlle Coulter Decu ScdlClcu q hoA-
ringer would have been found in his
pocket, while a revolver lay conven-
lent to his hand underneath the counter.
Although he was alone and unnot ced,
yet the strangers manner was undenl-
ably nervous and suspicious. Address
ING the Cashier, ne dis iointedly said:
Il say, mister, this Yer boats left;
can't get to Frisco afore tomorrow
Gnquiringly).
That's so,' the Cashier assented.
"Well,' continued the miner,
"here's my fix: bound home for the
States" dropping his voice.; got
two thousand slowed away; dom know
a live ho7ntre in this yer burg, and
might get knitted afore morning in some
| fandango. See?'
That's so,' repeated the unmoved
official. Then, seeing that his custom
er had come to an end, he said 81
reckon YOU want to deposit your money
with us?'
''That's the how of it, stranger.
Lock it up tight whar kin come for it
| to-morrow?'
"Down with the dust, then OBJ
served the Cashier, taking the pen from
behind his ear and preparing to write;
but seeing his customer throw wary
glance ri light and lett, 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 tifty-do!lar "Slugs were
knotted. An equal sum in dust was
then produced from buckskin belt, all
of which was received 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 Wildes had deposited with
the Mutual Confidence and Trust
Company, subject to his order, two
thousand dollars. CHANGING at the scrap
of crisp paper as if hardly comprehend
inc how it could be an equivalent for his
precious heap of coin and dust upon the
counter, Jim heaved deep sigh of re-
lief, then crumpling the certificate
tightly within his big list, he exclaimed
"Thar. l kin eat and sleep now.
reckon. Blamed if ever | knew afore
what a coward rich man vast
He then started for the door, hest
tated, came back to the counter, and
asked the clerk, in confidential tone
Il say, what might be the valley o.
that buzzum- pin of yourn? The ole
woman at home might like some kline
of trinket, you know"
The clerk eyed the questioner sharp
", carried his hand hastily to the dia
mond cluster flashing in his shirt front
and said, shortly: Sixty ounces
jim gave long whistle, and wen
out in search of nights lodging.
Our man, who had acquired among
, his fellow-miners the nickname o
l yankee JIM" had been a sailor be
fore the mast. When the ships ancho
/, touched the bottom, he with his ship
+ mates started at once for the, "dig
: gings," where he had toiled for tw'
f years with varying luck, but finding
Y himself at last in possession OF Wha
g would be considered little fortune il
5 his native town, we see him now re
2 turning, filled with the hope of happ.
t meeting with the wife and children h
I had left behind.
But while Yankee Jim slept soundly
). and dreamed blissfully of pouring gold
en- eagles into James lap, his destin
e was being fulfilled. The great tinancia
y storm of 1876 burst upon the State un
: heralded Like thief in the night tn
; one fatal word passed over the wire
J that shut the door of every bank, an
g made the boldest turn pale. Susper
g sion was followed by panic, panic b
= ruin aud dismay Yankee Jim wa
l. ONLY an atom swallowed up in the ger
( eral and overwhelming disaster OF tha
. day. =,
l. In the morning he went early to tn
+ bank, to find it shut fast, and an excite
and threatening crowd surglng. to an
Z fro before the doors. Men with haggar
a faces were talking and gesticulatin
g wildly. Women were weeping an
n wiring their hands. A sudden fain
70 ness came over him. What could it
+; mean? Mastering courage to put tn
~ question to bystander. he was told
" look and read for himself. Two ON
nous words, s.Bank closed" wei
Is posted on the front of the building.
l. For moment the poor fellow coul
~ not seem to take in the full meaning
I the calamity that had fallen like
: -thunderbolt from clear sky; but as
a, 10 dawned upon him that his little fortu1
y, y was swept away forever, and with it tt
- hopes that had opened to his dellghtt
~ fancy, the blood rushed to his brai
/; and his face grew purple. Then he td
=, - back in fit, deprived OF sense or mi
-, ton.
u The first word he articulated when
a. - came to himself was: ''Home." Scr
~ :. kind souls paid his passage to 81
y Francisco, where the sight OF blue watd
:, = and of the big ships gallantly riding
~ their anchors, seemed to revive hinl
r ~ little. Wholly possessed by his q
10 10 idea of getting home, he shipped
W W board the next home-bound steamE
:; going about his duty like a man n
W. stunned, and who sees, without coF