The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-09-23
T iiE HISTORY OF YANKEE I'm.

THE HISTORY OF YANKEE I'm.
I One scorching afternoon in July, lS5-
/ the iIangtuwn stage creaked slowly over
the plank roadway forming the principal
street Of Sacramento City, finally coming
10 Il full stop in front of the FL Dorado
/ Hotel. 1t had not actually stopped be-
fore The usual knot of idlerS were collect
.'H t" stare. as they had done year IN and
year out, IT the dozen OF so dust be-
grimmrd passengers vino alighted, and
vino began lhrashlug themselves like
/ men who had been out in a heavy fall of
>m"~. instead of having just finished the
( h"ttirNt and busiest sixty miles OF road
in America.
Tins particular stage usually made con-
nectiou with the day boat for THE
Bay. as San Francisco was universally
termed in the interior: but on this occa-
sion it had come in too late by an hour
at leaSJ.ana the boat was consequently at
| II at moment twenty miles down the riv-
er. Upon learning this disagreeab.e
| piece Of Intelligence, the belated travel
ers scattered. grumbling at Il detention
which each took good care to explain
could never have been worse timed or
more neon, enient to himself than upon
this particular afternoon.
One Traveller. however, stood apparent
ly nunplnS~ed by the situation for a mo-
ment or two longer until his eyes caught
the word - Bank. in big golden letters,
staring at him from the opposite side
of tile street He crossed over. read it
again from the curh-stone. and then
shambed in at the door. lie knew not
why. but once within. he felt a strange
desire 10 get out again as quickly As pos
Sibe But TINS secret admontion passed
unhecd,ti.
Before him was counter, extending
across the room at the back of which
was solid wall of brick. Within this
was built the bank vault. the iron door of
which being half opened discovered bags
from Which the dull glitter of gold-dust
caught the visitors eye directly. The
middle of the counter was occupied 10y
pair Of tall scales of beautiful workman
ship. in which dust was weighed, while
on IA table behind it were trays contain
inc gold aud silver coiuS. i young man
who WAS writing and smoKing at the
same line. l0G..ed up when the door
opcued to admit lhe person of whom We
were speaking. To look at the two men,
one would have said that it was the bank
prsentiment of evil. Really the other
was hair bandit i'll appearance.
In the solitary individual who has just
entered the bank We shall describe not
one man only. but "A type %: the thou
sands wh". like migratory ants, passed
and repa>sed the great highways leading
to the mines of the Golden State. He
was br"nzed. bearded. aud weather.
beaten homtrc dressed in y faded wool
Ell shirt. pantal"ons secured at the hips
by a belt. and tucked loosely within
pair of miners boots. a broad brmmed
felt hat shat had been hastily crushed
upon his head, and \ pea jacket dangling
from his left shoulder lik,. the shot
cloal, of an ancient cabdllero. The haft
gra>ped, from his belt: and when he
walked big "six- shooter Tapped
against his right hip at every step. The
mar seemed Il walking arsenal: but had
the wei! dressed Young person behind
the counter been searched. Il "Derring-
er" would hav. been found in his pocket,
while a revolver lay convenient to his
hand underneath the counter.
Although he vas alone and unnoticed,
vet tie stranger manner was undenia-
bly, nervous and suspicious. Addressing
the cashier, he di>inintly said : Il say,
mister this yer boats left: can't get to
'Fri>c" atnrc r"-m"rrow?' Gnquiringly.)
That ) So. the cashier aSSented.
Well, continued the miner. here's
my fix bound home for the States
(drnpping his voice. got two thou
sand slowed away; don't know live
hombrs in this yer burg, and might get
knitted aforc morning in some fandango.
See -
That so. y repeated the unmoved of
fetal. Then. seeing that his customer
I, Il Il "a
you want to deposit your money with
U.S.
"That's the how of it. stranger. Lock
it up tight whar kin come for it to-mor-
row.
D"wn with the dust, them" observ-
ell the cashier, taking the pen from be-
hind his ear and preparing to write; but
seeing his customer throw Il wary glance
right and left. he beckoned him to
more retired part of the bank, where the
depositnr very cooly Invested himself of
his shirt. in each corner of which five
fifty dollar SlugS were knotted. An
equal sum in dust was then produced
from 4 buck skin belt all of which was
received without the least comment up
nn the ingenuity with which it had been
concealed. y certificate in due form was
made out specifying that James WiIdrS
had deposited with the Mutual Conf
deuce and Trust Company" subject to
his order, two thousand dollars. Glanc-
ny at the scrap OF crisp paper as if hard
| ~ experimenting how it could be AN
equivalent for his precious heap of coin
and dust upon the counter. Jim heaved a
deep sigh of relief, then crumpling the
certificate tightly within his b. fist, he
exclaimed: Thar kin eat and sleep
now, | reckon. Blamed if ever | knew
alurr W liat Il coward IA rich man was"'
He iiru started for the door heSitated,
came back to the counter, and asked the
clerk. in IA confidential tone: - say,
what might be- the valley Of that buzz
zing-p,n Of yourn? The old woman at
! home might like some kind ul Il trinket,
! YOU know
The clerk eyed the qucstioner sharply,
carried his hand hastily to the diamond
cla,trr flashing in his shirt front, and
said. shortly, Sixty ounces
jim gave a long whistle. and went out
in search of a nights lodging.
Our man, Who had acquired among his
| fcllow-,niuerS the nickname of Yankee
Jim" had been sailor before tho mast.