Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-09

pears tney QOnC pay muCn 1Or preacn-
in, even from a regular parson, in some
of these districts at the Bay. He seemed
to be located pretty near the edge of the
camp, for we were an hour getting there
in a boss car, and his little house didn't
show no signs that he had struck it over
rich. But the old lady didn't seem to
mind it, for she MAS as clipper as ever,
and how she did enjoy talking about the
oldtimes! Well, after dinnerthe parson
had to 90 to the meetin' house.
"When the parson was gone, the old
lady told the whole of the story about
that deal old Smally gave the parson in
Hangtown in '55. [ never heard the
| whole story before and never knew how
bad old Smally had played the parson.
I tell you, gentlemen, old Smally is no
good. 1t seems that the parson had
saved nearly 500, 900 out of all the rich
strikes he had made, and was goin' back
to the States with it and settle down, for
he was awfully dead set on bringin' up
those two boys of his back East, and
educating them where he wentto school
himself. Well, it wa just then that
Smally, who was not old then, ran
across the parson, and roped him into a
quartz claim. I reckon the claim was
good enough, and worth what they paid
for it, which took all the parson had
and some of Smally's coin too. They
struck it pretty rich n day, and had a
big offer to sell right away. That just
suited the parson, for he was aching to
get aboard the steamer for the States.
Smally worked the sale, and to do it got
some kind of q paper from. the parson,
who knew no more about business than
a Piute about whisky poker. Smally
got the money and sloped. They
brought him back, you remember,
Reddy, but when they come to law him
about it, it turned out the parson had
signed a paper agen which he had no
show in court. They had to let him go,
and any. man who was in Hangtown
then knows he saved his neck gettin' out
of sight quicker'n he had before. Well,
the parson was kinder broken-hearted.
He didn't squeal; that want his kind;
but he slipped quietly away, all the life
gone out of his voice, and hardly the
courage to dig up stakes and move, 'cept
for that little wife of his-goin', Mr..
Howard?" Barnes suddenly asked, for
the young miner suddenly left the group
surrounding Zinc. Howard was already
at the door before answering, shortly,
eyes; good night" When the door had
closed behind him, Reddy, addressing
Barnes, said: "Guess he didn't like your
picture of old Smally."
"Who is hep" Barnes asked, looking
at the door which had just closed on
Howard.
"He came here about a month ago,
just after you left for the Bay, an struck
up a great friendship for old Smally.
He's calming with the old man now,
and has charge of the tunnel the old man
He's no good"
"Well' 1 amt sorry he knows what
kind of a pard he has," Barnes said.
"Old Smally's no good, and it goes if he
hears it, which 1 guess he WILL" and the
prospect of some pistol practice with old
caused Mr.. Barnes to refill his pipe with
much care.
''Friend O yours?' he suddenly asked
of Mr.. White, the young man who had
treated the crowd.
"No; I only met him a few DAYS ago.
I've been asking him about old Smally's
claim, which | was thinking of bonding
OR buying" the young man answered;
a remark which instantly caused him
to be regarded with intense interest by
every man in the ROOM, nearly every
one of whom had a claim he was willing
either to bond or sell.
In a few minutes White left the sa-
loon, after treating once more, and
wishing every one a pleasant ''good
night"
When he walked out into the dark
street he stopped a moment, as if assur-
ing himself that non of his late com.
panions were watching his movements.
Then he walked quickly on for a short
distance, overtaking Howard, to whom
he said, with a quiet laugh: eff any in.
centive was needed, [ think Mr.. Zinc
Barnes story supplied it, Frank"
"Rathcr," was Franks short, dry re.
ioinder. They walked on for a while
in silence, and then White said:
"Do you really think I ought to offer
the old rascal n hundred dollars,
Frank? 1t happened to be just about
all l have left. It's been rather expen.
sive work, posing as a capitalist here
for a week with Reddy's vile whisky
two bits a glass, and every one drinking
every time. The whole hundred, Franks
81 tell you yes, Henry" Frank re-
piled, with some Impotence. "You dc
not know what an influence the sight Of
gold has on the misery old reprobate.
Those precious five tw%enty-dollar gold
pieces will urn his head nearly. Follow
the programme I've laid out and the
game will win,"
"All right, my dear boy; but if it
don't we walk back to San Francisco,
or borrow from the ruddy Reddy. Here
we are"
AS he spoke they reached a cabin.
Entering, they were met by old Smally,
whose small, closely set eyes and un.
commonly long, smooth upper lip gave
him a most unlovely appearance. He
greeted White with a cringing attempt
at c~heerfulness and received from that
young man such a grip of the hand as
caused his eyes to water and his long
lip twitch with pain. 81 have concluded
to close with the terms you proposed
through Howard, and have brought the
necessary papers," White said, briskly,
after releasing the old mans cramned