Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-23
Clock Jones.


That winter we were in camp on
Panther creek was one never to be
forgotten, even by a miner who had
blasted rocks in the hills and worked
knee deep in the cold waters of the
valleys. No one was making a fair
to say nothing Of adding to the
store which was some day to carry the
possessor back to the States and to
wife and children.
1t was not enough that times we're
hard, the weather bad and q good
share Of the men sick, but the black
legs came down from Thunder Bend
and up from Aunt Sally's Town and
made themselves quite at home among
us. They were well stocked with
whisky and gambling devices, and
more than one OF our men who had
dug and delved for two months to get
a few dollars ahead saw it pass into
the hands of these hyenas
When Richard Smith lost his dust
and raised a kick one Of the gamblers
put a knife into him to settle the ar
gument. That action stirred up the
town, aud in the row that followed
Tour or five men were killed and as
many more wounded. After this
affair the town was pretty quiet for a
fortnight, and then occurred the Incl
dent | set out to relate.
One Of the best natured men in
camp was a man from Connecticut,
generally known by the name Of Clock
Jones. When he left Frisco for the
diggings he carried with him an old
fashioned family clock, and for a year
or two he aud the clock we're "pards"
and travelled in company aud we're
never out OF sight Of each other. In
this way he came to be known by the
front name of CLOCK" and If the
title did not please him no one has
ever heard him object to it.
| repeat that be was one Of the
best natured men in the camp. He
was never discouraged, never out Of
sorts and had never been known to
have a row with any me-. He had
money saved up to return home to his
dear ones, and was only waiting for
spring to open TO take his departure,
Atsome time in the past Clock j ones
had been a drdnkard. Perhaps the
tears and prayers of a loving wife had
wrought his rescue. He had braced
against the awful vice, and none of us
had ever known him to taste the
stuff.
Well, it might have been curiosity
that led the man to enter the shanty Of
the worst blackleg Of all. If not that,
then he was drawn there, as fate has
drawn her victim here and there be-
fore. He was a man who would NOT
touch cards, and as [ said before we
had never seen him taste liquor. And
yet within half an hour after he had
entered that den he was whoopine
drunk and being plucked OF his money.
Several Of his friends made efforts IL
get him out Of the clutches Of the
b.aeklegs, but their kind words were
answered by threats and curses. The
man unchanged from a quiet, God
fearing miner toa bowling, reckless,
brawling demon in thirty minutes
One sip Of whisky had created a
craving for drink, and dram had fol.
lowed dram with frightful avidity.
We couldn't let him 20 on that way
and finally : miner named Wiiiiamt
was prevailed upon to make another
effort. We selected this man because
at home he was an immediate neigh
Dor OF Jones, and because he, too, had
saved up a snug little sum and would
go home in the spring. The two men,
after a hard days work, had sat to
gether by the cheerful FIRE Of evening
and anticipated their return home.
They had planned how they would
reach homo in the evening, still wear
ing their old clothes and long boards
and rough looks, and after an absence
ofseven years no one would know them
as they walked the streets of the
village. They would quietly approach
their own homes, aud their knock
would be answered by the wife who
had waited and hoped and lived BY
hoping. He would speak to her as q
stranger, and would be on the point OF
turning away. when something in his
voice or gesture would tell her that
the long gone husband was home at
last.
SO they had planned, and neither
had been ashamed Of the teas which
bad welled up to his eyes at the recol
lection of home.
We sought out William and en-.
treated him TO interfere to save his
friend, and he walked straight to the
gamblers cabin. Jones had lost every
dollar Of his money and was fighting
drunk.
Come, Clock, come away" coaxed
Williams.
VI WON'T / want more whisky and
a chance to win my money backl''
shouted Jones.
For your wife's sake, come away
entreated Williams.
II tell you | won't. and il you don'i
go away I'll kill your yelled Jones, as
be flourished his shooter around.
Williams walked over and laid his
hand on his friends shoulder and
whispered:
"Come,old neighbor, remember wife
and children"
"D-n wife and children, and you
tool" was the fierce exclamation from
the maddened man, and with that he
fred to kill.
The bullet did not kill. Indeed, il
did not hitWilliams at all but the flame
Of the powder blinded him in a fash
and forever. He threw his hands Ia
his face and stepped back q pace oil
two, and | can never forget how his
voice went TO every heart as he cried
out
"Oh, mani you have blinded me and
shall never see my wife aud children
againl"
The demon fed from Clock Jones
heart as that wall reached it. In q
moment he was pale sas death, and
as sober as at any hopr in his lie.
hloYly, 40 the darkness OF his brain
was lighted up by the return Of reason
he oomprehended what he had done.
He looked from iaJe to face and saw
the horror resting on each countenance
Then he took poor Williams hand
down from his face, kissed him on hi,
cheek and STEPPED back and blew his
own brains out before a hand couli BE-