The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-04-07


to manhood almost unmatched. When
the gold excitement broke out, the wan
dering and adventurous disposition ofhis
old Morse ancestors had asserted itself,
and young Allen, then a freshman in col
lege, had ran away to join the band OF
gold hunters, leaving only short note to
inform his surprised and indignant father
Of the step he had taken. OF course, had
any one thrown ou, the imputation that
he was truant, he would have indig-
nantly denied it; but his boyish appear
ance and bearing spoke eloqucntly Of his
past life His moral training, scanty as
II had been. was Of that kind that no mat
ter wha, he might do and say, no matter
with whom he might associate, the teach
ings Of his past would still exert q power
full influence over him. To such young
man Charlie Haywood could not help but
become more than a friend, an elder
brother. and to exercise upon his life and
character a beneficial influence, which
did not cease with their separation. but
continued on through the fight Of years,
leading him ever into pufcr and better
paths.
At San Francisco they found the COL
umns Of the papers hlled, and mining cir
| eles exci'ed. BY the accounts Of a rich
strike a, simpkiEs Bar. camp two hun
drei miles 10 the cast. The partners lost
no time in purchasing their outfits and
setting out for the new field. where they
arrived two days later. The miners were
pouring in from all directions, and Simp-
/ kim Bar had become a flourishing town
in 4 single day. The half-dosen rudely
constructed hotels, with their shabby in
teriors and shabbier extcriors, set off by
such high-sounding names as the Wind
were crowded. and guests were even COM
PEELED 10 sleep in blankets on the floor
The roughly improvised booths. presided
over by Misunderstanding barkeepers.
where miserable whisky was dealt out
a, high prices. were thronged day
and night Cl.ims were staked
with eager haste and cabins spring
ing up with the quckness of magic,
dotted the level valley and steep hillsides
The ptoprie,ors of fandangos, pal ices OF
pleasure, gambling hells. faro banks. the
low variety, with al its disgusting feat
ures. the lower brothei. with its
wre;ched and abandoned occupants. fro
whose painted faces the last vestige of
womanly modes,y and deltaey have fled
/ forever all these. driven from the older
and. perhaps, more respectable mining
camps. thronged 10 Simpkins' Bar. and
waited. like vultutes, TO ensnare their
toowilling prey. and win from them their
gold. Everywhere could be seen the
evidences of the consuming. reverend
ins desire to gain money, by foul means
or BY far. which sways the whole human
race. and which had, for time, been
made by the force of circumstances TO
! appear more raps eious ard grasping
than ever. The long lines Of white
SHIFTED. sun Drowned miners. who. from
dawn until twilight. lost to everything
around. toiled in the bitches, seemingly
afraid that some one would rob them Of
their good fortune; the scores of others
who. disguised with their poor success
elsewhere. and fired by the rose tinted sto-
ries they had heard. daily came eagerly
pouring into the camp. and staked their
claims the rows of rough board saloons,
which stretched the entire length of the
main street, and which constantly gained
IN size and numbers; the haunts Of vice,
WHICH Haunted their shame to the world,
and which appealed for support TO the
lower and more debasing passions Of
man-all stood GU, as proof OF the inor-
dlna,e and overpowering thirst for gold
which influences alike young and old, high
and w
The two partners built them a cabin,
and set TO work upon their claim, in the
selection of which fortune had especially
favored them. The life which Tor the
next year they led together, was in many
respects IN striking contrast to their sur
rouudings. Daily they were at their
claim early in the morning. and always
toiled until dark. Hard manual labor
was new thing for Allen, but he bore
up mlniully; while. when long letter
came from the East, telling Haywood that
little stranger. who. in honor Of the alb
sent one. had been named Charlie. had
come to bear the lonely wife company.
the young father went to work with re-
newcd energy. Their claim "panned
out handsomely. and their weekly
cleanup" would have been sufficien.
to crafty the hopes of any but the most
sanguine. In few months the joint ac-
count OF the partners in Sacramento
bank began to assume enviable proper
lions; and. though they made no boast
OF their success. they were accounted
among the richest miners at the Bar
Their success seemed distasteful to no
one. and when the maynard Allen wrote
TO his father, begging his forgiveness.
and informing him Of his welfare. the
lawyer. who. by the way, had strange
liking Tor gold, especially when it be-
longed to himself or those near to him,
replied promp ly. absolving his son from
all past errors and oongra,ulating him
on his well-doing. He also said that If
the climate of California proved too ris-
orous, i, might be well for the young man
to return IL New York. The evenings Of
the two partners were nearly slways spent
IN their cabin. where they read over and
over again the few choice books which
Haywood had found place for in his
travelling pack, when he left home. or re-
hearsed. for the huncredih time. the
business projects which they were to
carry GU, when they returned to the East.
The enchanting air castles of Allen were
oste vrietx- An,,ol,,1.l -. -