Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-06

And your modest eyes may Wink,
will tell you what j think:
Queens might gladly bear your basket,
II they could appear as true
And as good and sweet a. you.
CLOCK JONES.
AsroHY or THE WILD wEsI.
That winter We were in camp ON Pan
thor creek was one never TO be forgotten.
even by q miner who had blasted rocks
in the hills and had worked knee-deep In
the cold waters of the valleys. No ono
was making fair living, TO say nothing
of adding TO the store which WAS TO some
dsy carry the pOssessor back to the States
and TO wife and children.
It was not enough that times wore
hard, tho weather bad and good share
Of the men sick, but the blacklegs came
down from Thunder Bend and up from
Aunt SalIy's Town, and made themselves
quite at home among as. They were we'll
stocked with whisky and gambling de-
vices, and more than one OF our men who
had dug aud delved for months 10 get
few dollars ahead saw it pass into the
hands of these hyeuas.
When Richard Smith lost his dust and
saissd q row, one Of the gamblers put
knife into him TO settle the argument.
That action stirred up the town, and in
the row that followed four or five men
were killed and many more wounded.
After this affair the town was pretty quiet
for a fortnight, and then occurred the
incident ret out TO relate.
One Of the best-natured men in camp
was . man from Connecticut, generally
known by the name Of Clock Jones.
When he left Frisco for the diRgings be
carried with him an oid-fashioned fam
lily clock, and for year or two he and
the clock we're pards" and travelled in
company. and were never out Of sight Of
each other. In this way he came 10 be
known by the name Of Clock" and il
the title did not please him, no ono ever
beard him object 10 IL.
repeat that he was ono Of the best
natured men in the camp. He was nsver
discouraged, never out Of sorts, and had
never been known 10 have row with
any one. He had money saved op TO
return home TO his dear ones, and vas
only waiting for spring 70 open to take
his departure.
At some time in the past Clock Jones
kk00 Oo0o q "a unA0Aos y 0tn0kI0 b0o b98I8
aud prayers of . loving wife had wrought
his rescue. He had braced against the
svful vice, and none Of us had ever
known him 10 taste the stuff.
Well, II might have been curiosity that
one day led Jones 70 enter the shanty Of
the worst blackleg Of all. II not that,
then no was drawn there as fate has
drawn her victims here and there before.
He would not touch cards, and, ~ l said
bsfore, vs had never seen him taste IL
quor. And yet, half an hour after he
had entered that den he was whoopinQ
drunk, and Vas being plucked Of his
money. Several of his friends made
efforts 70 get him out Of tho clutches of
the blaokleRs, but thsir kind words were
answered BY threats and cursos. The
man bad changed from q quiet, God
fearing miner 10 . bowling, reckless,
brsvliug demon In thirty minutes. One
zip Of whisky had created craving for
drink, and dram had followed dram with
frightful rapidity.
We couldn't lot him go ON that way,
and finally . miner named Williams was
prevailed upon to make another effort.
We selected this man because at hore
he was . neighb0r Of Jones, and because
he, too, had saved mp . snug little sum
and would 20 home In the spring. Tina
two men, after a hard davis work. had
eat together by cheerful Are in the
evenings aud anticipated their return
home. They had planned how thew vonid
reach home in the evening. stiil YEA
their old clothes and long bcards and
rough looks, and, after an absence Of
seven years, no ono would know them IA
thsy walked tho streets Of tho village.
They would quietly approach their own
homes, and their knock would be an
swered BY the wives Who had waited and
hoped and lived By hoping. Each would
speak 70 his wife ~ stranger; be would
b on the point OF turning away when
someehinR in voice or gesture would ssll
Ai 6 hoy {: 'i ssa planned. and n.,.A.. "a.