The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-11-16
IN THE HANDS OF HI MOB.
A San Francisco scene in Fifty

plains, where men develop into some
thing which certainly has not it's like
ness IN the heavens above, the earth be-
meath, or the waters under the earth.
AS "a rough" he is unapproachable.
Nothing in history has eve equalled a
Western Desperate.
My father was u sea-captain, who took
his family with him on his long voyages.
The trade with California, it is well.
known, was a golden one.for many years,
and whoever could take a share in it
readily braved the months of sailing and
the dangers of Cape Horn. To those
who hurrying across the continent in a
weeks time. this length of voyage doubt
less appears jar endless torture Of sus-
pended action. To us.it dropped silent
lv behind us into the beautiful, fathom-
less sea while we set our faces steadily
forward in happy unconcern and bright
anticipation.
] was but a child, with one constant
companion in my little sister, and an oc-
c%asional gala-day of play with Johnny
Carter, the CABIN boy. JOHNNY Carter
belongs to tins story.
He was o pretty, fair little fellow Of
abou' twelve years. Just before the
ship sailed, a very nice-lookjng woman
had come on board and asked to see my
father. She brought with her ti.is boy,
ans she painted him in dark colors. In
short, Johnny was so utterly bad q boy,
she begged my father to take him to sea,
in the hope of breaking off his ruinous
associations, and changing the curren,
of his iancies from an eager search after
the worst evils of his home city. My
father kesitated, of course, but the
mother was importunate, and the boy
did not look fo~rtnidab,e. In the end he
consented, and Johnny was duly in
stalled as cabin-5oy and general do notll-
ing.
l do not remember eve seeing
HIM at work. He proved to be, as
far as We saw, a mild, pleasant.
easy going little chap, very unlike his
a universal tavorite He was SO young
and So su all, i, seemed folly to expect
anything thoroughly useful Of him. He
wandered about the ship, gathering up
whatever knowledge came in his way,
waiting on the officers, helping the cook,
taking care of the gSats-a friend had
sent us three as p~layInates, and with an
eye to milk for my mothers cot{ee-and
sometimes for q whole day playing with
ne at ANYTHING we tanci-d. He could
dress a doll and set out toy dishes; he
could make tiny kites and frail bows and
arrows; ard could arrange a scrap-book
or set up fishing tackle; and seemed
equally happy and content in cabin or
forecastle. Yet when we reaches San
Francisco he almost instantly and mi
raculously disappeared and left no
trace.
My father was much annoyed. The
mothers toare and entreaties, her anX-
iety, her confidence in the good effects
of the voyage, and her trust in my faith
err, were constantly present to him.
His best energies We're expended in the
search for the lost boy, but in vain.
Had Johnny taken 10 Jonah's whale as
craft he could not have been more
profoundly swallowed up. At last my
father accepted the situation as best be
might, and, after writing home full &C
counts of ali that had been done, seem
ed to dismiss the matter from his mind,
as one in which he had performed his
duty, spite of failure.
san Francisco at that time was a city
in the rough. 1t is impossible to con
vey to any thoroughly Eastern and un-
. IfaSeltl ftul1lu dllS CuIlCSlplioIE " ~
Such curious combinations of shingle
and muslin, paper and Stats! Such {
motley, picturesque, frightful, ridiculou:
crows, forever coming and going! Every
nation had its represent u,
tires, every style of cos.
tune, every possible bearing anc
gesture. Gentlemen of polish and out
casts of society, the b%roadcioth of Paris
and the Indian blanket, the jovial Irish
man, pipe in mouth, and stately Span
lard. the indolent South American, tn
bewilGered Chinaman, the wide awake
Yankee, continually jostl ed and hustled
each other on the planks ofthe quay
skirting. the lovely bay. and on the mar
row stretch of Long Wharf, extending
an almost incredible distance into the
wstefg. My sister and l were o o grea'
pets; and the domestic life of the ship,
under my mothers home-like sway, haC
q charm for the homeless young fellows
and lonely married men engaged in the
tremendous struggle for existence OF
mighty wealth-the chances always
meant n or the other.
Occasionally my father took me with
him for a morning among his friends
and very delightful l found these visits
1t was after n of them we found John
ny Carter. We were walking along the
qusy'to take the boat for our return to
the ship. The quay was lined OH the
landwa side with gamb!ing-iens-
great bar.roons entirely open to tn,
street. At the far end, q rough stage
liftedinto prominence sometimes Il ROY
of Ethiopian minstrels, sometimes tire,
or four painted women singers, some.
times q seedy pianist and II half-starvoc
violinAt. Between the stage and the
street, row after row of tables we're SCI
out, crowded with men dressed in rec
shirts, broad slouched hats, broad belts
and a perfect armory of weapons. Crie
and blows and struggles were as com
mon as the twang of the guitar OR thu
ways hurried along, trembling and
was trying to distract my attention from
the sights and sounds I recall with hor
ror.
On this day of which ] write, he sud
denly paused before enc of the dens
and then deliberately walked into it
very nsldst, still holding my hand. A
q table Tiear the centre of the room, h,
laid his hand on the shoulder OF Johnn.
Carter, who was intentiy watching tn,
def fingers OF a quartet of gamblers
Piles of gold dust, eight-corlpered pieces
and Jumps ofqunrtz lay heaped upon TIL
table and vouched for their recent ar
rival from the outskirts of civilization.
With a wald cry the little wrecl
writhed himself from my fathers grasr
and threw himself into the midst of the
group, bowling for protection.
In one instant all was confusion. Tx
men sprang up from their games on al
sides, leaying their gold as readily an,
rs recklessly as though DO more de
pended on the turn of a card than in
mere game for the love OF it. The,
crowded ciose around us-greak, bearded
swarthy. terrible fellows, who seemet
never to have been born of woman
Johnny, pouring out shrili screams very
well made up of terror and entreaty
told Il pitiful tale. He had been beaten
= - l:alu.h and -ci,rral a.I- 49,.