West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-02-08
AN UNKNOWN FRIEND.

AN UNKNOWN FRIEND.
Half-MOon was new mining camp
in deep canyon at the head waters of
the Gunnison. One of that adventurous
class known rs "prospectors' had. i'm
the fall of 1881. wandered through that
country, following IL burro which bore
upon its back all his worldly wealth.
and had brought into winter quarters
IN the valley of the Arkansas such
promising specimens of brittle and ruby
silver that many. seeing them. were in
duced TO go in the spring to spy out
the land. And so it happened, on n
March night i'm 1882. that a dozen
camp-fires were brightly burning, a
dozen tents were dimly outlined i'm the
shadows and openings of the stunted
pines, and forty or fifty men. in groups
OF from three 10 six were gathered
around the fires smoking their evening
pipes and relating their experiences and
wonderful finds of the year before.
Among fifty men brought together
from every part of the world in a wild
country. by purpose born, to some cN-
tent Mt least, of sellishncss and creed
some are likely to be found i'm whom
brutlshness predominates. There were
several such in the camp at Half-Moon.
The poets say that communion with
nature reiines and eleyatcs the soul. and
leads men onward and upward toward
natures God. The poets are somewhat
wrong. The kindly spirit born and
reared amid the best influences of n
city home, where all the surroundings
are OF n refining character, will become
hndlicr and better rs the years 90 on:
while the dull man will become duller.
and the mean man meaner, in the very
presence and hush of nature. At leas.
II IS sometimes so; and it was so with
Bill Lewis.
He had seen nature in all her IN a;esty,
moods and aspects for more than thirty
years; had traversed the country from
the Missouri to the Pacific shore
lunched on the highest SUBMITS and
camped in the deepest oorees. And
yet his depravity was immense, He
had been convicted of dozen crimes.
and committed an hundred others with
out conviction. Each succeeding fall
had found him worse in every way than
the preceding spring. and those who
knew him best frequently remarked upon
the new and eYer-increasing capabilities
Tor sin which he was constantly unfold
ing.
But he was not wholly bad Perhaps
no man ever was. There was n rumor
among the miners, credited by few.
That once or twice during his career his
rough voice had become rentler- and
the light in his fierce eve softer. when
he had been surprised into speaking of
his mother. Where he had come from
''wnat made him leave, where his moth
or lived. or whether she lived AT all. no
one knew or had the hardhood 10 ask
There was another manor rather
bOy--in that camp; but he could not be
seen that evening around anv of tho
hres He had come into the pulch in a
crowd OF seven who had been on the
trail some twenty days together. and
Blh Lewis was another Of the seven.
Ills name was /euo Brown. His com.
rades had failed to catch or compre-
bend his first name. and ne had come 10
be called Little john
lie would have been remarked any
Where IN mining region a. one wholly
out ut place. tie was light. delicate
ana fragile hough seemingly in good
heaIth before coming 20 the gulch and
was Ily htied 10 meet the vic ssitudes
oi mountain life. He m eht hive
been born for an artist or poet. or bo,b.
ne certainly was never intended for "a
minor. Everybody EXCEPT Bi Lewis
liked and pilcd him Bill apparen,lv
did not hate him; but he dcspiscd him
for bis soft. tender nature: Mas i'm the
habit of calling him "~u-'e and "Nrl-
H'. and other feminine dimiuut.yrs
hud never let pass an opportunity to- Ln-
initiate and wound him
In coming into the gulch the party
ha I'm unusually serious trim Tho
'rdH was Iliy defined. the snow Was
deep and soft they bad been compelled
I' nnpa'k their animals 70 score of
Times. and to -leep In wet clothes and
wet now For al this however. most
oi Them cared bat little. They ,yera
n1. Invalid tourists. end thew had
crossed the range .too many time. in
oaa weather ~ be much troubled bv one
trip more.
Bur with Little John tie case wa.
different Hc bad never before be- m
thu exposed and was evidently not
sustained ~ any con Idr.able extent b .
p hopeful spirit and Doc bad slccumbeI
lie Ia. 200 DIS tent iu h.- rough blanket
heH, .rE. prD-iratnd. exhausted. Their.
was DO physician there. although most
OF those mon know something of sick
ness. and ir discus inc Dis case. while
non. could eay That Doe had This or tbat
"I-'"-'. a.. agreed that hc was .cloau
gone au likely ~ rroak
h'y Deg been talking Of Dim around
pc IRE when some one. coming from n
i'1I in grove near bu. -ai1.
think Little John I'd go up boz.
hi2lt Hc. crazy now. an thinks hc-
IH ONO an Keeps talkin OF h.s moth
cr.'
Bm LoH. before silent and su.ca,
started up 900 once. "l'G go see The
Kid Doe .3J
Pie went. and all followed iu wonder
The bed was warm enough. and soft
enough But it and its s.ag9aa.lng.