St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-17
Saltwater, MINI.
PETERSON'S LUCK.


worst luck that ever handicapped a human
being in the race of life.
He came to California with the first tide of
immigration, and had it not been for his
constant ill-luck he might have lived in
peace with his wife; but, as it was, wild
scenes of conjugal strife were of daily oc-
currence at the Peterson shanty.
One day Peterson staggered throug the
door, deep groan of despair yelling up
from his surcharged bosom.
''Well, what's gone wrong sow!" his wife
exclaimed.
"Gone-gone-all gone,n he moaned,
gazing at her in a bewildered wey.
''What's gone, ye imp of Bedlam!" she
Kissed between her thin lips.
''The dauo-my tools everythingr'
''What! An. where've they gone too"
81 don't know. They're stolen, reckon
''Stoen! Nigh on to hundred dollars O.
my hard earnin's stolen, eh! AM who
stole en-! Tell me that, will ye!'
The next night. just as twilight was deep
ening into darkness, two men met on a
lonely trail. Roger Peterson had pursued
and oyertaken Sam Rudolph, the fugitive
thief. The argument between them was
short, and in a few minutes Peterson brought
Randolph under cover of his shotgun, ran
him over the bluff, through the chapparal,
and into the town of Montezuma, which had
already heard the news Of the robbery
1t was not an uncommon procession t hat
passed up the main street of Montezuma----
tail, grizzled man, leading a 6uro loaded
with mining tools, followed by another tall,
grizzled man, bearing shotgun easily upon
his arm his hand resting lightly upon the
hammer. And yet 1t excited first the curios-
ity, then the wrath, of a crowd of half
drunken roysterers who gathered around the
two men. From denunciation of the cow
ardly thief who had stolen Roger Peterson IS
hard earned property, they came to threats !;
and it was finally proposed to lynch the man
there and them Notwithstanding his prOtes-
tations that he was innocent of any crime
whatever, and that he had bought the donkey
and tools of a Mexican. Neither did Peter
sons refusal to agree to extreme measures
produce any effect upon the bowling mob.
So they carried Sam Randolph TO a quiet
out-of-the-way place, near which stood a
queer-looking piue-tree, one branch of which
projected from the trunk. They tried him
by lantern light, convicted him and con-
demned him to the awful death of the ropes
end.
just at this moment the sheriff of the
county turned up; and in after years he used
to tell how he arrived upon the scene just as
the struggling wretch was being lifted from
the ground toward the branch OF pine tree
how at the head Of three or four men he
charged the mob, cut the rope, threw the in
sensible form of the half-hanged man across
the pommel of his saddle, and. pistol in
hand, fought his way out of the yelling mob
and brought his prisoner to the county jail
Randolph was ut once tried for grand lar
ceny, and sentenced to five years in prison,
which he took with the utmost Indifference,
Reaching the prison door on his way to the
cell, he CHANGED to meet his accuser, Peter
son, in the doorway, aud gave him scowl
of the deadiest hatred. Peterson replied
with vacant stare and muttered to himself:
''Maybe my lucll'll turn now. I've made
the rifle on one deal anyhow
Peterson went back for few days to his
,hanty and his shrewish wife with her three
brats, as she called them; but one day he
told her ''there is better diggln's up north
and maybe my luck's turned" her only re-
ply being: "Now, vamoose----gitp'
So Roger Peterson, the chosen favorlte of
misfortune, joined the ''rdsh' for Frazer
river.
Peterson's career in the new diggings was
counterpart of that in Montezuma. He
saw fortunes slip away from him after he had
almost laid his hands upon them. He lab
ored with all his strength wi thin a hundred
feet of men who were Carrying away their
thousands, and never ''struck a color" But
Peterson had hoped for nothing, and was
not surprised at the realization of his hopes.
In the Cariboo excitement Peterson was
one of the first on the ground, to delve, and
toll, and struggle and accomplish nothing
as usual.
When the great Washoe excitement broke
out, world was startled, and Peter
son fastened there to take advantage Of it.
Here again he toilcd and struggled, never
hoping, never despairing. Invariably failing
10 accomplish anything MS u prospector or in
sought employment as teamster, mine hand
or ordinary laborer, ana by this means Sc
cured a living,
Once, after long days struggle through
the allal sands of Esmerslda, he had brought
his team of sixteen mules to u coral ON the
outskirts of Aurora and repaired to hotel
for rest and grub. While seated in front OF
the hotel, he was accosted by young man.
"Hullo George! On the road again ! see .
eyes, on the road again. answered Pc
terson; "but reckon you're mistaken in yer
man, stranger. My name is Peterson-Rog-
er Peterson
The man looked at him moment, and
then burst into loud laugh
''Well, that's purity good, George-Peter-
sons good. How many names have YOU got
any how George,i
''But tell We my name is not George.n
ooh, nc. Of course not. Stick TO It,
George, but don't think you eau throw of
that way ON your friend-your pals, George
because it's played OUT
''Have it yer own way my friend
''Now you talk, +" replied the mouutaiueer.
(which of the gang did that job last Mon
dave
II don't understand We stranger"
''0f course We don't George. IN have to
put u littte palmer. Nntch one OF the gang
robbed the Carson stage at Taylor's Station =
''Robbed the stagew
''Yes, robbed the stage" repeated the
Young man; everybody says it was Chap
paral Georges gang that ala tue work, and il
YOU didn't 10 the job yourself, you know who
did,
II never robbed stage in my life.''
know YOU never did, but as there's 8
heavy reward out for your capture, advise
you to keep shady till il blows over"
In few minutes Peterson entered the no
tel, little dreaming that the first strand Of 4