Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-24
he HAD TO STAY.
Rip.RosrinG Genuine Missouri HOs-
pitality in Eastern Nevada.
Froa. n Va Y0rk 30.

VIRGINIA OIFO, NEW, Dec. lO.-lb was
IN A wild and arid region in eastern New
ida that man OF middle age and bronzed
face was toiling up the eastern slope of
rocky hill, driving before him tired don
kew that moved slowly along, with Topped
ears and hanging head. The weather was
hot. although the month was October. At
each step the hoofs of the donkey struck
from the parched soil little wreaths Of
dust, The man who followed the patient
beast was dressed in the garb of pro-
specting miner, one of that class whose
homes or needs send them forth to explore
the wllds OF faraway mountain regions.
The donkey bore on his back few mining
tools, a roll OF blankets, and two or three
bags and bundles.
The slope of the hill was long and steep.
On all sides stretched brown and treeless
hills. about and between which were
spread candy and alkaline plains. The
scene was one OF dreary sameness and
s9ddest silence. The broad waste was so
tbinly clothed with stunted sagebrush
that on all sides patches of chalky soil and
rreat gray rocks-the bones and naked
ness of the mOuntains-were exposed to
view. Not living thing was seen; not
the chirp of bird was heard.
At last man and animal reached the
crest of the ridge up toward which they
had so painfully plodded. AS they halted
on the ridge look of surprise came into
the careworn face Of the man, and the
donkey raised his dropping head and
pricked up his ears. Where the tired pros
neclOr had expected to find naught but
4 dreary continuation of the parched
region he had long been passing
through he saw before him signs OF civil
cation.
The low sun was almost touching the
top of a range Of rocky hills far away in
the west, and few tall peaks in the
nearer landscape were beginning to send
great creeping shadows along the ground.
Shading his eyes with his hand, the
prOspectOr gazed down upon a little val
lev still in the sunshine, that lay spread
before him. Through this vale meander-
ed a willow.clOthed stream, and on ter
race or plat of a few acres stood human
nabitatiOn.
AS the miner, with shaded ewes, looked
down into the brightly lighted little valley
belord him his gaze was first turned upon
tbedwelling it contained. He saw a central
cabin with lean-to additions at each end.
A stick chimney rose aboveth roof of the
central building. and from one of the she'd
rooted additions projected stOvepipe.
Scattered at random about the dwelling
we're a few small Outbuildings, rooted with
brush and straw, and rude paling fence
enclosed the whole.
Above the dwelling, on the hillside, ap-
reared a small grove of quaking asps and
willows, indicating the presence Of living
water. Some distance below the grove
and the dwelling was fenced off garden
patch Of two or three acres, irrigated by
the rll from the spring. Down in the
in ya1l MO ~ 40 will fri
ed brook, were fenced patches Of ground
many acres in extent that showed culti-
Walton and growing crops, while on the
common bordering the brook, below the
cultivated fields, were seen horse or two
and ''handfuP' of cattle.
When the prospector again turned his
eyes toward the little dwelling in the val.
ley the creeping shadow of the big noun
tain, miles away to the westward had al
most reached 1t. He ordered his four
footed companion forward and began to
descend the slope. Familiar sounds, as
Of old home music, greeted the ears of our
miner as he fastened down the hill to-
ward the house and its neighbOring Guilt
waited patches. Dogs barked, sheep
bleated, cattle lowed, pigs squealed, and
even the voice of the turkey gObbler was
heard in the land. Better than all else,
in the mood he was in, he saw children
swarming about the place among dogs
and pigs. Some of the youngsters were
mounted upon the roofs of sheds and pens
and some on the posts of the bars that form
ed the entrance to the home enclosure,
while still others were running to and fro
apparently in the widest excitement; and
man was also seen standing in the yard
before the house.
This man, thus waiting in the yard,
was 'the man of the house." He had been
brought forth by the barking Of the dogs
and the wild-eyed reports Of his children.
1t was with great surprise that he saw
the apparitlon of the prOspector and his
/. donkey descending the slope Of the noun
tain. The man who thus stood forth wore
pair Of baggy butternut pantaloOns, held
up by a single knit W0Ollen suspender;
blue woollen shirt, and tattered straw
hat. His butternut-cOlored hair reached
almost down to his shoulders, but his face
was cleanshaved. He was a man Al or 80
years old. but still solid and sound as a
nut. From the moment when he had first
seen the miner and his donkey descend
Ing the side of the mountain this pioneer
ranchman had watched their every step
and movement with interest. When the
miner finally arrived at the bars, tied up
his donkey, let down bar, entered the
enclosure, and approached the house, the
ranchman-with extended hand and a face
that showed smile in every inch of it
advanced to meet him. Then his CHEEKY
voice rang out: "Stranger, hOWdy! Glad
TO see yer! Cum furg
$50 fur as that, hey? Wall, wsll-blast
me, stranger, howdyl Wall, wall-glad ter
See yer, by lingo!
KIN yer git to stay all night? Wall,
reckon yer can't git ter do n0thin' elst.
mar hain't another house within thirty
mile o here. Vas, stranger, yer kin
2t TO stay all night-Dlast me! yer jist
/ kin!
Ii "Hyar. John Thomas-John Thomas!
Ohm Thomas, my boy, let down the front
ars and lead in the gentleman's jackass.
axe him round 10 the east side OF the
lg pen, whar the mOrnin' sun'll strike
I'M, and throw an armful Of fodder over
me fence.
/night
John Thomas-ho, John Thomasl John
lomas my son, give the strangers jack
IS bucket o. water.
Looks TO me, stranger, like you're one
them prOspectin' pilgrims. LAS!
all, | thought so--blast me, /
Fought so! AS fur as ever 1 seed you up
ue nil thought SO. Blast me, yasl l sed
myself that you was one OF them pros
n ectin' pilgrims.
'sairy j ane, wife say, Sairy Jane, in
mouse tharl You kin cut the crook
eeked sQuaeh-the strangepll stay.
John Tbomas--Bohn Thomas, boy;
w yer hear yer daddy calil 1asl Wall