Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-21

goods, was setting rows Of tumblers on the
bar and a black bottle before them in re-
Spouse to the frequent call Of the players
stuck for the drinks
Broener seemed well acquainted with the
place and it's habitues, My presence with
him attracted some curiosity.
"Brothertn | heard some one inquire OF him
in a low voice, referring TO myself.
"No, nephew" was his reply. "Just out
from the states Been down to the bay to
bring him up"
How does your claim pan outf' asked
another.
Good for five dollars a day yet" said
Broener. II don't want to work it all out.
Afraid l shan't get another like it"
"You seem to take life pretty easy, re-
marked the last inquirer.
"Why should | take lie hardF replied
Broener. But why do you think l take
because you don't work hard like the rest
Of the boys was the answer.
~ don't believe in hard work" replied
Broener, filing his pipe. Il think the best
work is the work that's easiest done. KNOCK
off early in the afternoon so that / may have
some time to cook my grub ecently, washmy
aannels and make my cabin comfortable
without using up every bit of strength in my
BODY. You see | expect to be lodging around
when most Of YOU fellows that a X life so
hard are cold in your graves-if you're lucky
enough 10 get a grave. You're using up now
more strength than you've got TO spare and
patching up the rents in it with whisky. It's
all very nice working in the river till you
shiver, and then coming out and warming up
with whisky every fifteen minutes But
you'u nav for it inside of ten years. How
much rum per day did the Willow Bar boys
use when they were building that wing damF
Used to send a two gallon demijohn
twice a day to be filed said a slow, heavy
voice, and the manne OF saying 1t seemed to
imply that it was something TO boast Of.
And amongst ten Of you. All right Min
ing by steam power. Speaking OF whisky,
lets all take a drink" said Broener. Come!
All hands. Fall in! Forward with your
banners
The company present gathered before the
bar. The bottle and glasses were again set
out. All waited with a rigid decorum until
each glass was filed and ready, and then
with a here's mckr' and a solemn, stimuli
taneous gulp, the fluid was poured down,
with an occasional rasper, Hem, or an
eager grasping for the water pitcher, teSti
fed 10 the vigorous rawneSs OF corn
whisky.
"A sad and solemn performance" said
Broener. Another screw in our respective
cofinS Boys, who bases this bar, We or
John B~arleycOrnf
"Barleycorn, 1 guess" said a piping voice.
Reeds got EN-. Snakes. Alone in his
cabin for two weeks with u tive-gallon
demiiohn of whisky. Saw him as | was
comm I'D sweepin' his doorstep like fury.
Asked him what was tho matter. Lord,
how he yelled: Matter: Matter enough.
Can't you seet The house is full of bugs
and beetles, snakes and centipedeS, horned
toads and humble bees, and 1 can't keep
EN- OUT | yamOOSed"
He was up here yesterday afternoon"
said another. Come walking into the store
uuiet enough until he saw Rankin Behind the
counter: took him for a mule team, | guess.
ANYWAY, he made for him with i back-snake
whiu. singing out: Whoa, Whoa! Haw-
Git up thar" How Rankin did sit from be-
hind that counter and old Reed after him,
ND the hill. The boys got after EN- and
started Reed home. Nice man to be laying
round loose. Somebody ought to look after
him
He came here a fortnight ago TO lay in
his winters provisions" said Rankin. Il
asked him to make out his order. Well, he
said he guessed he'd have a sack Of flour, ten
pounds vi pork, -four pounds Of sugar, three
of coffee, and 50 on, aS he went along l~eSSening
the number Of pounds until he got To tue
whisky. He said of that he'd NV u barrei.
| cut him down 10 five gallons. | s'poSe 10
commenced on that before tackling tbs
grub"
81 WISH. SIld one, IL nau ulS CAIN, any
way. on that point of rocks. They say he's
got pickle jars full Of dust buried under his
tent. saw him take ten ounces one day out
Of Il pot hole myself
"YeS, he's one of Your lucky ones. Rum,
luck and 4 Boston sailor go together. Put
Reed without a cent on 4 bar nobody ever
got a color from before, till him full ot
whisky, and give him 8 pan and an iron
spoon, and he'll pull straight for the only
500 chiSpd on the bar. Fl | could manage
Reed I'll break him in and use him for a gold
p'inter, Us | would Brass here to pint for
quail" said Big Dick.
We passed this unfortunates cabin on our
way home, and heard him cursing the tiends
summoned by his repeated fiery d~rauShtS,
AMI to all but him invisible. Ii was a horri-
bic sound in the darkness and stiffness Of the
night, issuing, as it did, from the base OF a
craggy mountain which lowered in the black
LEES against the sky.
They call it living" said BrOener. Poor
chaps. Its the best they can DO. They're
good fellows. But half of them are killing
themselves, because, for the first time III
their lives, they find themselves freed from
all social restraints and in Il country where n
man can 10 pretty much rs he pleaSeS, SO
long as he pays his bills and minds his own
business"
They're living now" he continued, Ion
the stable yard muck hill side of life, anu
call it independence. That Is TO say, indie
pendence' with them means disregard for
dress, rough language. and n cutting away
from all the amenities, manner and polish
of the older settlements. IL is u great mis-
take. They cant always remain i'll it.
They've got to ~beautify life, refine it, polish
il in spite Of themselves, and ten years hence
you'll find a portion Of tine fellows On this
bar living in towns and cities in grand
houses, and clothed in purple and fine linen"