Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-02-04
HE HAD TO STAY.
Genuine Western Hospitality in
Eastern Nevada,

Id6toIu INoVhQd.
1t was in wild and arid region in
Eastern Nevada that man of middle
age and bronzed face was toiling up
the eastern slope of arocky hill, driving
before him a tired donkey 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 fol-
lowed the patient beast was dressed in
the garb of prospecting miner, one
OF that class whose hopes and needs
send them forth to explore the wilds of
far-away mountain regions. The
donkey bore on his back few mining
tools, 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 sandy and alkaline
plains. The scene was one of dreary
sameness and saddest silence The
broad waste was so thinly clothed with
stunted sagebrush that on all sides
patches of chalky soil and great gray
rocks-the bones and nakedness of the
mountains-were exposed to view. Not
living thing was seen; not the chirI
of bird was heard.
Az last and ant,,,o1 oho1 hr
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 droop
ing head and pricked up his ears
Where the tired prospector had expect
ed to find naught but dreary continu
alton of the parched region he had lon&
been passing through he saw before
him signs of civilization.
the low sun was almost touching tn,
top of range of rocky hills far ava,
in the west, and few tall peaks in tn,
nearer landscape were beginning Il
send great creeping shadows along tn,
ground. Shading his eyes with hi
hand, the prospector gazed down upol
little valley, still in the sunshine, tina
lay spread before him. Through this val
meandcred willow-clothed stream
and on terrace or plat of few acre
stood a human habitation.
AS the miner, with shaded eyes
looked down into the brightly hghte,
little valley before him his gaze wa
first turned upon the dwelling it con
tanned. He saw central cabin wit
lean-to additions at each end. A site
chimney rose above the roof of the cen
tral building, and from one of the shed
rooted additions projected stove pipe
Scattered at random about the dwellin
were few small outbuildings, roofe
with brush and straw, and rude pal
ing fence inclosed the whole.
Above the dwelling, on the hillside
appeared a small grove of quakinI
asps and willows, indicating the pres
ence of living water. Some distanc
below the grove and the dwelling wa
fenced off garden patch of two @
three acres, irrigated by the rill fror
the SPRING Down in the main valley
waterod by the willow-fringed brook
were fenced patches of ground man
acres in extent that showed cultivatio
and growing crops, while on the CON
mon bordering the brook. below th
cultivated fields, were seen horse Q
two and "handful" of cattle.
When the prospector again turne
his eyes toward the little dwelling i
the valley the creeping shadow of tn
big mountain, miles away to the ives
ward, had almost reached it. h
ordered his four-footed companion fol
ward and began to descend the slop'
Familiar sounds, as of old home musi,
greeted the ears of our miner as b
hastened down the hill toward tf
house, and its neighboring cultivate
patches. Dogs barked, sheep bleate'
cattle lowed, pigs squealed and eve
the voice of the turkey gobbler W,
heard in the land. Better than a
else, in the mood he was in, he sa
children swarming about the plat
among dogs and pigs. Some of th
youngsters were mounted upon Il
roofs of sheds and pens and some 9
the posts of the bars that formed Il
entrance to the home inelosure, viii
still others were running to and fr
apparently in the widest excitemen
and man was also seen standing
the yard before the house.
This man, thus waiting in the var
was 1.-THE man of the house.. He hs
been brought forth by the barking
the dogs and the wild-eyed reports
his children. 1t was with great su
prise that he saw the apparition of Il
prospector and his donkey deseendir
the slope of the mountain. The m;
who thus stood forth wore a pair
baggy butternut pantaloons, held |
by single knit wooden suspender;
blue wooden shirt and a tattered stra
hat. His butternut-colored hs
reached almost down to his shoulder
but his face was elean-shaved. He W
man forty-five or fifty years old, b
still solid and sound as a nut. Fro
the moment when he had first seen {
miner and his donkey descending {
side of the mountain this phone
ranehman had watched their eve
step and movement with intere'
When the miner finally arrived at {
bars, tied up his donkey, let down
bar, entered the enclosure and 9