Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-20

flowed its banks and Rattlesnake creek was
impossible. The few powders that had
marked the summer ford at Simpsons Cross
ing were obliterated by vast sheet of water
stretching to the foothills. The up stage was
stopped at Changers; the last mail had been
abandoned in the tules, the rider swimming
for his life "An area, remarked The Sierra
Avalanche, with pensive local pride, las
large as the state of Massachusetts, is now
under water
Nor was the weather any better in the foot
hills The mud lay deep on the mountain
road; wagons that neither physical force nor
moral objurgation could move from the evil
ways into which they had fallen encountered
the track, and the way to SIMPSONS Bar was
indicated by broken down teams and hard
swearing. And farther ON, cut off and mac
cessible, rained upon and bedraggled, smitten
by Ugh winds and threatened by high water,
Simpsons Bar, on the eve of Christmas day,
1852, chung like u swallows nest 10 the rocky
entablaturc and splintered capitals of Table
mountain, and shook in the blast
As night shut down on the settlement a
few lights CLEANED through the mist from the
windows of cabins OH either side of the high
way now crossed and quilted by lawless
streams and swept by nlarauding winds.
Happily most OF the population we're gath
cred at Thcmpson's store, clustered around
led hot stove, at which they silently spat in
come accepted sense of social communion
that perhaps, rendered conversation unnec-
essary. Indeed, most methods Of diversion
had long since been exhausted at Simpsons
Bar: high water had suspended the regular
occupations on gulch and on river, and a con-
sequent lack of money and whisky had taken
the zest from most illegitimate recreation.
Even Mr.. Hamlin was fain to leave the Bar
With $50 in his pocket--the only amount
actually realized Of the large sums won by
him IN the successful exercise of his arduous
profession SEE | was asked,n he remarked
somewhat later, "ef was asked TO pint out
purity little village where retired sport as
didn't care for money could exercise hisself,
frequent and lively, I'd say Simpsons Bar;
but for young man with a large family de-
pending on his exertions, it don't pay"
As Mr. Hamlin's family consisted
mainly of female adults, this remark
is quoted rather to show the breadth of
his humor than the exact extent of his re-
sponsibilty.
iowbcit, the unconscious objects of this
satire sat that evening in the listless apathy
begotten of idleness and lack of excitement.
Even the sudden splashing of hoofs before the
door did not arouse them. Dick Bullen alone
paused in the act of scraping out his pipe,
and lifted his head, but no one of the group
indicated any interest in, or recognition of,
the man who entered.
1t was figure familiar enough to the com
pany, and known in Simpsons Bar as "The
Old Man" A man of perhaps 50 years;
grizzled and scant of hair, but still fresh and
youthful of complexion A face full of ready,
but not very powerful sympathy, with a
chameleon like aptitude for taking on the
shade and color of contiguous moods and feel
ings. He had evidently just left some hilari-
Gus companions, and did not at first notice
the gravity Of the group, but slapped the
shoulder of the nearest man jocularly, and
threw himself into vacant chair
"Jest heard the nest thing out, boys! Ye
know Smiley, over yar-Jim Smiley-fun-
niest man in the Bar? Well, Jim was Jest
telling the richest yarn about
"Smiley's a - fool, interrupted gloomy
voice
"A particular - skunk" added another
in sepulchral accents
Asilence followed these positive statements.
The Old Man glanced quickly around the
group. Then his face slowly changed.
THAT'S So" he said reflectively. after pause
"certingly sort of skunk and suthin of a
fool In course He was silent for mo-
nent as in painful contemplation of the un-
savoriness and folly of the unpopular Smiley.
"Dismal weather amt itl' he added, now
fully embarked on the current of prevailing
sentiment mighty rough papers on the
boys, and no show for money this season.
And to-morrow's Christmas"
There was movement among the men Mt
this announcement, but whether of satisfac-
ton or disgust was not plain. ayes con
tinued the Old Man in the lugubrious tone
he had, within the last few moments. I'M
consciously adopted-"yes, Christmas. and
to-night's Christmas eve. We see, BOYS, /
kinder thought-that is | sorter had an idee.
jest passin' like, you know-that may be we'd
all like to come over to my house tonight
and have a sort of tear round But | SUD-
pose, now, you wouldn'ts Don't feel like it,
maybe." he added with anxious sympathy.
peering into the faces of his companions
"Well, l don't know" responded Tom
Flynn with some cheerfulness. "P'raps we
may. But how about your wife, Old Mans
What does she say to itg'
The Old Man hesitated. Ills coniugal ex-
perience had not been happy one, and the
fact was known to Simpsons Bar. His first
wife, a delicate, pretty little woman, had
suffered keenly and secretly from the jealous
suspicious of her husband, until one day he
invited the whole Bar to his house to expose
her infidelity. On arriving, the party found
the shy, petite creature quietly engaged in
her household duties, and retired abashed
and discounted But the sensitive wo-
man did not easily recover from the
extraordinary shock of this Outrage.
1t was with difficulty she regainetl her
cquanimity sufficiently to release llei, lover
from the closet in which he was concealed
and escape with him. She left boy of 8
years to comfort her bereaved husband. The
Old Mans present wife had been his cook.
She was large, loyal and aggressive.
Before he could reply, Joe Dimmick sug-
gested with great directness that it was the
"0ld Mans house," and that, invoking the
divine power, il the case were his own. he
| would invite whom he pleased, even il in SO
| doing he imperiled his salvation. The pow
| ers of evil, he further remarked, should con.
tend against him vainly. All this delivered
with a terseness and vigor lost in this neces-
sary translation.
"In course. Certainly. Thets it" said the
4 Old Man with sympathetic frown Thar.
| no trouble about tibet. It's my own house
| built every stick on it myself Don't YOU be
afeard o her, boys. She may cut up trife
/ rouGh-ez wimmin debut she'll come
round" Secretly the Old Man trusted tc
the cxaltation of liquor and the power OF
courageous example to sustain him in such
an emergency.
| As yet, Dick Bullen, the oracle and leader
/ of Simpsons Bar, had not spoken He now
| ~ took his pipe from
! 5 his lips. sold Man
! how's that vel
! MySN7I Johnny gettin' on
LIZ ~ Seems to me h,
( mn didn't look SO pear
/ M.s&@sNBSxN last time seed bin
NMMNNSMW$SNWVN ON the bluff hcayin