Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-23
OR ESSY, }"
A Story Of Western Pioneer
Life,
--BY---
FRANCIS BRET HARTE,
Author of "Luck Of Roaring
Camp" "NI'lias," "Vennes-
sees PardneT," Etc.
FRANCIS BRET HARTE,
Copyright, 1sss, by the Author.
CI1APTEE Y.


NfoIyirstr,, no,,,dor,os fine more business
-NoiN'.9'ly oo''i -. ,.,, l.s,+ol,o, hv
part OF luulau SPINS was Wv ~
one of those spasms of enterprise pecu!Nr
to all Californian mining settlements. Iha
onorir,, ,,f Tho I.urei.a ditch and the eN-
VfoI.-,7 -. ..,,f. communication
tension ol 9V"~o '''- III
from Big Bluil were events "' Nv S''.''
importance and were celebrated on Jut
ssn,a dav Vbe douhle OCCASION OvevttN
500, +,,, -I,,o,t. ,la+orir of the Editor
lux even 'nC " 49,. 49,. ...,..,,.a. t,.
OF the 'Slar leil u'lI 800
metaphorical dlinCuljlee Oh ".-'.
Snriup. " hich he had r8sh.l turned lut
80 ditcb and ob)ioel him I'D transfer In,
~ - mite. ,j,,. .1i+nri,l o,.
ohslouo uu' ", "'-'."7 ,.t..
the Big Bluh ENtens-'u 10 -uv H"u''9 VI
the Honorable ADner Dean, en- JlNndA
from AnCeps. The loss OF the Honorable
NJ Daonss ri,,bt owe i'm mn early pioneer
vi NoI.- t..,., t...,,, i,ol,,...,
iFdc Z" ulu uoI prev GU 1874" ''0''
into thu dim vista OF the lUluIt anu us
COVERING with that single Gu4Wed OPTIC
enough to ill three columns OF the star
at is not too eXSrayagaut ID say he re
marked with charming Gr0lCCdtiOn, tina
Indian Snring. through it's own perfectly
orsani2ed system Of inland lnspOrtatiou,
the confluence OF its North FORK with the
Sncrarr,erio river. and their con- binel eff
put not only into direct communication
with far Cathay but even reuoter Amt
podean markets. The citizen Of Indian
Spring taking the ga m.. Pioneer cOacu
and arriving at Biz Bluff at 50 is enabled
to connect with the through express 10
Sacramento the same evening, reaching
san Francisco per the Steam Navigation
ComDauy's D4latial steamers in time to
take The Pacific Mail steamer TO Eokuhe
ma on the following day Al g 30 p. n. '
Although nc citizen of Indian Spring MP
neared to avail himself of this admiral.
opportunity. nor did it appear at all likely
that any would, everybody vaguely Iel'
that an inestimable boon lay III the sug-
gestion, and even the master profession
ally entrustiug the reading aloud of the
editorial to Rupert Filgee with Interior
designs of practice in the pronunciation Of
1--WE syllable words, was somewhat affect
ed bv'it. Johnny Fngee and Jimmy Suy.
der ACCEPTING it as a mysterious SOM
thing thai made desert islands accessiOl
att moments notice ard a tIilfug out
Law, were round eyed and attentive. Aud
The eliminating Information from IT,
master that TIN. event would be cOmmem
GRATED by 4 half holiday, combined tC
make the occasion as exciting to the sim
ple school house III the clearing as it Wa
to the gilded saloon in the main street
And so the momentOu4 day arrived
with its two new coaches from Big Blutl
containing the specially invited speakers
-alWays snecally invited TO those Occa
sious, and vet strangely enough never be
fore feeling the extreme 'ImpOrtauce and
privilege of it rs they did then, The
there " re the firing OF two anvils, the
strains of a brass band. the hosting of ,
new flag an the liberty pole, and later be
ceremony Of the DIcb opening, when
distinguished speaker Iu most uuWcrt
man like tall hGU. black rock coat am
white cravat, VIII zen gave him the geuer
al air of festive grave digger took
spade from the hands of an apu4iently Do.
Iarions chief mourueY and threw out th
first sods. There were au2i's brass BAND
and Il "cOllIsUcu' At Iae hotel. Bpt ev
erywhere-OverrdmL tho most eNtraVs
giant expectation and even the laughter .
Orovoked-the spirit q. udom.t.rn
Youth and resistles- enterprise Iut1Eicalv,
the air. 1t was the spirit that bad mad
California possible; that mad ~ONn
thousand such ventures hrc4Ic8sl hrouLi
its wilderness that had eulDled tn
sower to stand haf h1morou ~ anon
his scant or ruined harre-'s without fe@
and without reppiug, and turn hls an
daunted and ever hopeful ( le TO turtle
fields What mattered il that India