Richland beacon., 1888-03-03
ARMSTRONGS LESSON

In the rarly days of Caliiornia-thc |
olicn days OF gold, or the golden Gays !
of old, a, you please ia certain miners
camp on Yuba River there lived queer !
genious named armstrong. He was an
honcst miner. not differing materially
from his fellows, excepting that he had
a curious habit OF talking 10 himself.
From the simple rca .on that he departed
from the common custom in this one par
tcUlas hc WAS Oh course voted cray by
The OTHER miners. To call all persons
"crazy" who do not follow he customs
of the ma .rity is a constant habit with
, men. But day after day Armstrong
worked away with his p OK and shove
caring nothing .or the remarks cf his
ncighbors, and seeming to wish for no
| Iartncr in his tolls or rest save the in
visible parsonage whom he always ad-
/ dressed in the second person singular,
| and with whom Ee was almost in close
! and earnest conversation. The drift Of
| his talk while at work would he as fol-
/ lows;
''Rather tough wo k,Arm trong-rich
dirt, ihough-goiG 81 Il pound-no
time to wastc-pitch in, sir-hanged if
don't wish was lii the States. This
mining mighty hard work Nonsense,
, Armstrong what fool yo'; are to be
talking tina. way, wi h thice ounces
day right under your feet, and nothing
to do but Just to dig it out
His conversation would be duly pune
tuatcd with strokes of the pick and lifts
of the loaded shovel And so the DAYS
would pass along. and Armstrong worked
and slept and talked with his invisible
partner. Well, it happened in due course
of tine that the class o. human vampires
commonly called gamb ers made their
appearance at the camp where Armstrong
had been working. As he was not above
following the example o. his fellows, he
paid the newcomers av.st. 1t is the same
Old sto:y. After watching the gam
awhile he concluded it was the simplest
thing in the world. 30 h. tried his luck
and won-$l00, Now, any new cX-
pcricuce would set Armstrong to think
ing and talking to himself worse than
ever. II was 50 this time. Now, Arm
strong" he said, rs he hcsi;ated about
gong % work the next morning, "thal
is the easiest SlC0 you ever made in YOU
. life. What's the use of your going into
a hole in the ground to dig for three
ounces a dav! The fact is, Armstrong
you are sharp. YOa are not made for thu
kino oil work. Suppose you just throw
away your pix and shovel, lea'e th'
mines, buy a suit OF store clothes, dres
up like born gentleman. and go at som
business that suit your talent."
| tim
these thoughts and sayings into action
He left the diggings and invested in fin
clothes. lie locked like another man
but he was still the same Armstrong
. nevertheless. He was not long in tindin,
= an opportunity TO try new profession
@ Walking forth in his fresh outfit he ha'
n Just concluded long talk with himscl
about his bright prospects when h
halted in front of large tent with sig
over it Miners Rest" Armstrong wer
/ in. 1t did not seem to h,m that he n
9 maincd very long but it was long enoug
}, to work a wonderful revolution in hi
feelings. When he came out he WIS
changed man-that is to say, he was
'changeless" man. lie was thunde
struck, amazed, Iewildered. He had lo
his money. lost his new prospect, lost h
, self fconceit-l)st everything but his ne
clothes and habit of talking to himsel
1t is useless to say that he was mat
Armstrong was very mai. But there W;
no one 20 be ma at but Armstrong hin
self, SO self number two was in for roul
lecture.
"Now, Armstrong, you are q nj
). specmen-yOu fool you bilk-you dea
beat-you inf" Well, l need not .
peat all the hard thing he said. Lii
a King Richard, he ''found within himst
' no pity for himself"
But mere words were not sufficien
II was a time for action. But Armstrol
L. ne er once thought of drowning, shoe
ing, hanging or any other form Of sucid
lie was altogether too Original, as W
as too sensible for that. Vet he was
solved on something cal and practical
the way of reformatory punishment.
felt the need of sclf-imposed decree
We bankruptcy that should render the faiIu
IS complete as possible, and prevent
similar course in the future.
So the broken firm o. armstrong
Self went forth in med tition long a
II. deep Some of his thoughts were elm
- too deep for utterance But finally
stood by the dusty road along which
great frcighting wagons were hauli
suppl es 10 the mining camp up the Sac
mento One of these wagons, drawn
six yoke of oxen. was just passiI
Snap, snap. snap, in slow irregular succ
sion, came the keen, sting reports OF
long Missouri OK whip. - lang & laI
wo-haw' shouted the tall, dust-l
grimed driver,as he swung his whip q
- cast side.ony glance at the broken fiji
- wondering "What all them store clot
was dom thar" Now, when Al
strong saw the long column of WI
dust rising behind that wagon he '
80 taken with an idea. So he shouted to
81 driver to know if he might be allowed
NC walk in the road behind the wagon.
srAi sect in and ride" said the driver
Ased NO" said Armstrong, Il wish
rosd walk.
snd Then walk, you crazy fool, was
By accommodating response, as the dti
xi4 " swung his whip.
With Then came the tug Of war. Gr
N. never met Greek more fercely than
ma tn. two contcxding spirits ,ompo'
the firm of Armstrong 4 Self at
particular moment.
.How, Armstrong" sad the IN
rious head of the firm "yOu git RI