Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-02-11


They remained stolid and silent; gave
vent to no displessure or encourage
ment. But all of sudden one OF them
stepped forward and with wonderful
eagerness exclaimed:
"What name you?"
whats that to you?" growled the
prospector, politely.
"You name Billy. You been alonga
Cooktown?" exclaimed the Chinaman,
more eagerly still.
"Aye, that's me. But what are you
driving at?"
you savee. Me All Lee You been
welly good to me-"
well Vel, 55y the etarnal thunder! is it
you, old yelIer-hide? Oh, aye, I re-
member you! You wouldn't be here
now only for me and old Tanglefoot
over there"
"Yoi. You welly good Me lemem-
Der. You stapee here alonga camp.
Plenty chow. Plenty get fat and
horsey, too"
The Chinaman displayed surpris-
ing amount of excitement, and there
was even little less gruffness in the
voice of the proprietor, as he answered:
HAll right; you owe me good turn
for what 1 did for you, and I'll take
fine care you pay it back. I'm goin' to
turn out the HOSES. You can come
and give me hand. I'll have to hobble
them with stirrup feathers; I lost the
hobhle straps coming alone :"
The circumstances under which the
two worthless had first made acquaint-
ance, having a direct bearing on the
course of events, are worthy of rela-
ton:
It happened some eighteen months
previously that the prospector, known
generally as Myall Billy (''Myall'' being
the term by which the uncivilized
blacks are colonially distinguished, and
so arguing corresponding amount of
savagery in the owner of the prefix
it happened that Myall Billy, return
ing to Cooktown after a prospecting
tour to the northwest, had come upon
the Chinaman lying helpless and al
most dead in the middle of the rough
bushtrack.
He was simply dying of thirst, for it
was in the middle of the hot season,
and the small creeks and water-courses
were dried up.
Moved by the most ordinary spirit of
compassion, the prospector gave the
suffering wavfarer to drink out of his
own well-flled water-bag, and further
more-as he was leading spare horse
at the time which he did not actually
gave All Lee mount,
and took him safely into the township.
It was an act which the most heart
less, the most depraved, and the most
inhuman would have done; for the
most callous would hardly see fellow
creature perish by the wayside when
it cost little or nothing to hold out a
helping hand.
But the Chinaman had not forgotten.
During the remainder of that day on
which the prospector made his appear
ance at the Pike River camp, All Lee
labored under intense excitement.
He followed the new arrival about
constantly, offering his services, and
betraying his pleasure in the most de-
way possible. The sto-
lidity and apathy that outwardly char
acterize the race quite disappeared in
his first burst of pleasure and surprise
even Myall Billy himself was some
what surprised at the devotion he had
aroused.
The day after his arrival was spent
by the travel worn prospector in
idleness, unless doing few rough re-
pairs to his belongings could be looked
upon in the light of employment. and
unless the huge consumption of rice
and salt beef could be regarded as
work.
The second day he likewise devoted
to ease and idleness. But on the third
day he Joined the Cinnamon at their
work by the river bank, and after
watching them silently for some time,
took a pick in his hand and set to
himself.
The worthy All Lee must have told
his fellow-countrymen IN the most COM
of terms the particulars of
the service rendered by Myall Billy,
for that gentleman found himself
treated with the greatest consideration
by the three.
Though, as nav be imagined, food
was not over-plentiful in the camp, the
Jared well-if not as re-
garded quality, at least as to quantity.
The Celestials themselves were small
eaters; but for their guest there was
no stint.
The prospector had made known his
intention of stopping only few days,
in order that his horse might rest and
pick up sufficient strength to carry him
to the nearest settlement; so that he
was looked upon entirely as guest,
who would soon leave them to their
customary solitude.
But during the week he remained at
the diggings, change came over the
relations existing between the three
Celestials. Myall Billy took possession,
on his own account, of one of the unoccu-
pied huts left standing by its original
builder and owner at the general de-
sertion of the camp. Into this he
moved his goods and chattels, and SO