The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-07-19
JOE'S PARTNERS.
He Takes One for Life After Hav.
ing Lots Of Trouble.

From the time he settled in the camp
he was forever picking up the stray
glers who came along, no matter how
ill-favored or unsavory they appeared.
giving them work on his claim, and now
and then taking one into partnership
generally with the result of finding
himself cheated and deserted within a
few weeks time-but just as cheerfully
trying the experiment over when the
next tramp came along, notwithstand-
ing the remonstrances of his friends.
ssSome of them toughs I'll cut your
throat one of these nights for the sake
of the dust you've got" they predicted.
ssNo need of that, when they're well
come to it without" answered Joe.
He was an easy-going individual,
whose work only suflced to keep his
wants we'll supplied, though there were
men who declared that if they had
Joe's claim they would grow rich
from it, .->...
The wonder was that no one of his
partners had stuck long enough to test
the fact. H.r
"Joe's too COMPOUNDED lazy hisself to
get down to solid business with his pick
and shovel, and them vagrants-thar's
no good in the whole kith and kin of
Them" the camp pronounced. '"They
never calkilated to do nothin' but i'm
pose on his good nature; and tell you
what, boys, it's no credit to the camp to
have them hangin' round; and I pro-
pose, if he don't let up on his promis-
cuous charity; to be one of the commit
tee that'll warn him to get out He
may be willin' to run the risk of bein'
robbed and murdered hisself, but faint
same" ".-
.'Time enough to talk when some
body's been robbed and murdered" said
Joe, when the speech was reported to
him.
And it was not more than week later
that news went around that Joe had
taken another partner.
"Nigher to bein' a cadaver than a live
man, to judge by his loos.s,'' declared
the informant. 81 reckon that Joe at
last has got holt of the angel he's been
lookin' out to entertain unawares. He'll
be goin' to iine 'ern afore long, anyway.
Do to start graveyard with, seein' as
Tpsy Bill disappointed us by jumpin'
into Deep river when he got the jams
and Big Saul was run out of camp afore
he killed his man. Be to our credit il
we get material death to start with"
This favoring view of the case was
helped along when they found Joe la
boring alone on his claim day or two
afterWard
"Pard's laid up to-day" he impaired.
SCOT the consumption, boys, and is
most gone with it. Coughs dreadful of
nights, an has a bit of girl wife
waitin' for him to go back to her. I'm
.goin' to work double turns to make up
his pile for him, and if any of you-uns
wants to help, here's the chance for
you. I amt AKIN it out of your pocket,
understand, but in work on the claim"
And Joe got the promise from every
man present to do his share.
Was 1t any wonder, then, that their
indignation rose, on their return TO
camp, to find their cabins rifed of their
ready dust and the consumptive gone,
leaving no trace behind him?
Joe was tho most crestfallen man of
the lot.
ST wouldn't have believed it, he de-
olared. eff you can make up your
losses out Of my claim, boys, I'll be
glad to have you do it. I've got to give
it up now; you was right and I was
wrong bout pickin' up strangers that
way"
s'Then lett be a lesson to you, Joe.
Well forgive you and say no more about
it, if you won't take up with any more
partners.
And Joe promised readily.
A month went by, and then one day
he appeared before them.
81 want you to let me off on my word,
boys. 'Tain't in natur' to turn him Of =
just q bit Of a boy; no harm in him.
You'll say 50, know z NH MS. .3
And in spite Of their prejudices they
did say SO, for the pale lad, who scarcely
looked more than sixteen, touched their
warm hearts with . feeling Of pity, and
he speedily became q favorite among