The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-14
PARTLOW'S LUCK.
1t Asst onished Him So Much That
He Has to Tumble to Ii.

Ally OHGAbOLA0 tbllO blG64J &O1lR DOlfEo
of MI. Jackson Bits, late of boomless
New Chicago, rounded o bend in the tim
Der road q moment after a man, mounted
on a racking horse, entered it from a
sideway which Joined the main road a
little beyond the bend.
The racking of the equestrian's steed
was kept from becoming monotonous by
o tendency upon the part of the racker to
stumble at the slightest ~provocation, and
his rider, as he weakly reversed the horse
at the sound of the buckboard's approach
and came racking toward it, looked as if
a persistence in that mode of travelling
might speedily result in shaking him to
pieces.
He was thin and wan, as if from a re-
cent illness, and his mouth had a dis
couraged droop at the corners.
He begged to share the blackboard seat
with Mr.. Bits, supplementing the ex-
cuse that he was in danger of being un-
able to long keep his joints together if
forced to continue the victim of the rack.
ga Teller" he said presently, with a
mournful tone that was almost a sigh
" &CA4CA L1doU saw I1ll1oCl4 oil liz Kill
specially when luck's agin him"
He had fastened the racker behind the
blackboard and crawled onto the seat
with an "Um-ah!" of relief.
The two men exchanged the civilities
of s'passing the time O. day." and MI.
Bits, having done all that courtesy de-
manded of him, was ready to resume
fhn a&%ooL 1,rnN] &ha chaotic 1o1a-oA-
with which he hadbeeh wrestling before
the appearance Of the other.
"When luck's agin him." his passenger
repeated sighfully, "as it is agin mer'
Il reckon So" agreed Mr.. Bits, en-
couraging but little the evident desire of
the other to indulge in notwithstanding.
Mr.. jackson Bits, late of New Chicago.
was interested nor in Junction City
and the financial benefit he expected to
derive from the place than in the woes
of the man beside him.
He had approached New Chicago six
months before with the same wrestling
with schemes that now tore him.
The boom at that settlement had waxed
and waned, and Mr.. Bits had failed to
enrich himself; but with the ever spring.
ing hope that animates the true boomer,
he was now on his way to junction City,
filed with still greater confidence than
he had entertained upon approaching
New Chicago.
1t was decided and announced that the
Dakota and Gulf railway would cross
the Transcontinental railway at a GER
%nf7a fn0ipf 1xrho1a fhara xnroc .,A+ 1,411o "a
natures handiwork to be seen.
The road bed of the Transcontinental,
a shanty on the line between two home
stead claims, an apology for a fence, an
other for o stable-that was about all
there was to be seen.
This was at noon. A little later the
agents of the two railroads and one of
the proprietors of the shanty on the line
between the claims were actively at
work with a gang of men, and before 10
o'clock of the following day the entire
section had been staked off in streets and
lots.
At noon the sale of lots began, and be-
fore night many had been sold. By sun
set half a dozen shanties had been
slapped up" and Junction City began
to be.
The rapidity with which the news of
the new born boom travelled was aston
ishing. The next day the building of
houses and the coming of inhabitants be-
gan in good earnest.
Shanties sprang up. Others came on
wheeled trucks from deserted claims and
more or less excuseless settlements.
Tents were plentiful. There appeared
what out of courtesy were called stores.
There, too, was a s'hotel," the "accom-
modations" of which We're little short of
awful, and a saloon where was dispensed
liquid comfort mostly Of the "Battleax'
brand.
A day later the initial number of The
Junction City Pioneer was sprung upon
the settlement by an enterprising gem
tleman who had previously founded The
Sumner Pioneer and The New Paris Pr
oneer. There We're also many other evil
dences of the daring and activity that a
born boom develops.
Bits passenger wriggled about on the
seat of the blackboard and sighed again.
"Luck's BEN agin me ever since I
kin remember" he ventured presently.
"Name's Partlow-Oracle Partlow."
He paused to note the effect of this
announcement.
Mr.. Bits uttered an "uh-huh' Of as
sent, and withdrew within his shell.
"Yep," continued Mr.. Partlow with
pathetic pride, II reckon I'm the I'M
luckiest man 'twixt this an anywhurs.
Eve ben mighty nigh everything but
killed"
''That's bad" commented MI. Bits,
without emotion.
"Um-ah! you bet!" pursued Nj. Part
low, warming up. 'Tve BEN shot by a
sher'f for a hawse thief. I've
BEN bowed nearly out nv the county by
cyclone. I've stood on a bari with a
around my neck, waitin' for a Wig
committee to decide whether I
was the Teller they wanted or not, an I
tarred an feathered once by mis-
take. I've BEN held up by road agents
an robbed nv my last three dollars. I've
BEN chased by q crazy man. My wife
ran away with a man who owed me, an
who was reckoned by me to be sure pay.
well cayed in IN me once, an kept me
for forty hou7s with n half inch