Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-02-19

sober miner found it disagreeable to live
with the spreeing miner,
and the miner nice in his domestic econ
omy and particular about his food soon
became tired Of a companion who never
aired his blankets and didn't care wheth-
er his bread was light or heavy, sweet or
sour. Trudging to our cabins, we pick
up the dried twigs in our path These
are to kindle the dinner fire. Dinner il
very much like breakfast. beef or bacon,
bread, tea. dried apple sauce. The boots
are kicked of and thumped into cor
ner The temperature Is up to that
notch that induces perspiration without
any exertion at all, and the ugly little
stove makes it hotter still.
We sit down to the noon meal in a
melting condition, and rise from it in
the same state. Dinner Is eaten, the
incoming" is over, back again to the
claim, turn on the water, pick, shovel.
scrape. pry. toss back powders and prop
up sluices slipped from their supports.
Between 9 and 3 clock snowy white
cloud rises over distant peak to the
eastward 1t seems like great bank Of
snow against the blue sky. and the
longer we look ut it the farther we seem
to peer into it's translucent. clcarwhite
depths 1t rises over that peak at almost
the same hour every afternoon, and is
almost of the same shape. 1t is the con-
dcnsed vapor of the snow melting on
the higher Sierra SUBMITS. eighty-six
miles distant. 1t is imposing in its
silent impcrceptible rising. its wonderful
whitencss. its ma jesty, its distance. 1t
seems fit bed Of snowy splendor for
fairies or some sort of ethereal beings to
bask and revel in. 1t seems to be look
ing down. half in scorn, half in pity, at
US four weary. miserable worms of the
dust. fecbly pecking at a bit of mother
earth, muddy. wet, and feebly squirm-
ing in and about this bank of dirt.
At 4 o'clock there are longer pauses in
our labors. There is more leaning on
shovels and more frequent glances at
our timepiece. the sun, as he sinks in
the western heavens. The shadow of
the hill opposite creeps slowly down its
side. 1t is cool. welcome shadow. The
strongest worker secretly welcomes it.
Though he he ''horse of Il man" his
muscles all feel the effects of the long
days labor. 1t is more his strong will
than his body which keeps him swing
ing the pick We are in duty bound
10 work till o'clock. Everybody works
till 8 o'clock. Everybody is more OF
less tired at o'clock, but it Is not the
capacity of the body for labor that fixes
the time. 1t is custom, stupid Gus
tom. The gauge is the limit Of physical
strength. not for the weakest, but the
strongest. The great, brawny armed
big boned Hercules Of our company
doesn't feel it much. He may wall
three miles after supper to the bar store
play cards and drink whis!lcy till
o'clock, and then walk back again an,
be up fresh for work next morning b.,
5:;}o O'Clock. This is 1860.
In 1870 he showed it, however, and i,
the marks Of age was ten years ahead .
his TING. You can't keep up this sort o
th;ng-.ii.ging, tugging. lifting, wet t
the skin day after day, summer and win
ter, with no interval OF rest. but q stead
drag twelve nlonthsof the ycar-withcu
paving for it. There's dissipation in tn
use OF muscle as well as in the use G
whisky. Every old miner knows it NOV
and feels it. Don't you? How does tn
, muscle of 45 years in 1882 compare wit
, that of % years in 1862? OF course. ma
: must live by the sweat Of his brow or til
, sweat of his brain. hut many Of 20
| sweat too Ion. in those days, and hca
. you all saying, That's sol" Start anc'
, the tire in the little stove; thump Il
wet boots in the corner; drag yoursc
down to the spring Il few hundred yart
3 distant for pail of fresh water; hack
, few more chips FROM the dried Stun
/, mix some -four. water and Yeast powd'
a for the days baking: sit down mnu
t on YOUR flour barrel chair tld look c
. your earthly POSSESSIONS. The worn AZ
{ SCARED trunk you brought years az
!, from the states: it holds your best suit
i a forgotten fashion. two or three viii
n shirts, IA bundle of letters from home,
q few photographs, Il Bible not worn O.
n with use, u quartz crystal. u few go
z specimens" !; tarantula's nest, the t.
K of a rattlesnake and six vests. Do "
s remember how vests would accuuluI;i
t in the mines? Pants, coat, everythii
:, else would wear Out-vests never.
rs PRENTICE MILFORD.