The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-05
An Atmospheric Revelation.
BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE.

BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Giles Parsloc and I had spent four
months at mining camp on the Gila
River, near Florence, in southern Ari-
zona. We had had tolerable luck. I
suppose, between us, there may have
been the value of six or seven thousand
dollars. But the vein began to peter
out; at least we thought 50. Perhaps
the heat and the monotony of our sur
roundings may have had some influence
on our opinion. At all events, we made
up our minds to push Oh westward to
the junction of the Gila and the Colorado
at Yuma City. The railroad had not
been put through at that time, and the
region was as remote as it was desolate.
Not that we minded that. The romance
of youth was still strong in us; we were
but two or three years out of college.
But We wanted variety rs we'll as remote
ness, and believed, as all men are apt to
do, that the true Eldorado lay beneath
the horizon.
There was socia lie, agreeable fellow
in the camp, Dick Stapers by name, with
whom, more than with any of the others,
we had found it agreeable to fraternize.
He was some years our elder, and had
been we'll educated; knew something of
classics and of English literature, and
was fond of enriching his conversation
with quotations from ancient and recent
poetry. He was we'll acquainted with
the life of the plains, and gave us not a
few useful hints. On the other hand, it
must be confessed that he was not par
ticularly industrious or successful miner.
he seemed unable to take advantage of
his own knowledge and experience: but,
being gifted with winning tongue, he
contrived to live along in fair comfort,
especially as he was a frst-class poker
player. His presence made the place
less lonely and monotonous, and for that
reason no one thought of grudging Dick
pull at his whisky flask, or even hand
full of dust now and then. There was no
other standard whereby to measure the
value of social cheerfulness.
Giles and were, therefore, anything
but put ou when Dick proposed to &C
company us on our journey. In the first
place, he knew the route, and secondly,
he would be grand resource at the camp
FIRE. So we accepted his suggestion with
cordiality, gave him a good mustang, and,
one fine mrrning, we all three rode forth
with the sun on our backs. A mule car
ried our camp equipage, and Giles, as the
steadiest and stoutest of the party, was
intrusted with the larger part of our
sdust" There was about four hundred
pounds weight in all, of which he carried
two and a half hundred, and the re-
mainder. Giles and I were each armed
with rifle and revolver; Dick was up-
armed; but as he said: 'Nobody will
want to shoot me, and 1 don't want to
shoot anybody"
: A few miles below the camp there was
q ford, which We crossed, keeping thence
forth on the southern bank of the stream.
The sun glared down at us as if it had
nothing else in the solar system to attend
to. felt as if something were pricking
me in the base of the brain, and Giles
plodded doggedly along with his head
down and a constant succession of drops
running down his nose and falling on the
pommel of his saddle. Dick alone ap-
peared lightsome and comfortable. He
had jest for every nishap, and remedy
for every i'll. And when, after hard
days journey and iunumcrable petty con-
traricties, we dismounted at length to
camp in bend of the stream, I heard
him murmur to himself, as he kindled
the fire for supper: " Post tot naufragia
portusr" (After so many shipwrccks, a
harbor)
+: "Now, boys" nc said, socially, as we
squattcd round the remains Of our meal
an hour later, ''this is going to be tough
transit, end we've got to scratch our best
to make it. Those two na2s Of yours
have all they want to do to carry you and
your guns. The mule ispretty we'll fixed
with the tent and the kettles. But some
things got to be done with that four
hundred pounds weight of dust. If you
two carry it, you'll be on foot in two
days; it carry 1.-THE fact is, believe
1 sira;i watcn M chance 10 cut and run
with it. The mule remains; snc Can
stand good deal, and believe she can
stand that four hundred pounds. But,
not to run it too close, here's my propo-
sition; I'll pack the tent on my crupper
my rapacity don't extend to tents
and that will give the mule chance
How does that strike you?'
We talked it over, and finally agreed
that Dicks plan was prudent and ex'
pedient. After a sound nights sleep
Giles and using the bags Of dust fol
pillows-we arose betimes, breakfasted,
and packed up our own traps, Dick be-
ing very active in assisting. The mule
took the alteration in her load quite