Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-02-08
An Atmospheric Revelation.
BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE.

Giles Parsloe and / had spent four
months at a mining camp on the GiIa
River, near Florence, in southern Ari-
IONA. We had had tolerable luck. /
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 so. Perhaps
the heat and the monotony of our SUI
roundings may have had some influence
. on our opinion. At all events, we maze
up our minds to push Oh westward to
the junction Of the ella and the Colorat.o
at Yuma City. The railroad had rot
been put through at that time, and TIC
region was as remote as it was desolasc
Not that we minded that. The romaacc
of youth was still strong in US; We vsc-c
but two or three years out of college.
But we wanted variety as well as remote
ness, and believed, as all men are APT to
do, that the true Eldorado lay beneath
the horizon
There was a 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 well 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 well 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 a 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
a pull at his whisky flask, OF even a hand
full of dust now and then. There was no
other standard whereby to measure the
value of social eheerfulness.
Giles and were, therefore, anything
but put on when Dick proposed to ac-
company us on our journey n the first
place, heknew the route, and secondly,
he would be grand resource at the camp
Gre. So we accepted his suggestion with
! eordiality, gave him good mustang, and,
one fine mrrning, We all three rode forth
I with the sun on our backs A mule car
ried our camp equipage, and Giles, as the
steadiest and stoutest of the party, was
Entrusted with the larger part of our
ttd,,e+ rrbaro ,,,ae al,1,,f fonr b,,pd rod
pounds weight in all, of which he carried
two and a half hundred, and the re-
, mainder Giles and ] were each armed
with rife and revolver; Dick was ur-
armed but as he said. Nobody will
! want to shoot me, and don't. want t,
shoot anybody
A few miles below the camp there was
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
I, me in the base of the brain, and Giles
plodded doggedly along with his head
down and constant succession of drops
running down his nose and falling Oh the
pommel of his saddle. Dick alone a.
peared hghtsome and comfortable. lie
had Jest for every n.ishap, and a remedy
for every i'll. And when, after hard
day journey and innumerable petty con
trarieties, we dismounted at length to
camp in bend of the stream, | heard
him murmur to himself, as he kindled
the fire for supper: e Post tot naufragia
portusn (After so many shipwrecks, a
4 harbor. =.
Now, boys, he said, socially, as we
sqaatted 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 nags of yours
have all they want to do to carry you and
your guns. The mule is pretty well fixed
with. the tent and the kettles. But some
things got to be done with that four
hundred pounds weight of dust. Ifyou
two carry it, you'll be on foot in two
days; it carry 1.-THE fact is, | believe
/ / shall watch my chance to cut and run
with it. The mule remains; she can
stand good deal, and believe she can
stand that four hundred pounds. But,
not to run it too close, here's my prolo-
sition; III pack the tent on my crupper
my rapacity don't extend to tents
and that will give the mule chance.
| How does atstrike you?'
We talked it over, and finally agreed
that Dicks plan was prudent and ex-
| pedient After sound nights sleep
J Giles and using the bags of dust for
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
| good -humoredly, and Dick rugged the
tent on his saddle in such way that, 50
far from incommoding him, it gave him
a support to rest his back against. On
the route he rode in advance, followed by
Giles, who was followed by the mule,
while l brought up the rear. More heat
and perspiration, more WEAKNESS of flesh,