The record-union., 1891-11-07
CHRISTMAS AT CARSON'S.


the base of rugged Mount Bullion, max
ing the pines culver with a more mourn
full cadence than usual. The little,
nearly-deserted mining camp of Carson's
looks more bleak and disconsolate than
ever, with the lowering clouds creeping
down the mountain sides and the snow
flakes beginning to thicken the air.
There is something so pathetic in those
deserted mining camps. found amid our
mountains. The poor, lonely houses,
with their sashless windows and wide
open doors, through which busy active
life pulses no more the smokeless Chin
neys and empty rooms, long given over
to the ghosts of by-gone, prosperous,
happy days.
But, saddest of all, the old miner who
came to the camp in its early, flush times,
when gold was plenty and excitement at
fever heat. This poor old fellow, through
all its changing fortunes, has clung to
the old place, and thoGgh he may now
make only two or four bits day, he is
still rich, for has not he the memory OF
the former greatness of these diggings
and of the important lives and acts OF
those great magnates who in the early
history OF quartz mining were kings in
their respective camps? Maybe he, too,
was one ofAhem, and ruled his fifty or q
hundred men under ground, reaping the
benefit Of their labor III the shining bricks
of gold, which, alas have long since
taken unto themselves wings, and now
III his Old age he is poor and alone.
Such is the camp at CarSon's this snowy
night week before Christmas. A dozen
or more men have struggled in from their
various claims, and are gathered around
the stove in "Dumpy's" store, cOmpar-
ing notes on their success in their win
tors work. ''Dumpy's" is the usual
mining camp lounging place, post and
establishment nearly always found III
such places, and "Dumpy" himself is ono
OF the shortest, tattest and altogether best
natured fellows TO be found anywhere
The men who have come in are most of
them in the early flush ofnanhood, good
humored, bright-eyed boys, some OF
them. Only two have reached and passed
the milestone on the summit, and have
begun to march down on the other side of
life's hill. There is a strange. close tie
somehow between those men; they live
together, and are so closely allied in all
their pursuits that they have been dubbed
David and Jonathan.
One OF the boys looks up from the rub
Der boot, which he is critically eXamin-
ing TO find supposed leak: say, boys,
do you forget that next Wednesday is
Christmas? Rather sorry Christmas we
are booked for, [ reckon
There is a general lifting Of heads at
this, and one Of the older men answers:
'No, | have not forgotten; / never for a
day forget when it comes. 1t used to be
one Of the happy days in my calendar,
but for seventeen years it is always be-
fore me like grim, accusing thing" and
hn no. n IN ri IL =
still handsome face.
"Oh, Jonathan, you lived here when
times were flush, tell US of the big doings
you had then" demands one of the bows.
Aleck Erving, or, as he is generally
called, Jonathan" smiles sadly. Merry
Christmas times, yes; it seems now like
only few days since there used to be
balls and parties and all sorts of gayety
here, and pretty women, lots Of them,
and bright children to laugh any play
with and make life seem like it did back
at home" There are tears in his voice
as he finishes this picture of what life had
been at Carson's in PALMER days.
Good-lOoking Joe breaks in upon the
silence which follows Alexis speech.
well, wish ! had struck CarSon's when
there were some pretty girls here.
haven't seen girl except cross-eyed
Sally for a month, and as for children,
those half-breedS up the creek are all the
kids we can count in ten miles, and about
dancing, why l couldn't even dance q
hoe-dOwn now"
"Oh, let up on that" cries a frank faced
fellow with short brown curlS all over his
head. What takes you to Widow Mar
tins, over the divide, twice month, if it
is not her girls, and what makes you so
anxious to learn all the new, fancy steps
[ learned when 1 went home last sum
mer?''
n laugh follows this, for Joe's vanity is
an old joke in camp.
"All right about Widow Martin. She's
as fair as either of her daughters, but,
say, Aleck, what good times you must
have had then, plenty of pretty women,
pleasure and money. | wonder why you
and David didn't marry some of those
girls, instead of living here always,
alone"
Aleck's face works pitifully for a mo-
ment, then he slowly moves toward the
door, Il can't talk any more tonight,
boys, but if you come to our cabin Christ
mas Eve. maybe can tell you something
which will interest you bit.''
After Aleck has left the store a short
silence follows, until "Dumpy'' solemnly
invites the crowd to take something,' -
saying that he has felt that there was a
screw loose somewhere in Alexis life.
The week hurries on; the prophecy of
thing lies the pure, soft covering. Car
sons is literally and surely showed in;
only two people from the outside world
have been seen for days, and they are
two weary travellers who have been
stranded in this little hamlet. on their
way to the larger village further on in
the mountains. They are two women.
mother and daughter, who have come
thus far on the little stage which max es
semi-weekly trips to the different camps,
but they have been left here on account
of the deep drifts. They have kept out
of sight as much as possible, and no one
of the men in the little boarding house
has seen much more than their shadows
Curiosity of course is rife about them,
who attends to their needs, is piled with
eager questions. But they only learn
that the mother cries a great deal and
that the girl looks like the picture which
hangs in the little old chapel on the hill,
which last satisfies the miners in regard
TO her lOYeliness, for all Of them know
the really beautiful head OF st. Agnes,
which hangs in the church.
Each one levies upon "Dumpy's'' stock
of candies and other holiday articles. and
on Christmas Eve numerous suggestive
parcels are handed TO Sallie to present to
to her guests in the name of the camp
At O'Clock Christmas Eve the entire
group OF miners have assembled in
Alexis cabin, which glows with a huge
fire. The guests are disposed about the
room upon stools, boxes and empty kegs
anything which will serve as seats.
Alexis voice is tremulous as he proceeds
with his story, which some one has in
terrupted by throwing another log on the
fire.
Eyes, boys, it was gay here the sum-
mer and fall Of '69. The mines were
booming, money was plenty aud all over
these hillsides were pretty cottages, filed
with people from everywhere, for the ex-
and we thought it would last. I had
struck a rich ledge in the old Crownlead,