The record-union., 1891-11-28
For the RECoRD-UNIoN.
A ROMANCE OF FRENCH CAMP.

Humph! Pretty good love story, but vow
l can tell one better'n that
Tell it? Well, you wait TIL Fve made my
And then I'll tell it, don't fret.
You see, as 1t happened long time ago,
Ive got to collect my wits.
amt like you, with the whole blasted show
And clown, at my finger tips.
Begin? Well, look here, stranger, you'd bet
ter
Hold up for a little spell,
Or 'twon't by no means be a red-letter-
The day when you rile Old Bill.
You see, now, as I said Tor did say?
Derned If haven't forgot;
But it don't matterimuch, for anyway
We were mighty tough lot.
There was Bill Haskit a terror, you bet!
Though his heart was warm and true:
For mind the day that his cheeks were wet,
When his old pard died-McGrew.
French Camp was a roaring place at that time,
For the diggin's there was rich,
And there wasn't a chap but what could shine
some DUST, or nuggets, or SIGH.
AS said, we were rough and pretty wild,
With seeing nobody but men
For there wasn't nary woman or child
In twenty miles of us then.
It was bout that time that this feIler came
The teller I'm telling bout
BE came from the East-Carl Knapp was his
'Twan't long till we found that out.
I remember the time 1 saw him first
Saw VINO? Why, this dainty chap,
Who'd left the East, with mighty slim purse
To renew from Natures lap.
He got into camp one night about dark,
And he acted lost and shy;
But next morning he was up like the lark
Fore the sun riz in the SKY.
He looked at the ground and staked out {
claim
Close up to mine, on the right,
And all that winter he worked through th,
rain,
And from dawn to late at night.
He didn't go to the Nugget Saloon
And play and drink like the rest;
But his face wore smiles from morning tt
And till light forsook the west.
And somehow our hearts all went out to him
In spite of dandified ways.
And in turn we all helped, with hearty vim,
At his claim, on cleanup days.
Well, oil next summer he worked in tha
place,
TIL be must have saved pile,
When one night we all noticed on his face
A powerful proud-looking smile.
Next morning he wasn't out on his claim,
He's gone to Frisco" Bill said,
"But he carculates to be back again
In three days, If he amt dead.n
Carl was gone three days, and then he re
turned.
And what dye think he brought back?
a wifel IF he didn't then I'll be derned
II don't go jug my sacki
We found out afterward that she had come
Around the Horn with old Lane,
Who paid for her trip from her Eastern home
Which Carl paid him back again.
That was why Carl hadn't taken no part
In the carousing and play,
But had saved his dust to have his sweetheart
BY his side some happy day.
We was sorry that they'd been married there
Before they came from Frisco,
For If they hadn't, we'd had an affair
CePbrated from Bolt TO Bispo.
So they settled down in their little house,
Though 1t was awful plain and rough
And hardly too big for a good-siZed mOuse
Yet they said twas big enough
CarFs face was even more happy and bright
Though he toiled on like Turk;
And often heard 'em singing at night
When she had finished her work.
Was she pretty9 Well, it's lucky for you
This happened so long ago,
For tell you that then all but a few
Would shoot If you'd asked to know
Pretty? Well, her eyes was like sparks O
Hair brown as the autumn leaves:
Her cheek of a delicate pink-white hue,
Like Shasta on summer ewes.
1t want any wonder we loved her, eh?
Well, stranger, should say not.
For q kinder heart and gentler way
No mortal before her got.
Why, when Bill Haekit was hurt in his claim
She came. like Charjfy;s elf