The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1892-07-13
UNDER TEE FIR TREES.
THE SEQUEL PROVED THAT AFTER
ALL HE HAD A HEART.

the trail from Red Dog Diggings came
winding down to cross the creek, stood
three fir trees. They were close together
with the largest in the center In those
days we had a name or everything, and
as those trees were a sort of landmark
we named them "Mother and Children"
Nc doubt every miner of us looked
rough, and no doubt we fell into evil
ways. In our camp somebody was shot
every week or two, and at least once Il
month we had to hang some in the inter
ests of public safety. For all that, how
ever, we had all come from the east,
most of us had wives and children wait
ing our return, and roughness did not
reach down to the heart. Many a time
a miner who'd shoot you offhand on the
slightest provocation sit down on an
evening with tears ON his cheeks as he
thought of home and his loved ones
The toughest man in the lot was a chap
we called "Bully Ben" He seemed to
go about seeking quarrels, and he had
no fear of any living man. Twice we
warned him to leave White Horse creek
or pay the penalty with his life, but he
did not 90. Once the vigilance COM
mittee started out to hunt him up and
hang him. They found him. He had
his back to bowlder and gun in each
hand, and he defed them. We hated to
admit that we were afraid of "Bully
Ben,'' but it was fact that we were
and we knew it. We could have downed
him had the whole crowd made move
but when every one of us realized that it
would cost four or five lives there was
lack of enthusiasm to begin operations
/ used sometimes to wonder what his
past had been-if he had a heart like
other men-if there was a better nature
deep down which none of us had ever
seen? Sometimes | caught him looking
steadily into the camp fire, as if the
flames were weaving a picture for him.
Then the hard lines of his face would
soften, the evil look fade out of his eyes
and Bully Benz would appear to be a
Stranger to our camp. One day he got
csnIght in a caveil on his claim and was
terribly injured. When the fact was re-
ported almost every man rejoiced over
it. 1t was at first expected that he
would pull through after bit, but it
was soon discovered that he was hurt
internally and that it was only question
of hours when the end would come
1t was an unwritten law with us that
when miner got hurt or fell sick, the
one whose claim was next him on the
right should attend him. was next to
Ben, and SO it fell to me to nurse him as
best | could. From the first he had no
complaints to make and no questions to
ask. 1t was almost shutdown one after
noon, and the mark of death had been
plainly stamped on his face, when he
quietly said to me-
Last night l dreamed of Mary and
the children. | saw them coming over
the hill and they kissed me before died
Poor Mary-poor childrenr'
l looked down into his face. and there
was such change that / could hardly
credit. 1t had grown. soft and gentle
and the eyes might have belonged to
woman. There was something to touch
the heart in his voice as he turned his
eyes to the open door and continued
Eyes, Mary and the children. She was
leading them and they had come to see
me die, DO you think they will be here
in timer"
soothed HIM as best k lew how. and
pretty soon he seemed to fall asleep.
Darkness had hardly come before the
great full moon lifted herself above the
nils and poured such a flood of light
down upon our camp that it was like
day again. sat at the door looking out
upon the glorious sight when Gully
Ben" aroused from his lethargy and
said:
Mary and the children are coming
over the trail! l must watch for them as
they come over the hill! Draw me TO the
door and let me be the first to see themn'
l moved his cot into the doorway and
Propped him up that he might face the
hih The blindness of death had already
come to his eyes, but after a minute or
two his vision seemed to grow clearer,
and be pointed to the fir trees and called
out:
II knew they would come. 1t is Mary
and the children, and they will kiss me
3,af1ro I;or;