St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-01-09

terlng prom
Use, and liberal prosperity for miners,
gamblers and saloons: but luck had
suddenly and capriciously deserted the
camp. for there was not another shin
ing atom of 1.-THE precious" to be found
in the gulch. This fact was declared
by the old miners, who were packing
up to go over the mounts inns to Clear
Creek canyon. where . new camp was
being started under favorable prom
Uses.
Saloon keepers and faro-banks had
s'fOlded their tents like Arabs," and
gone where there was fresh gold to
rake in, and where there were new vic
Tins to conquer.
TIE miners had all followed except
Patrick McBirney and his wife and
three others-Morgan. Ben Thomas
and Jack Leslie. These persons
fingered ut the deserted camp for the
simple reason that they preferred the
solitude Of Windy gulch to the rough.
wrangling crowd that had just left
Besides. Morgan lay wounded in the
little shanty of Mckinney. up among
the cedars; he was too badly injured
to think Of removing; 50 it was elected
that they were to stay behind in sole,
independent possession Of Windy camp,
and each take his turn 1t playing the
part of Good Samaritan toward the
sick miner.
Alex Morgan was q man Of middle
age. and his friends rightly conjectured
that he had seen better days than .
III "a -
ing camps had afforded
When Morgan had been sober, he
had displayed evidences of former cul-
ture and of having lived in the best
society. But he had grown dissipated
at the mining camps, and gambled
recklessly. 1t was while gambling
with Poker Sam, in one of the saloon
that . dispute had arisen,
which soon waxed fnrious, and in . |
rage, the sport had shot Morgan. in
fiicting what his friends realized would |
prove fatal wound. He now lay 1t
Pat McB;rney's, with very few more
days to live. Mrs. Mckinney, with all |
the goodness of heart and impulsive- |
ness characteristic of the real Irish
nursed him as tenderly Is If he |
had been q dear brother.
Ben Thomas was . bankrupt ranch |
man turned miner. His ''pard," Jack |
Leslie. was . young school-teacher
from the east, in reduced circum-
stances Both we're handsome, good
y ounG fellows, and rs Morgan
had share their shanty n Windy camp.
he was considered - pard" and neither
would forsake him for the selfish pur.
pose of trying his fortune at the new
amp over in the canyon. They willing
" shared the duties of watching over
Inc wounded man, doing all in their
power to alleviate his suffering.
One day, Ben and Jack were sitting
IN q howlder down the gulch. Il WAS
he second day after the camp had been
and turned over to the unre-
stricted occupancy of their little party.
''Morg is pretty lo.v. pard, remarked
Ben, his eyes on the lofty cliffs far
hove the rugged gulchL Il
lie 10 that" returned Jack. I'm
that poor Morg is about IN
ross the divide, whence no miner ever I
ONES back" Ia
fOKeF S1m Ougut 70 0oug. 68ao |
len. vengsfully. IL
He deserves to have his neck meas
red for rope necktie." approved
aek, warmly. ..But poor Aorg had
My . few friends. being one Of the Z
nlucl<y dogs of humanity. while Poker {
Am has hundred warm satellites n Z
sys blazing in his wake. Z
His chips glues 'em thar. tight To- J
mr. repliod Ben. with = Little stroagI Y
ei1ae Morv any friends wheSo his
- hunf' Inquired Jack. re1llfng =
- Z: laess. !