The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-04-04
MY CHUM.
From The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.

There might have been two hundred OF
us ut Tribuiation grlch when Johnny Glen
arrived. Every miner was free to come
and go as he liked, but at the gulch we
| kept written record ot the claims staked
out That record was a miners warranty
deed as long as he chose to remain, and
| a new arrival who should attempt to
Jump him would have the whole camp On
his back. l was keeping the book of record,
and the entry i'll the case of Johnny Glen
read:
July IA, Johnny Glen, first 30
| feet front west of Jack Davis.
The new arrival was young man about
twenty years Old. He was short and light
and his hands were small though sun
Drowned and calloused. There wasn't any
thing unusual in the sight of Il boy among
the diggers, but this young chap was bit
different from the common run. lie was
quiet spoken, had no cuss words to throw
around and didn't seem to want to mix up
much. l took Il sort of liking to him from
the very start. and 1T was at my siEgeS-
ton that he entered the claim he did
There was room on the high ground for
another tent, and j had him pitch his next
to mine. Indeed, j asked him to bring
his traps and share my shelter, but the
offer was declined.
partner unless he happens to be Il mighty
mean man. I had lost mine by death
and it soon came about that johnny and L
were known as 'pards. That means
more than appears on the surface. 1t
means a fair divide of work and income;
confidence in each other; strict loyalty.
If you injure miner, you also injure his
"pard." If you kill one, the other is
bound to hunt you down. In the old days.
when every camp was q law unto itself
and civilization was thousand miles away.
the ties were stronger than now.
Johnny Glenn was an enigma to me from
the very outset. Ills quiet ways and his
gentleness struck me as peculiarly strange.
lie had handy ways about cooking and
'knack' about Arranging his tent and re-
pairing his clothing which were new TO
me. He wasn't given to storytelling or
joking, and now and then, when ! coaXed
him to sing his songs were all sad ones,
and there was something in his voice that
made me homesick, and brought a craving
to throw away pick and shovel and head
for the states. l often wanted to ask him
to tell me of his past, but that was IL
ceuSe even a partner" dared not assume
without encouragement. So much as you
wished to tell was listened to and kept
sacred. Beyond that you were, asked no
questions unless you wanted to tell
Some of the miners We're rough and rude
fellows and there We're five or six in camp
who were always chatting at Johnny on
account of his stature and weight, and be-
cause he was a bit awkward with his
working tools. The boy never seemed
much put out at the sarcastic filings, but
on two or three occasions / picked up the
challenges and battered the heads of the
challengers. They were my enemies after
= =. OF course, though hiding their real
feelings behind q mask of companionship.
One day along in November | went up to
n store at Pawnce Bend to buy -four.
When | got back, about o'clock in the af-
ternoon. | found all the men i'll camp in Il
circle and inside the circle were Johnny
Glenn and Il burly big fellow called BOSS"
Skinner. Each had Il knife in his hand, and
t1h , Y,,l,t A.,
down. ia have broken into the ring like a
wild buffalo, for my boy partner was no
match for that burly ruifian but they held
me back. / realized almost at once. too,
that if Johnny had any earthly show l
should spoil it by raising q row and getting
him ratified. They told me that as soon
as ] had gone the BOSS" began finging
out his taunts and trying to pick fuss.
The boy made no reply until the man began
TO ridicule and insult me. Then he Haired
up and deiied the other to q fair fight with
knives. A part Of the men cried out
against it, but the majority favored a fight,
and it was about to begin as [ arrived
Both men were stripped down to shirt
and pants. The ''Boss" loomed I'D like n
giant, while Johnny Glenn appeared Ike a
there with my heart in my mouth, not even
daring to call out to him, and the only con-
ISOLATION | had was in the knowledge that
the Boss would have to fight me next.
ana lN1t ! $1,000 q pretty even show with
him. When the word was given and they
sprang forward | shut my eyes and groan-
cd. [ heard them moving about and [
caught the ''ohSn and 'ohs.' Of the men,
but I saw no more than as if I had been
blinded. 1t lasted about three minutes as
they told me. Thcn some one Shrickcd
out--the voice of wonan-not a Shrek of
pain. but of fear and horror. and 1t brought
me to myself The Boss was down with
q knife in his heart and Johnny Glenn was
sitting down with his hands over his eyes.
'IIe's a woman-he's a woman shouted
fifty men in chorus as they rushed forward,
and they were right. That SHREK had be-
trayed my partner She had fought the
Boss as man. but when her knife struck
home she had given way to her feelings
woman.
What more? Very little On my honor az
a man had never suspected such & thing.
asked for her story. but she would not give
lit. From word dropped here and there. [
concluded that she had come out to the
mines in search of lover and had thus far
failed to find him. but she was very close
mouthcd. We took up collection and sent
her away to Sacramento and ] never heard
OF her after she left camp. She couldn't
go without Il" thank YOU and hand shake,
but she was shy and dignifed Even in her
parting with me. who had been 'p0rds' with
her for long weeks, she simply said:
You have, been square and honest and
kind. God bless you!''
The boys had many 4 sly dig at me after
ward about Johnny Glenn bat ! have told
you how II was While his ways puzzled
me and while he always kept me wondering
wherein he differed from a man, the idea OF
his belonging to the other sex lpyer entered
my mind.