The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-08-01


scores OF strong mon sickened and
died, unmindful of danger, "Monte
Bob" put to shame those who had fled
in fear, by closing his bank snd nurs-
ing those around him as tenderly and
carefully as any woman. When the
scourge died away and those who had
fed came back, he returned once
more to his fascinating calling and
was never heard to mention the good
work he had done.
Like many other mining towns, in
two short years Lone Horse Gulch saw
its inception, its glory and its decay,
One by one the bars petered out. The
dissatisfied miners we're forced to seek
newer and more paying fields of labor,
and lost sight of "Monte Bob"
Five years had passed and was la
boring on one of the we'll known Sac
ramento dallies as city editor. In
the hurry and rush of daily journalism
the old life at Lone Horse Gulch had
long since become thing of the past,
when suddenly several things occurred
to bring it back, fresh and vivid, to
mind; for going to my duties at an
early. hour one morning, l chanced to
overtake my old friend "Monte Bob. T"
The flight of time had left its shadow
upon him, and he was changed. A
heavy moustache covele ed the smooth
lip. The rakish high hat had been dis
carded, the shiny suit of broad cloth
had been supplemented by a plain
business suit, and the dazzling dia-
mond had disappeared. He was taller,
his shoulders broader and his step
firmer than when last we met. The
dashing, reckless gambler of five years
before was gone, and his place had
been taken by quiet, earnest man.
He knew me, and by the hearty, cor
dial pressure of his hand, knew was
glad to meet me. He talked freely of
the old life at the Gulch, and of those
who had been our companions there.
We chatted for few moments and
then left him at the door of a we'll
knewn business house with an invita-
tion to come and see me. That very af-
ternoon l learned from another old
citizen of the Gulch that he had long
since abandoned the life of gambler,
and was now and had been for two
years working as a bookkeeper And
let me say that my informant was
none other than "Monte Bob's" warm
friend, the old-time express agent at
the Gulch. l also had it from that
gentleman, that larger portion of
the young mans wages was regular
sent to his mother and sister in the
East
Contrary to my expectation, Bob
awaited himself of the invitation / had
extended to him, and soon after spent
an evening with me in my cosy bach
elor apartments found him an in
telligent and pleasant companion.
Besides reading much he had been q
shrewd observer of men; and in the
flow of conversation the evening
slipped away before we were awale of
it. When he arose to go it had been
arranged that he should spend an
evening of every week with me. In
the months that followed our acquain-
tsnce ripened into friendship; from
friends we became confidants, and ere
long I knew the history of his past
life.
His father had died when he was a
mere boy, leaving him to the care of
an uncle. Until twenty his life was
passed at his uncle's house and at
school. Lacking the kind, watchful
care of father and deprived by cir
cumstances of the loving thoughtful
ness of mother, he had been led
astray by the influences which sur
round the youth of a great city. In
the course of time he became heavily
indebted to a gambler, and fearing
exposure, he had forged his uncle's
check to the amount of several hun
dred dollars, hoping to replace the
money ere his uncle should learn what
he had done. This he failed to do
and when his crime became known, he
was forced to fee the country to save
himself from felon's cell. By his
mother he was given money to aid
him in his flight, aud had come to
| California. Made reckless and des.
perate, he had first adopted the gam
ing table as means of support, and
with what success well knew. The
money given him by his mother and
that taken from his uncle had been
promptly retured. He had also paid
for the education of his young sister
and enabled his mother, who has lost
most of her property, to live in com
fort. Her love had always followed
him, and through her entreaties and
the promptings of his own better self
he had given up drink aud abandoned
the gaming table.
He was working hard; had won the
confidence of his employers; was re-
ceiving fair salary and by frugal liy-
ing was constantly saving money.
Two years had passed since we had
become fast friends, and Bob was now
the confidential clerk of his firm, and
the prospect of his becoming part
ner was not far distant. There re-
mained nothing for him to do but to
bring his loved ones TO California and
there make them a home This he
determined to do, and when his sister
wrote him that his mothers health was
failing and that she had but a few
years to live, he redoubled his exer.
tions, hoping that the pure air and
sunny skies of California would win
back the health OF the invalid. His
salary had been increased and he was
self-sacridcing in his efforts to save !;
but, Notwithstanding these facts,
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