The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1894-07-14
A LUCK-PENNY.
1872,

1872.
It Is Saturday night on an Australian
| gold field. The bar of the Jolly Dig
gers is crowded.
News has gone abroad that Dog"
Kellarey has broken out again, and
as he always takes care to have his
| collects.
On this peculiar Saturday he has set
himself to try conclusions With Kan
CARGO Jack" of the Midas Claim. It
is a gorgeous struggle-even old WALL
Eyed Bill" who is tXacting in such
matters, is compelled to admit that.
They fight anyhow and everywhere,
under tables and under clairs-while
the lamps fare, the dogs bark and the
crowd expresses it's admiration in Ian
suage full of picturesque detail.
kangaroo jack tires after the twen-
ty-sixth round. and his friends carry
him to his tent minus II eye and plus
conclusion of the brain.
Then, when Dog" Kellarey counts
his broken fingers every n suddenly
remembers the %unguarded state Of his
tent and vanishes into the darkness.
not to reappear until the SOund of the
coach horn is heard on Portuguese
Hill.
The arrival Of the weekly coach, bear
ing her majesty's mails, is an occasion
of great Importance, and ranks ever
before New Finds or Warden's decis-
ions.
About IL o'clock the coach creaks and
groans up the street, to pull up before
the flaming lights Of the Jolly Dig
gers" 1t is a curious, numbering con
struction, riding on leather springs and
drawn by five strong horses-a sort of
badly bcought-up cross between an
antique mourning coach and q dilapi-
dated Indian ghari.
The driver, to whom is intrusted the
lives and hereafters of the half-dozen
passengers. travels the 240 miles be-
tween the gold fields and civilization
twice weekly, and is always p%reternat-
urally thirsty. Custom, however, for
bids his leaving the box before he has
seen his horses embarrassed and led
away, and exchanged the usual pleas
antries with his own particular admir-
ers. When in due time he does de-
scend, passengers, diggers, loafers and
dogs escort him into the hotel and in
half m hour the excitement is over.
On this occasion, however, it is des-
tined to last longer; Dog" Kellarey,
advancing, invites the driver to take
refreshment.
After complying with the request,
that individual gets out to the vehicle,
to return with a bundle. Then, UNI
wrapping the shawls, ne places on the
table a baby girl. She cannot be more
than two years old. and is fast asleep,
her little head and its pretty curls
pilloWed on one tiny arm.
Every II presses round to look,
who has no curiosity in the matter of
babies. Then questions pour in thick
and fast: Whose is it," "Where'd
We get the kiddy, matey?" Whose
youngster Is it, Bill?" etc.
Any other man would be ~bewildered
not SO with Bill Burns. He says
slowly and solemnly, as If aw ire of his
unique Importance, For Dog KEEL
larey"
"What!!' shouts that gentleman,
"t1at' ga a lie, you Bill! Who says the
Il do" replies the driver. POLL
Waites Of Wild Dog showed it aboard,
along with its buds, for yer. The little
'un's father pegged out on Saturday.
Flash Dick of Wild Dog Creek. is
last words was, Sen the kid to my old
mate Dog" Kellarey;' an so I fetched
it along, and the passengers made up
the fare among 'em, SO there's nothin'
to pay-there!"
"O]d Dick pegged Quit" the Dog"
mumbles slowly-"old Dick pegged out
an sent is kid to met!
The crowd is so tickled with the idea
that 1t ventures upon a laugh.
The laugh decides him, and stepping
up alongside the sleeping child, he sings
out 1.-The kids mine, an the old mar as
laughs agin' 'er laughs agin' me. Now
let's see i'm AS is game to grin!'
He has evidently gone home, for nc
ones answers.
Sunday morning. and Dog" Kellar.
ey'S claim is the center of attraction.
The Little Arrival of the previous night
plays about the tent door. The Dog
fearing harm to her from the crowd of
visitors, carefully defies his boundary,
and threatens dire penalties on the head
Of any man who crosses it.
News. news!-great and glorious
news!
News which runs like wildfire
through the field, which flies from tent
to tent-from the police cells on the
Hill to Dutch Joe's across the Flat,
past the Eureka, down to the Day-dawn
never stopping until every n has
heard it.
DOG Kellarey's %proverbial bad luck
has turned ut last-he has bottomed on
the Lead, the new claim has turned up
trumps with a vengeance"
1t is full Of gold-specks, specimens
and nuggets. Not nuggets as small as
peas, but large as teacups. Not here
and there, but in q big deep lead, a for
tune at every drive of the pick.
The Luck-penny who has been sleep
ing in the shadow of the tent, watches
and chuckles at a piece of glittering
mica. In his excitement the dog
sings out: