Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-11-29
 
HE POKER FLAT oF TO-DAY.
Visit to the Scene os Bret Harte's Weii-
 Known story

Wait to the Scene of Bret Barte's Well
 known story.
 Half an hour of slow descent and VI reach the head of the canyon by sbarp turn in the trail At last " are in Poker Flat, the wild minini camp of 1852. that turned out S700 co in rold bullion in single month anS then celebrated the event in triple hanging. It was Poker Flat, too, tha experienced spasm of virtue soor after the tragic affair, and under lt' repenerating influence sent forth the outcast wanderers of Bret Harte's story to die of cold and starvation on the snowbound road to Sandy Bar. There are no Oalxhursts at Poker Flat now, and Uncle Billy" has no coun- terpart in the present population, for the very simple reason that there are no sluice boxes to rob and no money to win over the gaming table. Of Moth, CT Shiptons,' however, there are sev. eraL
 Our greeting was not cordial Mir. Rugg laid it all to the snowy plants which he had gathered, and, going into mountain lore, told of families that had been separated by taking this bulb of evil omen into the sacred precincts of the home. To carry snow plant is to have bad luck. Conceal it as you will. those with whom you come in contact will somehow divine your se- cret and shun you accordingly. Your pay streak will peter out, you will never hold more than one small pair, the slickens men from Marysville will catch you mapping over a monitor, and most likely your wife will run away with tinhorn gambler, who will turn out later as confirmed sluice robber- that is, if you carry a snow plant. So runs the folklore of the hills.
 On the porch of one of the six houses that now constitute the town of Poker Flat large, red-faeed woman sat in a rocking chair smoking clay pipe. She wore short green dress that fell an inch or so below the tops of pair of strong cowhide boots (to which were attached heavy brass spurs) a paper collar, cravat and faded straw hat
 Thicl1ly covered with ehaparral, with here and there patches of wild sum- flowers and lupine, interspersed with prospect holes, the slope presented scene of utter ruin. Some of the graves have wooden headboards, others are marked by stakes, while many have nothing at all. There are eight people in the town and eighty sleeping in this ruined ground. Nearly all of them were laid to rest without religious rites of any kind other than the read- ing of chapter from the Bible by Charles Pond. Pond was professional gambler, but was always selected for this service on account of his fine voice and oratorical effect.
 "The boys always liked Pond" said Henry Waggoner. one of the old set- tiers of Poker Flat. sHe could read better than any one else, and so he did the burying, and at times business in this line was exceedingly lively. Twice year priest used to come over from Downieville, but we could not always wait for an ordained clergyman. Things went with a rush in those days, and the climate of Poker Flat seemed to be conductive to sudden death.n
 Gold was discovered in Poker Flat in 1852, and two years later 1000 people had gathered in this rich caESon. There are fifteen stores, e<e. hotels, three dance halls, and
 n gambling houses, In 1856 cir
 Name to town and sold 1,500 tickets sO each. The following year a man
 Rd Joslyn picked up a nugget
 fh S4, 900. To celebrate his good
 The got full and offered the whole
 to his partner in exchange ,f..i
 Iatter's wife. The man aaa<sas,+e a
 without the formalityts ef divor,
 Feedings, Joslyn an9..a the wom; married and left town Tv dodai11s laief ne ,0mmitted suicide NseenVille. his former partner al
 sQwn and bought some land ne, ggooS4 T4o years ago. on Augu ehz ea wealthy and respected, at
 ac9 .ge, but it is dou btful if mo .ss-aAA .an half a dozen people in the wor knew how the foundation of his fo tune was laid.
 < Henderson's big iron safe, over whit \ the noted faro dealer shed his heart &ablood in defending his money in Sc Aember, 1867, stands a ruin by the trai &half buried in the sand, just above u < Bltunger house.
 Porker Flat will not last long, an when the pioneers have all been gat cred to their fathers, this lively ar romantic camp of early days will forgotten, and given over again to i safe and sheltered feeding place f, wild deer.--San Francisco Call
 Of Course.
 The grammar class was on the foo
 ''In the sentence. T love you, wh; is the mood of the verb?" asked u teacher.
 Sentimental mood replied one the large girls, who had spent most the summer at the seashore. Pitt burgh Chronicle-Telegraph.
 Making Sure.
 Housekeeper-Th potatoes to-da were so salty we could not touch then
 New Girl-W We'll. mum, it was tn way. After they got to coolzin'. l,r,. ,-,I, 1,a,.