The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-12-21
A WASTED LIFE.

Ait tAC OcsSoA NAiiOI 1AtA3Cl
odd circumstances. A persistent touch
Of rheumatism under my left shoulder,
which defied liniments and plasters,
sent me to tte Hot Springs, seven miles
north Of B~oonopolis, southern Califor-
MIA.
To reach the Hot Springs the traveller
crosses five miles of desert country,
where the cactus iourishes like the
green bay tree, and the coyote shrills
at night his peculiar lay. Then he
climbs the grade, a rise Of 900 feet
in two miles. This part Of the way is
ever a mountain road which skirts pre-
cipices aud winds in and out among
canyons III d way that makes timid peo-
pie dizzy.
One beautiful winter afternoon Dea-
con Hardwicke started for the hotel.
That morning he had procured at Boon
opOlis a livery team and a driver. and
had been taken to different points about
the valley, looking at lands which were
offered for sale. Having completed his
inspection, he was driven to the foot Of
the grade, and there he dismissed the
team.
He had il his hands a little black
leather wallet containing deeds, and,
as he walked along in his slow and dig
nitied fashion, his eyes bent on the
ground, he looked like a gentleman Of
leisure, perhaps a wealthy eastern tour
list out for an airing.
At the foot Of the grade is \ little
ranch house, and just beyond the road
makes q turn almost at right angles
and skirts the edge Of a canyon, where
the traveller is hidden from view in
either direction.
In this angle Of the way man was
waiting for the afternoon stage, which
was about due. 1t carried the mail for
the hotel aud sometimes considerable
. express matter, to say nothing Of the
passengers.
But the deacon happened to come
first, and az he turned the corner, plod-
ding slowly along. he heard a smooth.
clear, firm. but not inpatient voice say ;
"Wait a moment. sir. And kindly
hand over that gripsack and your mon
ey."
CHANGING up, the deacon beheld a big
revolver pointed at his head.
Deacon Hardwicke was surprised and
grieved. He was not q coward. He had
lived in many a lawless community,
had seen men lynched, had himself been
q target for bullets more than once. If
he had been armed, he would have
fought-as ne afterward assured me-.
hut the appalling fact flashed over
him that he had 10 ''Run," and that
the gentlemanly stranger "had the
DROP on him.
Come" said the ~highwayman in a
more threatening tone. II mean bust
ness. Drop your wallet. Give me your
money, or III let daylight through you.
The deacon halted and shook his fist
at the MAJ. What he said is not mate
rial to this recital. Then he turned and
ran down the grade.
The highwayman fred twice, and the
deacon afterward stated that the balls
whistled by in close proximity to his
head. The shots fustered him. He
stumbled, tripped and fell. He bruised
his shins and tore the skin from his
wrists. The wallet few from his hand.
and he lay in the road, bowling with
rage and pain.
The marauder advanced leisurely and
picked up the wallet. just then the
stage, which was q trife late, as usual
rolled slowly around the turn in thu
road.
The deacon's assailant leaped dow1
; the steep bank Of the canyon and rolled
headlong among the chaparral.
\ The remarks Of the passengers on tn
stage, which picked him up and brough
! him to the hotel, did not tend to maxi
him better natured.
"Guess it was all q fake" II didn'
hear any shots" More scared thar
hurt" These were some Of the whis
pered comments that came to the dea
cons ears.
1T I had only had a gum" he sal
to me, THAT fellow would never bav
got out Of there alive. It's the disgrac
that hurts. l don't see how l was care
less enough to leave my gun at hom
these times" he said, with tears in hi
eyes.
DO you think you would know tn
. fellow should you see him againf'
d asked.
IT 81 should know him anywhere. H
10 short and wiry, dark hair. mustaoht
c no beard. black eyes. And there is
great, red, flaming scar across his chee
knife wound. I reckon"
"Ill toll you what we'll d." I sait
l. "I1et NJ 60 to: B%oonopolis and fnd hin
% He will noon SOC that there is no pu
q suit, and will certainly go there. Pc
): bxos We oan arrest him ysA"