The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
LIFE ON THE KLONDIKE.
PICTURESQUE INCIDENTS AMONG
THE GOLD HUNTERS.
Doth Girl In MANS Clothing who IL tho
Heroine OF the C~anp-Portunc for = San
Ernnciaco vyalf-The Rayer,e mr. IN, rs,.ture.

- Girl In MANS Clothing who IL tho
Heroine OF the Ca~mp-Portunc for = San
Francisco Waif-The Reverse or tho Picture.
REDWOOD FALLS, Mimi, Sept. Ill p. Lar.
son., formerly in he employ OF II. 6. Baldwin of
this place, is now in the Klondike gold regions.
whittier he went over tho new pass by way OF
Edmonton with u lot OF cattle. Ho has written
the following letter from Dawson City to Mr..
Baldwin. which was received hero last Saturday:
perhaps you would like to know what sort
OF a town this Is, and I will tell you. You have
heard about wide open towns. This Is one OF
them. Everything GOES here. The saloons never
close. Gambling goes on at all hours. In fact,
nothing in tho way OF dissipation is ever
checked at ali. There Is no city Government In
this place OF tents and shanties, but we have u
Vigilance Committee. which takes the place OF
both the Government and the laws. You see,
this is British country. up here. and most OF the
people arc Americans, who don't know much
about the law That governs this part OF the
country. This being the case. we run the place
like we think we ought to. Idon't mind telling
you that l am one of the rigilante' myself.
Il wish you could take a trip around town
here to see these things for yourself. Why, it is
nothing at al for 81 900 to change hands on tho
turn of u card. mean that much in gold dust,
for real money IS n scarce article out here.
Every man has n sack Of dust, real money
only being brought in now and then. Men buy
or gamble by the ounce or fraction thereof.
The dancing halls are lively enough, too. There
are lots Of women up here. These women come
in from Seattle and san Francisco. 1 reckon
that there are about 1 800 people here all told,
but they can make noiae enough for twice that
many people.
There is not as much killing going on hero
as you would think for. because we do not think
much OF bad men up here. We have planted
about a dozen OF that class in the last two
months, and II has the effect Of keeping the
tough sort quiet.
You see all kinds OF people here. represent
ing every nation we ever heard of in the States.
Everybody is as good us everybody else: it don't
make any difference what color he or she Is.
There is an old fellow here that used TO be q
slave and his wool is as gray as a sleeps pelt.
He came out with us, or with our cattle that l
took out for McGinuis s. Co. Ie had no
idea OF going after coda barber by pro-
fcssion that ] picked up 10 act as cook .or our
crowd OF cattle drivers. Old as he was, he got
the fever, staked out Il claim. and you can be-
licvc IL or not, but that old devil has cleaned up
$50 1000 in gold dust. You ought to hear him
talk what he is going to do with 1t. His name is
II. John Atherton. He comes from down in
Georgia. Just a piece outa.' he says. He says
that the daughter of the man that owned him
uuI AhN val IL lib tLClc ou Nv ot btoliLd
tion, very poor. The old man is going back. so
he says, and then he is going to buy that planta-
ton, and then he is going 10 have this woman
that's there do nothing but live like a lady all
the rest Of her days. This is one of the GU ious
things | have heard since | have been up here,
and ! believe the old man means just what he
says.
III the papers print half OF the queer things !
sec up here it would be better than any book.
About three weeks ago there was an old fellow
come from back East and he had with him a boy
about 10 years OF age. He was one OF he incest
boys | have seen in this country. He and his
father s,aked out n claim just east of a claim
right on the river that the boys called Blue
RIchncas.' l think he old man said he came
from Massachu etts. He was a quiet, peaceable
old man. minded his own business, and paid no
attention 10 anybody, but after, he com.
mcncod work on his claim, a few days ago it
s@f w %5TIn d, mi, MA ft Nv ;,y R rbnrn ne w wa q be-, % ont m had
sons OF guns up here, and when they think a
man that has a good thing can he run Oft they
i nish ft two ,9S or thres se ot Tx ,he, SO T teIio nin S %sn, SO TO 9 3Re
old man tent. hored their guns in the face of
biz. and his boy. and told them II they did not
would get SHOT. The old man wouldn't say any.
thing to the at all, so one OF them afterward
owned up. but Just lay there, and the boy kept
"AfteTwHrd the cd man. whose nams Is
and, betw cen thcm they agreed that they would
SICK to II. 50 ley took turns lying and watch.
ins s"i l bH r nns 6 5nmT nisb, Three Ihe Slain ar four inm asys
came. The boy was asleep and the old man was
on watch, Before the old man knew what had
happened they had shot him in the shoulders.
The boy heard the sho, and out he jumred. with
a gun IN each hand. dropped two of the fellows
wounded a third. The fourth man was so fright.
encd that he ran away without firing a shot. Then
s 5oT boy INK a1e4 t5 The , old man nma up ,p,i : M littls and and zane am
pS enSd' or the e boys ,Es got sfd Together right away apt
| him hack IN In vn AND n xnR him ,n Tho ha.f Tho
camp knew how. and soon found ont that he
was not badly burt. After they made this dis
had been shot: We picked him up and laid him
in a bunk. and hen We found out that he was
not a .9y at all: nut a Eirlmand as pretty a little
was A IN F@cs "i!sFE SaTd ls sGt s back '' H.y, the sn old so mHn
doNd and he only hsg one rfiri. He wanted 10
come out here and did not know what 10 do
scheme; Maybe YOU don't think the boys were
al stuck on her and her father after the little
episode ! mention. There isn't anything in
Dawson too good for them. That girl could
heard that she Is likely to take one Of t!.r,a be.
tore long, one OF the best boys. and we will all
be At the wedding:
or, as they gall II, have struck 1t rich. Oh! kid
f fEr nn sae Of fFS villa 1,s that o sys.ySSo boy t tss sSs,r by
no one knows how. He secured some old tools
and a pan and won't 10 work. He is just IL years
,WH anu . a. touRh a Klu ms you ever saw, blt ne
has cleaned Mp already g.. 900 for every one oi
his YEAR, on earth. and now he is goin' back Ia
Frisco wild money to burn He said TO me YES
icrday; When I'm going. 10 20 back, say. Gully,
I'm going TO wear nothin' but glimmers on ME
lnltts when gifts back 10 town
~ rcmcmbcr.o old man. that back in Redwo d
rails VIC used TO think that fellows were In hard
luck that had 10 eat pork and beans, hut Won are
IN great luck to get III N out here. The cattle
we brought up here didn't last long. Beans and
hannocks is the daily bill of fare for seven days a
week. or course there Is lots OF canned stun. hui
you get awful tired ofthat. There Is a man going
70 try TO raise some garden stun. and II he does
IL means that all ho raises will be worth its
weight In gold.
Let me repeat that this ia a tough country.
It's all very well TO think about the gold that's
In the ground, and what you can do with II II
you can only get II out, but | wouldn't take the
whole country for a present II IL were given 70
me, except for the gold. II rives ono tho blues
Just TO look outdoors. When 1t Is cold here you
mink that you are going TO freeze solid. sure
" hen IL is hot. you know there never WAS any
place on earth any hotter, and there isn't any
place between. An acre OF ground In Red wood
county IS worth more than the whole country
here by the II ousands. but ] tell You that Il
NJ fbnrIn ~ a I'D I,,i. -