The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-24
RIVER OF UNTRUT.H.
BY WINFIELD CLARKE.

"
Across Arizona from east to west,
like a great artery, flows the Gila river.
Down from the north comes the Hassa-
yampa and empties into it. There is an
odd tradition connected with the Hassa-
yampa~ 1t is that he who drinks of it's
waters will never thereafter be able to
tell the truth. Politicians sometimes
come long distances, it is said, just out
of curiosity, and if, perchance, found
drinking of the water, claim that they
had heard it was beneficial to the liver.
Newspaper men flee from it's vicinity
as they would from a plague; yet it is
only a tradition and no person knows
whence it sprung.
Some years ago, George Washington
Thompson, a most carefully reared and
altogether exemplary young man, came
to California from an eastern state. He
came for the purpose of making his
fortune. In this he has been successful,
but OIL at what a fearful cost. The
story is a sad one, indeed.
Previous to his coming to California,
and, in fact, for some time thereafter.
George Washington Thompson had
never even heard of the Hassayampa
river. How different might his fate
have been had he never heard of it.
In choosing the mining company pro-
motion business as an occupation Mr..
Thompson was actuated more, perhaps,
by the thought that he could thus
achieve ooner the goal Of his ambition,
than by the loftier thought of the good
he might do the mining interests of the
great and growing west. But he was
young and fired by all those various de-
sires which crowd the mind of the
young
His first venture in the mining COM
pany promotion business was also his
his last one. He secured an option upon
some very promising mining claims in
Arizona. Some wealthy men in Los An
.geles, under the spell of his glowing en-
thusiasm, having joyfully consented to
back him, he set out upon the journey
to Arizona to examine the property and
report to his hackers.
Chance threw George Washington
Thompson into the company of an elder
ly cattleman from the Aravaipa coun-
try o after he left Los Angeles. They
occupied the same seat in the smoker.
The cattleman conceived a violent dis
gust for the young man because he
smoked cigars which the trainboy had
for sale. George bought six of these
alleged cigars, for which he paid a half
dollar, and gave one to the cattleman.
The cattleman lighted it, heroically
stayed by it through three puffs and one
profuse expectoration, and then tossed
it out of the window.
However did We git imbued with the
notion this we're pertic'Ier slice of coyote
pasture needed disinfection?" he asked.
George looked at the massive shout
ders and squ~are-turned jaw of the cat
tleman, and decided that if any insult
was intended by this remark it. was not
intended for him, but for the train
boy. So he overlooked it, and very
kindly told the cattleman all abouthim-
self and his mining company promo
tion venture, while the train sped on
the glistening sand wastes that
stretch out on either side from the
Saltcn basin to Yuma. The cattleman
had taken a pipe and some tobacco
from his pocket, and the smoke seemed
to soothe him, so hat he was able to
curb a strong desire to throw George
out of the window. 1t was an old pipe,
which the cattleman had used for a long
time, and he had not been smoking long
before the screws in the window castings
began to start and the ~veneering on the
ceiling commenced to peel up, but the
smoke was very quieting-very quiet
ing, indeed-to the old cattleman.
"Assumin' that l git We correct inter
preted." he finally observed, you'll
eventually round up, 1 opinion, some
where up'n tn Hassayampa country,
Ell? That the idea? You'll observe the
layout concernin' some likely pros
poets fer mineral, with the intention of
sdickerin, off 'em to a flock o. tender
feet, up in The city, eff I'm follerin' yer
conversational trail anyways close. Do
Iseem to git my brand on your plan all
p~roper?'
II think so-yes, 1 am almost sure
you do replied George Washington
Thompson, wishing he had at least some
sort Of an idea Of what his companion
was talking about.
"Roped yer notion the first throw,
did 7? Ever infested them parts to any
alarmin' extent afore?"
Il don't think I understand" said
George. Possibly you mean"