Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-09-08
THE YELLOW GOD.
BY LEAvENwoRTH MACNAB.

Tom Jenkins ran his hand through
the gold that lay heaped on the floor
of the shack. ''Seems to me, Billy"
he said, slowly, ''that hopin' to find
1t is better n fndin' it"
Dull CLEANS of light from a smoky
lantern fell athwart the face of the old
miner, rugged, homely, deep-furrowed
by time and hardships, and offering a
marked contrast, indeed, to the hand
some, patrician features of Billy
Bailey, his junior partner.
'Findin', Billy, means quittin'.
IT'S an end to the wants an privations
I've knowed for nigh twenty years.
But, somehow, I've come to like these
still ole mountains, an the singin' of
The pines, an the river. They've
growed like friends, an I'm never
lonesome among 'em. Listen! you
san hear 'em now. Maybe it's the las
time they'll ever sing fer me-"
"We're goin' back to civilization"
continued Tom, unheeding the others
lack of sympathy with his reminiscent
mood, ''an' that means separation. L
know you like me, Billy feller
couldn't want better pardner than
you've been fer the two year I've
knowed you. But with yer eddica-
tion, an yer young blood, an yer am
bitions, you amt my kind in civ'liza
lion. We can't be the same down
there. I couldn't expect it. But 1
think powerful deal of you, Billy.
+"
"Oh, come, Tom," broke in his
companion, impatiently, you're in
the dumps tonight. Take walk and
brace up. Should think you'd look
on the bright side of things now.
We've worked and starved in these
cursed wilds for gold, until at last
we've got it. Think of the city's ten
thousand pleasures that this stake can
bay for us. There's no life in these
solitudes. It's there in the crowded
streets, and it can be ours when we've
got such god-the god of gold-to
Zee us through
Billy laughed gloatingly in anticipa-
lion. Then once more he fixed his
syes with glittering intensity on the
yellow heap, which meant for him all
that life can mean to a selfish, love-
lack nature.
''Rut it amt fer me-" persisted
Tom. "I'm past them things. If it
want fer the hope OF findin' the old
woman down there in Frisco an max
IN her comfortable, I'd stay. I don't
care fer the gold after all. I've found
It, an my hungerin' fer it's satisfied"
Billy made no answer. He had
long since become resigned to the di-
versity of their tastes, and tonight he
was in no mood for argument. He
got out some materials, and began to
repair rent in his coat. Tom rose
presently, and dumped the nuggets
into gunny-sack. Then he arranged
his blankets for the night.
''Put it away safe, Billy" he said,
,Dcularly; "we're already on the edge
of civilization, an must learn to be
pertickler.
'I'll look after it, never fear," said
ihe other, shortly; "good- night"
Billy finished his task, but his mind
was still busy with thoughts of the
'uture. He rose and stepped out into
he night. At his feet the turbulent
river rushed blackly along, its foam
srests cleaning like dull silver in the
rlear starlight. Behind him, lowered
In silent majesty the rugged, wooded
mountains. The air was heavy with
The breath of the pines. But Billy
saw none of the beauty of the night.
The mountains awakened memories of
hardships and hopelessness; the river
was only a highway to civilization. He
Dit his pipe, and began TO pace up and
down the shelving shore.
There was none of the stuff of which
heroes are made in Billy Bailey's COM
position. Had the fates seen fit to
continue their kindly beginning, he
: would probably have developed into
one Of the horde of whited sepulchres
that so largely make up what the
world is pleased to term the respect
able of humanity-those who observe
the conventions to the letter, indulge
every desire with studied care that
wins the approval of men, and dying
are respectfully buried and speedily
forgotten. On the contrary, fate had
preferred giving Billy a chance to
prove his mettle. His college career
cut short by the melting away of his
fathers fortune, he awoke one morn
Ing to find himself face to face with
the world, his wits his only capital.
He remembered tonight his struggles
to maintain his social position; the
Sights heaped upon him by erstwhile
boon companions; the gradual sinking
away Of hope, until, with starvation
staring him in the face, he had shipped
in vessel bound Ground the Horn. :"
On his lips were angry phrases for the
friends who had failed him; in his
heart resolve some day to retaliate.
He recalled his hardships on the
Western frontier his final falling in
with old Tom Jenkins, and the hope
less search for gold until week ago,
when the grave Of dried-up noun
tain stream uneA pectedly yielded them