The Anaconda standard., 1899-01-06
CLEAN START ON NEW YEARS.
A Wandered Who Didn't Want to Quit a
Loser on the Year.

Loser Oh tle 1ears
He had been through a world of trou-
bic, and his face showed it. His long.
black hair was streaked with gray, and
the lines about his mouth had a down.
ward droop that told of fierce struggles
in the past. But the mouth itself was
firm and powerful, and in his eyes there
was a twinkle which named him a phi
losopher still unembttered by the CO.
quetries of fortune. He had been a
Wanderer over the face of the earth,
with all the ups and downs that come
to men of his kind. He had taught
school, he had run an engine, he had
sold books, he had dealt faro bank, he
had owned a cattle ranch, and he had
prospected for gold in the Wilds of New
Mexico, Arizona, California and the
Klondike. He hadn't yet struck his pile,
but he hadn't weakened, either, and
meanwhile he was doing the best ne
could.
The other night he walked into an up
town hotel and Joined a group of his ac-
quaintances. They began talking of the
new year which was coming and MAX
ing one another all sorts of promises as
to the bad habits they We're to forswear
with the first day of 1899. Never an
other oath would the biggest swearar
swear, never another drink would the
biggest drinker drink, never another lie
would the biggest liar tell 1t was an
all-around reform, and their protesta
tions carried one little weakened chap
back to other days before new years
had been scattered SO plentifully
through their lives.
do you remember, Bill, that new
year away back in New Mexico years
ago, when you and l We're prospecting
together?" asked the little man of The
wanderer with the droop to his mouth
Sure Ming said Bill with the twin
kle in his eye lighting up. THAT was a
happy one, wasn't it? By George, I've
been blue in my time, but 1 think that
New Years day was the bluest 1 ever
saw
well, tell us about it," put in one of
the others.
Let my pal do that" remarked Bill.
Il never could tell a story And so it
was up to the little man with the weaz-
ened face. He led the way to the cafe,
where they gathered around a table,
and ordering the drinks he began thus
wise:
IT'S no use telling how many years
ago it was, for Bill and I are getting
along to the time when we vince at
glimpse down the long past, but it was
when / had more hair on my head and
there wasn't gray hair on his. We
were prospecting together and we'd
Deeil up against IL nlOnlnS. we
couldn't strike it anywhere. although
we'd worked like dogs. On this partic-
ular New Years day we We're up in the
mountains, 40 miles from nowhere, and
we'd pretty nearly reached our limit.
Heaven knows l was down in the
mouth. but Bill there was looney. He
hadn't spoken a civil word in four days.
He just kept incoming about the camp,
swapping like dog whenever I spoke
to him, and I began to fear he was
wrong up here under his hair.
We were camped at this time by our
selves within about SO yards of a high
precipice. The main trail led down the
mountain, of course, %a1 over to the
edge of the precipice ran a narrow foot
path whichc we had worn in our trips
there to throw away rubbish and gar
bage of the camp. | remember that I
woke up early on New Years morning
and found Bill puttering about, uglier
than ever, if that was possible. I spoke
to him. but he only grunted and went
outside the shack. Something about his
manner alarmed me, so l sprang up
and looked out. He was going down
the little path to the edge of the preci-
pice.
He's going to jump over" I thought,
but | was afraid to yell at him, ard it
could not possibly do any good to run
after him, so l just walked slowly out