The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-11-28

In attractions to allure the precious dust
from the pans Of the prospectors.
At length one enterprising fellow con.
ceived the scheme Of importing a billiard
table from San Francisco. It was an easy
matter, he argued, to get the table to
Crescent City by water. but how to get
the machine over the divide! He sought
old Martinez, the best packer In southern
Oregon. Martinez had mule, Anita, the
pride Of his life. Anything that Anita
could't pack could not find It's way into
southern Oregon.
So said Martinez and he readily made
contract to fetch the table over the divide
as far as Sailors Diggings at Walo Well.
The sight Of the queer looking package
staggered the packer, but he reflected that
1t would not stagger Anita, and, II not, all
would be well. So he ripped out string
of Spanish oa,hs to help the thing along,
then he got his men and 90 odd mules In
line, for he was the director Of great
pack train.
He loaded up miscellaneous lot Of stuff
on his mules and then It came Anita's turn.
Now Anita had never seen billiard table,
but was wise enough to know that II was
going to be no snap to lug that thing
across the mountains. Eight men ele.
waited the table, but when they let It drop
the wise old mule had sidestepped. But
Martinez rigged up block and tackle and
hauled the table into the air. Then Anita
was backad under the table and the rest
was easy.
For three days the pack worked TO a
charm. At night the table was removed
and In the morning reloaded. On the
third evening the train stopped at Rattle.
snake bend, about mile from Waldo.
The pack stampeded-all except Anita.
Martinez knew that Anita would keep
right on to Waldo and he left her to her
own resources, while he joined his men In
the roundup Of the runaways.
Anita was not to be found when, two
hours later, the train arrived at Waldo.
They found her next morning eight
miles away from Waldo. She had slept
with her load; she had carried her last
burden; she was quite dead.
Martinez's anguish knew no bounds.
He cursed himself; he cursed the mule,
then apoIogized to the memory Of Anita
and went over to AlthOuse creek to curse
the man who had employed him. He de.
manded recompense for Anita. The man
demanded his table. There were not
strong men enough In the country to carry
the table over TO AlthOuse and nobody
wanted to buy 1t.
When Martinez recovered from his
grief his business head got into motion
again. He buried Anita and then set up
the table as monument to the faithful
animals memory. 1t was not long before
a shanty was run up over the table, and
1t required only a few days more to get
enough whisky to dignity the shanty with
the name Of saloon. Far and wide Mar.
tinez spread the news that there was to
be an opening on Saturday night In honor
Of the only billiard table In southern Ore.
gon.
And what an opaning was there! There
were music and dancing, and singing and
drinking, and punching Of the worries"
The other saloons In the neighborhOod
had to close down for the night. The
table became the "proper thing" In the
diggings, and there was a line Of play.
ers every night waiting for chance to
get cue. At length saloon man took
the table and shanty off Martinez's hands