The Opelousas courier., 1900-10-13
THE JUMPING OF THE "jIM CROW"
BY M. QUAD.

~N~ ~Sy "A
They were ragged and hungry and
dead broke, and had been down or
their luck for long months. Luck
changed In an hour. The Jim Crow
showed a good color, but while An
drews was pushing his Investigations
Dolan wandered On and discovered
the Lady Sarah" The latter made
the best showing of the two, and al
though both mines were duly regis
tered, the Lady Sarah" was the one
opened. Within three years Andrews
and Dolan had money to burn. With
what they had taken out Of the Lady
Sarah" and the price they got for it
when they concluded to sell. they
could light their cigars with hundred
dollar bills. They could have sold the
"Jim Crow" when they disposed OF
the other mine, but as they sat smok-
ing and considering, Dolan observed
"Jim, we amt used to money and
high-rolling."
''That's U.S." replied Andrews.
"And it may come about that weT
go broke"
at likely will"
"And Wen want something to start
us again. Suppose we hang on to
Jim Crown"
Eyes, we'd better hang on"
That settled it. The mine was left
to take care Of itself, and the part
ners went Off to Frisco to wear good
clothes, smoke good cigars and fly
high. Both were bachelors and up
ward of 40 years old, and even when
their good luck came neither had ever
hinted the desire to take a wife. One
day, six months after they had come
to realize how nice 1t was to be fnan-
cially able to plank down 70 cents all
at once in settlement of a laundry bill,
Dolan suddenly said to his partner
I'm going to make a fool Of my
SELF"
"Go on" replied Andrews.
"I'm going to get married"
''Then there1l be two fools ia 1t.
When does 1t come Oft
"In two weeks"
"Good-by, Jack-I'm of. We'd bet
ter turn our papers over to a lawyer
and dissolve partnership"
There were two lawyers engaged in
that dissolution and as q natural con
sequence each found q flaw in the
title Of the "Jim Crow, mine. AS
another natural consequence, each ad-
vised his client to do" the other and
out how it could be done. The
partners had not parted in anger.
When Dolan returned from his bridal
tour Andrews welcomed him, re-
Jack, I've jumped our Jim Crow
mine. Acting on the advice Of my
I've sent men down to be-
gin work. What are you going to do
about it"
Dunno" replied Dolan, "but Of
course / shall raise a row Of some
He did. He hired a gang of 10 men
o 90 down to the "Jim Grow" and
Jump the Jumpers. AS they were two
o n and had orders to shoot, the job
vas not a difficult one. A few shots
we're fired, one man killed and another
wounded, and the Andrews jumpers
umped out and the DoIan jumpers |
Jumped In. OF course the lawyers |
we're interested. 1t wasn't their BUSH
less to advise jumping and counter
umping, but it was their bounden
luty to throw the case into court un-
Ter the title Of Andrews VS.. Dolan.
Zach client was assured that his in
crest was safe. 1t might be five or
5 years before the case was decided, /!
ut the decision would be satisfactory
4 the end. Meanwhile the respective
lients had nothing to do but plank
own the necessary fees to keep the
lachine grinding. A few days after
be Dolan party had secured posses
lon of the "Jim Crow the principals
let. Andrews observed
about our Jim Crow mine. I
ear you've jumped it,"
HAD to do it, Jim," was the reply.
eyes, / suppose so, but you know
leave you In possession. 1t amt
usiness. I've got to get a crowd to-
ether an bounce you out"
Proper way, Improper way"
And three OF four days later a gang
20 men was sent down to the "J1m
row" with orders to jump it while
OH wait" Twenty men ought al
avs to be able to bounce 10. The 10
,alized this as the 20 bore down on
lie Jim Crow" but for appearance
Ike there was q battle lasting half
q hour. Two men were killed and
'ur or five wounded, and the Andrews
lmpers were once more In possession.
lawyers were also made happy
What may be termed le-
human nature Is so constituted
when two or three men are killed,
We or six suits for damages assured,
nd the original cause of the row CON-
anew a dozen times over.
'mething closely approaching happi-
sss must be recorded on the cash
'ok. AS to Andrews and Dolan, they
ere neither happy nor unhappy.
hey werenot searching for happiness
would they vet permit such triling
ings as jumping a mine and reduc-
the male population Of California
: three or four to interfere with their
renity Of soul. OF course there were
'roner's inquests and work for the !
lerin. and the law even had the tenn
fty to reach out for Andrews and Do
n as accessories, but there was no
'ecial aus for anxiety. 1t was SIM