St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-03-30
NiUKODEMUS.
ny r. e. BIsLAND.

Nickodemus was a miners "best
friend which, as everyone knows,
means burro. Like his tail, his
name had been abbreviated, and as
Nick he was faniliarly known by the
entire camp.
The camp consisted of two miners
and mucker. They and Nick were
working the "Manzanito," a promis-
ing prospect-hole upon the mountain
side few hundred feet above Chi
misal gulch.
Three hundred pounds Of ore at a
trip, and six trips a day made shift
for Nick. Alternate days he was re
heved of his ore panniers and hitehed
to the arastra beam, where he did his
stunt dragging a big rock round and
round on top of the 0 E in the arastra
pit.
Then his back didn't ache atnight,
nor his ribs feel sore as when he car
,ried those heavy, wearisome old ore
panniers for ten hours on end.
On ore-packing days when night
/, had come he would stand a long time
with his big ears drooped deieetedly
forward, looking the picture Of des-
olation, for he was too tired tomoye.
On cleanup days when the sun had
dropped down near the tops OF the
big bull pines, Nick knew it was
about time for the harness and collar
to come off, and, with his neck gear
loosened, he made a bee line for his
deer brush, which grew thick on the
mountains, for deer brush was the
hot bird and cold bottle of Nick 5
bill Of fare.
An idle burro's brain is the devils
workshop, no less than an idle min
er's, mucker's or anyone's else, for
the matter Of that, and when Nick
walked up that fateful day he dropped
his long ears forward and listened
intently for the accustomed sounds
that came from the little cabin down
on the creek.
No spire Of blue smoke arose from
the rude rock chimney where the
mucker always kindled his fire of
mornings. Something was wrong
radically wrong. Such proceedings
were totally out of line with the rou-
the H He eafsff, during HE entire Tire
six months that Nick and they had
struck pay ore upon the mountain
side.
Throwing his ear back at vicious
angle, Nick threw few staccato notes
upon the morning air. After founc-
ing from side to side of the canyon
his voice died to stiffness, leaving him
to solitude and amazement.
This is funny" thought Nicko-
demus- Ill go down and see
whats up"
The door was closed and no sound
came from the little cabin.
This is funny" thought Nick
odemus 10 himself. Something is
out Of gear sure
Going back to the cabin he nudged
against the door with all the might
Of his big rough lips. The door
moved on its hinges and left him star
ing into the deserted room.
Just to the right, as Nick looked
in, there lay a flour sack upon the
floor. He nibbled for this and drew
it to him. How nice it tasted, that
delicate soft paste made by his moist
mouth and the -four that had sifted
through 10 the outside. I'm glad
they went, >thought Nick, as he
mnnched his novel breakfast.
Something ratified inside the sack
as Nick neared its consumption, a
sound like the top of a cap box COM
ing off followed, and before the
muekers cry of: Come out of there,
You bad, blarsted robber." fell upon
his big ears, the golden grains Of the
last days cleanup had passed With
the -four sack into Nickodemus'
stomach, and the cap box and top
rolled out upon the cabin floor
Fellows, he's ct up the cleanup,
cried the mueker in dismay, as the
rest of,the camp cameup with deer
swinging from pole across their