Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-12-25
NG TR$C PIHnO Tn GHf11P,
Or Fl Christmas Gdrol.

The Appeal herewith presents
Christmas story, written some twenty
five years ago by s P. Davis, when ne
was a resident OF Virginia City.
AS the story has been Systematically
revamped in various forms in different
periodicals throughout the country, it
is presented to the readers of the Ap-
peal today in its original form.-Ed's.
note.
In 1S59-it might Eave been five
years earlier or later: this is not his
tory for the public schools there was
a little camp about ten miles from
Phoebe, occupied by upwards of three
hundred miners, every one Oh whCn
might have packed his prospecting il',-
plements and left for more inviting
fields any time before sunset. When
the day was over, these men did not
rest from their labOrs, like the honest
New England agriculturist, but sang,
danced, gambled, and shot each other.
as the mood seized them.
One evening the report spread along
Main street (Which was the only
street, that three men had been killed
at Silver Reef and that the bodies We're
coming in. Presently numbering old
conveyance labored up the hill drawn
by couple of horses, we'll worn out
with their pull The cart contained
good sized box, and no sooner did it's
outlines become visible through the
glimmer of stray light here and
there, than it began to effect the idlers.
Death always enforces respect, and
even though no one had caught sight
of the remains. the crowd gradually be-
came subdUeo and when the horses
came to a standstill, the cart was inn
mediately surrounded The driver, how
ever, was not in the least impressed
with the so!emnity of his commission.
All there?" asked one.
Haven't examined. Guess so.
The driver filed his pipe and lit it
as he continued
Wish the bon as and loaG had gone
over the grade.
man who had been looking on
stepped up to the man at once.
81 don't know who you have in that
box, but if they happen to be any
I'VE can mighty soon see, said
the teamster, cody Just bust the lid
off, and if they happen to be the men
you want I'm here.
The two looked at each other for a
moment. and the crowd gathered a
little closer, anticipating trouble.
Il believe that dead men are enti
tied to good treatment, and when yOr
talk about hoping to see corpses sc
over bank all have to say is, that il
will be better for you il the late lamen
ted amt MY friends.
We'll open the box. l don't take
back what I've said, and il my langu
age don't suit your ways of thinking
guess can stand it.
With these words the teamSter be
gan to pry up the lid. He got boart
off, and then pulled out some old rags
A strip of something dark, like rose
wood, presented itself
Eastern coffins, by thunder! salt
several, and the crowd looked quit
astOnished.
Some more boards few up, and tn
man who was ready to defend hi
friends memory shifted his weapon
little. The cool manner CT the team
ster had SO irritated him that he mad
up his mind to pull his weapon at tn
first sight of the dead, even if the dc
ceased was his worst and Oldest eT
emy. Presently the whole of the DO
, cover was off, and the teamster, cleal
ing away the packing revealed to tn
astOnished group the top of somethin
which puzzled all alike.
Boys, said he this is q p;anner.
A general shout of laughter went VI
and the man who had been SO anxiou
to enforce respect for the dead mu
tered something about feeling dry, an
the keeper of the nearest bar was se'
eral ounces better off by the time tn
boys had given the joke all the after
ton it called for.
Had a dozen dead men been in tn
box, their presence in the camp coul
not have occasioned half the excit
ment that the arrival Of that lionel
piano caused By the next morning
was known that the instrument was
grace hurdy-gurdy saloon, owned u
Tom Goskin, the leading gambler
the place. 1t took nearly a week
get this wonder on it's legs, and tn
owner was the proud est individual
the State. 1t rose gradually from a r.
cumbent to an upright position, amid
confusion of tongues, after the rilanne
of the tower of Babel.
OF course everybody knew just hO
such an instrument should be set VI
One knew where the "off hind leg
should go, and another was posted O
the 'frcnt piece