The Democratic advocate., 1904-11-19
Selett Story.
BABOON-

OF those who bearded the dangers OF taIl-
fornia during the early days, had wandered
with mule and pack and rocker-away
from the boisterous attractions of Sacra-
mento.
Day after day l had sampled the gravel
of innumerable gulcheS without success.
and had arrived at the first line Of foot
hills flowing from the base Of the Sierras.
There the long cared bearer of my bur
de..s became imbued with the spirit of re
volt, and having relieved himself of my
outfit in manner far more forcible than
elegant, beheld him for the last time
disappearing behind the crest of an ada
cent bluff
My parting address to that mule was
not polite in its nature anticipating, as !
did. a weary tramp for his recovery
Shortly coming up to the deposed pack,
however, and finding that little damage
had resulted from the vagary Of my com
panion. NV views of the future took on a
brighter coloring.
The shadows of night already flung
deep tiaged, wavering phantoms across the
valley. aud stretching my weary form. |
betook myself to sleep, Illuminating over
plans Of discipline for the benefit Of his
muleship,
With morning came the memory Of my
{ faithless partner, and sentiment Of utter
diScouragemeut overcame me IS bllnked
up at the interminable range of mountains
and gagged the difficulty of tracing him
Turning my eyes disoousolately TO the
ground. nv heart gave a great bound for
/ Just beside me, cleaned tiny nugget Of
yirsin gold Beyond ciiled sparkling
rivulet. while. all about. now perceived
the coveted indications of diggings
I saou had my rocker established and
the first charge told me that fortune had
again befuended me
There aud then promulgated, 10 the
ex;eu, Of my lung power, q Proclamation
q eternal Freedom 60 the mule named the
new End Kicking Mule Guleh. 10 hl,
houoy and settled down 10 methoiical
work.
A week passed away quickly So great
wa my e1ejtemen; over ,he phenomenal
reeul, Of nv work that | failed to notice
the rapid disappearance Of my originally
seanty stock of provisions
Onc morning. oa plangIng nv hand in
the baeun pouch, found It emPsy Thus
RECALLED TO the necessities Of the flesh. |
made an invoice and found Principally
uoshiBg
Ssil. the thirst for gold vas on inc. and,
IN the farc of promised starvation, again
returned 70 the rocker
/ was scon roa~ed from ny occupation
by the noise Of iis|2eatcd stone rolling
from the Bountsin -ide above. Looking
up. behcld q something approaohIas--
the identity of whish puzzled Imc. \
c25-cr insp~ction decidei it 20 b. human,
ani. moreover. masculine.
Tha- interrupted. / scrambled a. the
hank of the .srcam and aWai,ed hts sp-
preach. Bat a few lsInutc- .ufhc,i aud
passing use, vlthogg greeting OF salataiioo
ag ans Kind be devoted his aiteutinu to
the ry.eker Lifting il, blanket aud PER
rvsrine the r,sali oC any morning effort.
nouiescrips smile illamined he icatsry-
Turning To me and stretching cut his hand
be exclaimed. Way ap' and aiiei, in
4 tone that indicated ,he proposition 70 be-
a fos,--oue coucla.ion. .uli boy, u stop
wld sc, right herr
U-ed as va., 20 tbe Freedom and
manners of ihc Ar.uaaats. -till. the c,n
di,iou 81 ms larlcr and my utter lack of
supplies for one. 60 .Ay nothing oi iwa led
nae To iuJerpgse tbs objection.
pari, have NJ grub
Nor me. old boy
Ny blankets are played out | cou-
tinued
80 i mine we ,lerp ,osrther And
evidently regarding the matter as fully
settled, ami be fell Ia WORK shoveiins and
rocking the golden ,ani
Thoroughly lis,am6ltcd a, the failure
of ms objections, and interested iu the
unique appearance of my companion. /
stood there watching him Glangus up
from the work. of which he had taken
possession, be- remarked
Ms name j. Batoon wha, your s.
Ms co-nomrn obtained. be turned again
10 work
|, the owner. ,yond gazing at hun lu =
state Of dumb suTpri>e. Baboou Wa NOT
handsome his teeth inclined to outward.
much Ike the animal whose uanr he
claimed hi, n6oe marked an angle Of a
least forty i've degrees from the line gene
rally accepted As a standard in such mat
ters his ears revealed immen>- eapsbih-
ties in the midst Of tangled, daxcn hair,
and the yagares Of his scrawny beard lett
me in painful doubt A. to whether 1t would
first join issue with his overhanging eve
brows, or effect 4 junction at the back ot
hi, muscular neck.
The redeeming features were his EYES
SCARED, lashlesS and iufamed. Yet ia their
expression dwelt that kindly shade only
found in connection with All honest heart
In person he Was extremely short. and
portly to such marked degree that, when
combined with a peculiar limp his entirety
greatly favored that of grizzly bear, and
had led to my uncertainty on the occasion
Of his first approach.
Baggage he had none. unless an an
eient, muzzle- loading shot gun. that would
attract notice in ans antique collection,
could be so denominated. His costume
was simple, consisting OF red flannel shirt,
felt hat and oyerhauls. One foot supported
the immense proportions of cavalry riding
boot, while the other shrank into seeming
deformity within the meagre outlines Of an
Indian moccasin. My perforce partner,
in truth, could lay claim to little personal
beauty, and that little was unadorned b.
any luxury of costume
During my inspection | had ventured
several abortive efforts at conversation. My
advance met with either silence on his
part, or answers the most laconic Evi-
IDENTIFY Baboon was there to work
Only once, after settling down to work
did he voluntarily address me- Then
holding up nugget, of unusual size, he
exclaimed.
Way up-Katie -
The relevancy of 'way-up' | could ap
preciate, but the bearing of the added
Katie was unable to understand.
At last relapsed into silence as gum