Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1907-10-13

aresistibly comes the thought that
the Comstock of forty years ago must
have harbored a like crew. Men of /
youth and strength and daring-men
of might, who, while amply rich ia
earnest purpose, were yet not over
borne by seriousness, nor unbalanced |
by lack of humor; who mixed work |
and play, laughed at the doings of to-
day, and had no fesr of, nor over
weening care for, the morrow. The |
dominant note was one of cheerful |
optimism, of light-hearted gayety. AS
in the Goldfieid of today, knockers"
were innocuous; croakers were I'M
known.
During his recent visit to Nevada
in search of material for a biography
of Mark Twain, Albert Bigelow Paine
made trip to Virginia City, and fall
ing into the hands of some local
wags, was referred to a gentleman
named Fillebrown as one primed to
the neck with information regarding
the great humorists career on the
Comstock. Paine spent the better
part of day, and good many dol
lars for liquid refreshments on File
brown, only to be rewarded finally
with the information that Twain had
been a partner of his in those old
no didn't IN
peach" on Mark by revealing the
details of his early indiscretions.
Paine laboriously endeavored to con-
vince the reluctant Fillebrown that
his intentions were friendly, that he
too was friend of Twain, and that
he was. not seeking for information
discreditable to that gentlemen,
Argument and cajolery were alike in
vain-even though accompanied by
treats galore. Fillebrown, loquacious
enough on all other topics, was abso-
lutely mute on the one subject on
which Paine desired him to converse.
And when finally overcome by ten
der recollections of those departed
days, he leaned forward, elapsed his
arms around Paine's neck, and rain
ed copious tears on the importunate
biographer's fancy waistcoat front,
the scribe was hastily obliged to set
sail for a more arid locality.
The truth of the matter was that
Fillebrown had never met Twain, but
if he had, there is no doubt that he
could have done the subject justice.
Partially illustrative of the truth
of this assertion and of the justice of
the reflections embraced in the intro
duction paragraph of these remarks,
/ is Fillebrown's account of his first
day or night rather, on the Comstock.
1t was in 1860, and he had just
arrived from the east. He was ia
miliar with but one name in the
place-that of his cousin, the mining
recorder Of the district, whom he had
never met. This man he looked UP
without delay, and questioned him as
to the prospects for daily bread.
Have you any money!" inquired
the recorder.
Fifty dollars.
Then go buy half dozen quartz
of champagne and dozen of porter
and bring them to my Office"
Fillebrown, wondering, did as he
was bid.
Now said the cousin, 'be or
hand here at o'clock this evening. ;
Fillebrown was there on the min
ute, but ahead of him, seated at the
recorders long table, he found Z
group of men, and at the head of the
table in the capacity, apparently, Of
chairman was seated the recorder
himself. Before him, as before eacf
of the others, reposed an empty COB
let.
He promptly introduced the new
arrival.
mr.. Fillebrown, gentlemen. 4
shandy-gaff for everybody, Mr.. File
brown
1t was necessary to explain to Mr.
Fillebrown, newly arrived from thu
prohibition state of Maine, that ;
shandy-gaff was a beverage consist
ing in this instance of equal portion
of champagnesand porter. When h
had mastered this simple problem il
Mythology as well as the more diff
ficult one of pouring champagne fron
a bottle so that more of it woul
strike the goblet than the floor, tn
chairman lifted his glass and pre-
posed:
"Your health, gentlemen.
All drank together, and in silence
After which the chairman solemn
uttered these mysterious words:
1.-THE scenery is truly rural.
The man next the chairman on th
right carefully and soberly repeate
this cryptic utterance, the man on hi