The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-08-18
CHAPTER |.

The westering sun was castint
lengthy shadows among the gaun
pines and sturdy aspens along the
steep upward slope of a certain WilC
canyon in the Nevada Sierras.
Five hundred feet below the dry
floor of the gulch, which here widenec
to a narrow valley, was filled from
wall to wall with motley huddle OF
rough cabins, jig-saw cottages, a
glaring red-brick opera house, hotel
and bank all in one, and pair OF
clapboarded, whitewashed churches.
Upon the sultry and drowsy air OF
summer afternoon there arose the
confused hum and the hoarse murmur
of strenuous industry, above which,
like the footsteps of the animated
stone statue in Don Juan" the in
sistent note of the busy stamps, at
work night and day, three shifts in
each "a hours, dominated all other
sounds.
This was the little mining town Of
Meleen, named in honor OF its found
er. who was likewise the discOverer
manipulator and chief owner OF the
rich Peacock lode, which gave employ
mcnt to 300 men and uetted over a
million a year for its stockholders
Rough and ready, ignorant and
shrewd, was old Andrew Meleen.
Originally a Welsh miner IN Cardiff
and later in the Pennsylvania coal
fields. he by turns had been volunteer
soldier, pioneer, prospectOr, and final
" many times a millionaire, after
weary years of fortuue-chasing up and
down the gold and silver country Of
the great west.
For the crude affairs Of this typical
raw western camp, with its bizarre ad-
mixture of civilization and sayagery
we have only a passing interest in
that it is the starting point OF the
story in hand Our present and most
yividly human concern is with the
creator of all this industry and po-
tential wealth-and he lay a.dyiug.
Far up the eastern hillside com.
manding the town, whence one could
almost fancy he was looking over the
next divide to where the flaming sun
was setting amid cloudy pillows in
the wide Pacific miles beyond on a
sort Of bench or plateau an acre in
extent, stood a curious and rambling
wooden structure, in triple part log
cabin, hunting ranch, and modern
country house.
This unique huddle Of divers styles
of pioneer architecture really repre-
scented as many different periods In
the fortunes of its eccentric owner
The rough, Embarked logs of the orig
inal single-roomed cabin which
formed a prominent wing or angle
marked the poor prospector stage;
then, with more prosperous times,
came an addition framed by a wander.
ing Yankee carpenter and sheathed
with boards OF red wood now beauti-
fully weathered to rich mahogany
hue, finally, as If to mark the ultimate
rise TO atfiuenCe OF the occupant, a
two-stOry structure had been added,
shlngled as to walls and roof. while
upon three sides a covered veranda
wide enough for fashionable cotillon,
approached by generous steps and
peaked porch, gave comfortable as
surance Of cool shade and a constant
breeze shifting with the sun
Around and above porch and cabin
there clambered festoons of grape
vines and wild Creepers. the dark
green leaves lending a deeper tinge to
the background Of cedar and redwood
posts and walls
From this eyrie the old man who
was It's chief occupant could easily
toss a lump of his own shining ore
on the roofs Of the little town be-
meath, viewed by day, the smoke of
It's furnaces went winding away in
long spirals and ribbons of yapor; at
night, the spirits Of colored fame
from the chimneys OF retort house
and smelter lit up the opposite sides
OF the canyon IN Atful flashes OF
murky red or paled to an orange glow
under the wan light of the moon
The solitary dweller on the hillside
never wcaried Of the changing pic
ture II was his, he had called into
being the town and It's throbbing In.
dustrics he loved It with the pas
siOnate ycarning love of wifeless
and Childess old man For him the
cities OF the coast Los Angeles or
San Francisco Portland or Seattle
possessed few charms They only
seryed to bank his constantly increas.
Ing millions The rough little town,
with it's amazing monthly output Of
gold and silver and copper stood TO
him In place Of wife and child, the
queer old ranch overlooking it all
was his real home-his pride. his pas
sion, his delight
And now the time was come when
he must leave It all and 20 hence. for
Andy Meleen was dying. and chiefly
OF that most inCurable OF diseases. old
age while his vast wealth must de-
scend to an heir whom he had never
seen
Upon a curious continuance Of do.
nestle deylsing, half bedstead, half re
clining chair, set upon casters so that
It could readily be wheeled indoors
and out, lay the old millionaire. Each
liyelOng day from sunrse to sunset,
he insisted on being placed in his
wide porch. whence he could stun
oversee his beloved town. and gaze
at the noble prospect, with It's con
stanuy shifting panorama of lights
and shadows. Only nightfal drove
him within doors
Rugged and gnarled as his own ma.