White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-20

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to a desk and wrote something in
French and gave il 10 the deputy.
When Thornton finished his argu-
ment the deputy carried him the
paper. Thornton read it. his face
flushed a little and leaning forward.
he penned an ansver. A lawyer
friend was watching him. and leaning
oyer him said; What is it. Harry "
Thornton passed him the French
mans note. He read it and the
friend said Are you going 10
notice it. Harry?. For answer he
held up his acceptance. The friend
read it and then declared that ii must
not be; that Thornton had said moth
ing to provoke a challenge, and the
man was only a boor.
To this. Thornton replied: When
a man is willing to risk his life for
the honor of his name, his social
position is moi 10 be questioned. He
Is a man as good Al any other man."
II required the utmost exertion of
the court and bar. coupled with the
protests Of the deputy that it was all
mea as a bit of fun. to make Thorn
ton concede anything. Finally he
said: Gentlemen. bring me a formal
withdrawal of this challenge signed
by Monsieur, or the fight goes" Then
the Frenchman was appealed 10. but
he was as game as a bull dog. and not
until the judge of the court assured
him on his honor that there was not
a word of d~isrespeet 10 him in horn
tons speech. would he sign the paper.
he finally did, grinding his teeth and
swearing low TO himself in the mean
time. Then he sprang up and chal-
lenged the deputy 10 fight him. not
with re sabre. 0 with re gun. not
with re cannon, nor with re bomb.
but with re fists.
Then it required another extended
explanation that the deputy was a
peace officer, and while he held the
Office could only fight to Keep the
peace.
The Frenchman was still angry
when he started out of town toward
his mine.
Thornton and CARRIER were in al
the litigation in White Pine county
and in all the great cases in Phoebe
and Eureka. After some years they
removed TO San Francisco and there
maintained their high standing as
lawyers and men. But after Mrs.
Thornton died. Harry seemed 10
lose his interest in his business. and
a little later an insidious disease
came upon him. He had bought a
farm some miles out of Oakland and
raised horses and flowers upon il. He
bought the place merely as a resting
place when he wanted TO be quiet.
but as his feebleness increased he
spent more and more time there. and
! believe died there
He was a most gifted and loveable
man: most generous in his estimates
of his fellow men. There was moth
Ing Of envy OF jealousy in his nature;
not one drop Of cold blood in his
veins. Such a nature naturally drew
men TO it. and the grief over his
death extended from cabin to palace
and took in all classes OF men.
Except for the great war. Harry l.
Thornton's name would have been a
familiar and honored name in every
home on the west coast.
A little aneedoie may make a good
closing for this sketch. When Gen
eral Sherman was before Atlanta and
Bragg was in command Of the Con-
federate army in his front, one day
Bragg sem . flag of truce to Sherman
Thornton heard the order given and
begged TO go along. The little CON-
pany passed through the union lines
and anne upon Sherman's head
quarters. One side of Sherman's
tent was thrown back and Sherman
was seen within bending over a map
and talking Il a group of officers
around hin and g~esticulating in
Sherman's impetuous way. As the
flag of truce was announced. all in
the tent stood at attention. The
ranking officer approached General
Sherman greeted him cordially and
presented him TO the officers around
him. Then the Confederate officer
presented those who had accompani-
ed him. until il came to Thornton,
when Sherman said One moment.
Looking intently at Thornton in
his eoloualtS uniform he said