Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-12-08

CHAPTER I.

side of the large chinked-log room.
leaned half q dozen men. two Of whom
were discussing the relative merits
OF spruce tea and lime juice as rene
dies for scurvy. They argued with an
air Of depression and with intervals
Of morose silence. The other men
scarcely needed them. In a row.
against the opposite wall, were the
gambling games. The crap table was
deserted. One lone man was playing
at the faro table. The roulette was
not even spinning, and the gamekeep-
er stood by the roaring. red-hot stove.
talking with a young, darkeyed WON
an. comedy of face and figure, who was
known from Juneau to Fort Yukon as
the Virgin. Three men sat in at stud
poker. but they played with small
chips and without enthusiasm, while
there were no onlookers. On the door
OF the dancing room, which opened out
at the rear. three couples were waltz
ing drearily to the strains Of q violin
and a piano.
Circle City was not deserted, o
was money tight. The miners were IN
from Moosehead creek and the other
diggings to the west, the summer
washing had been good. and the mems
pouches were heavy with dust and mug
gets. The Klondike had not yet been
discovered, nor had the miners OF the
Yukon learned the possibilities Of deep
digging and wood-hring. No work was
done in the winter, and they made a
practice of alternating in the large
camps like Circle City during the long
Arctic. night. Time was heavy on their
hands, their pouches were we'll filled
and the only social diversion to be
found was in the saloons. Yet the IT,
voli was practically deserted. and the
Virgin. standing by the stove, yawned
with uncovered mouth and said to
Charley Bates:
IF something don't happen soon, I'm
goin' to bed. What's the matter with
the camp, anyway? Everybody dead?"
Bates did not even trouble to reply,
but went on modify rolling a ciga-
rette. Dan Macdonald. pioneer sa-
loonman and gambler on the upper
Yukon, owner and proprietor of the
Tivoli and all its games. wandered for
lornly across the great vacant space OF
door and Joined the two at the stove
Anybody dead?" the Virgin asked
him.
Looks like It." was the nswer
"Then it must be the whole camp"
she said with an air of finality and
with another yawn.
Macdonald grinned and nodded, and
opened his mouth to speak, when the
front door swung open and a man ap-
peared in the light. He would have
appeared a large mar had not a huge
French Canadian stepped up to him
from the bar and gripped his hand.
Hello, Daylight" was his greeting
by Gar, you good for sore eyes!"
Hello. Louis, when did you-all blow
in!" returned the newcomer. Come
up and have a drink and tell US all
about Bone creek. Why. dog-gone
you-all, shake again. Where's that
pardner Of yours? I'm looking for
him"
Another huge man detached himself
from the bar to shake hands. OLAF
Henderson and French Louis, partners
together on Bone creek. were the two
largest men in the country. and though
they were but half a head taller than
the newcomer. between them he was
dwarfed completely.
Hello. Olaf" said the one called
Daylight. "Tomorrow's my birthday
And you, too. Louis. Come up and
drink. and I'll tell you-all about It"
The arrival Of the newcomer seemed
to send a flood of warmth through the
place. Its Burning Daylight" the
Virgin cried, the first to recognize
him Of he came into the light. Charley
Bates tight features relaxed at the
sight, and Macdonald went over and
Joined the three at the bar. With the
advent Of Burning Daylight the whole
place suddenly became brighter ant
cheerier. The b~arkeepers were active
Voices we're raised. Somebody
laughed. And when the fiddler, peer
ing into the front room, remarked t.
the pianist: tits Burning Daylight,
the waltz time p%erceptibly quickened
and the dancers, catching the conta
gion, began to whirl about as II the!
really enjoyed 1t. It was known Il
them OF old-time that nothing Ian
guished when Burning Daylight wa
around.
He turned from the bar and saw thu
woman by the stove and the cage
took of welcome she extended him.
Hello. Virgin. old girl" he called
Hello. Charley. What's the matte
with you-all? Why wear faces lik'
that when collins only cost tire
ounces? Come up. you-ail. and drink
Come up. you unburied dead. an nam
your poison. Come up, everybody
This is my night, and I'm going t
ride It. Tomorrow I'm thirty. an
then I'll be an old man. It's the Las
fling Of youth. Are you-all with me
gurEs along thsn Surge along"