Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-08-31

ner, in every restaurant and hotel it
was sung, played and whistled. At
the sound of it's first notes the audi
ence always sprang to Its feet and
cheered like mad.
The desire to go to Eldorado was
universal and almost irresistible. The
ability to go was much more circum-
scribed. For one thing, it cost Il, good
deal Of money, and that was where l
begged down at the first pull. Then,
l suppose a majority did have ties of
family, business or other responsible
ties impossible to shake off. But we all
joined one or more Of the various
clubs formed for the purpose Of get
ting at least some Of their members to
California, and discussed heatedly the
merits of the different routes, and
went into minute and fascinating de-
tails as to processes Of which we knew
less than nothing, and sang ooh, Su-
sannah!" and tal&ed ourselves into a
glorif1ed fever ot excitement, and went
home with our heads in the clouds.
Once in a great while some Of these
clubs came to something-as q body,
1 mean-for individual members were
constantly working themselves up the
summit Of resolution to rush headlong
and regardless down the other side and
out of our sight. When a man had
reached q certain pitch Of excitement
he ran amuck. He sold anything, de-
serted anything, broke through any
thing in the way of family, RESPONSE
billty or financial lacks in order to go.
But, as I say, occasionally one Of these
clubs pooled Its individual resources
and bought some old tub Of q whaler
or QUILTED a wagon train and started
off. But generally we got only as far
as "Oh, Susannah!" l remember once
in coming out from one Of our meet
ings finding myself next a solemn and
earnest youth originally from my own
village. He walked by my side for
several squares lost in a brown study.
Then suddenly he looked up.
Frank" said he, with conviction, II
believe I'll go. l know most Of this
talk is wildly exaggerated, but I'm
sensible enough to discount all that
sort Of thing and to disbelieve absurd
stories. L shan't so with the slightest
notion of finding the thing true, but
will be satisfied if l do reasonably
well. In fact, if 1 don't pick up more
than q hatful Of gold Il day I shall be
perfectly satisfied"
Which remark sufficiently indicates
about where we all we're.
We had many sorts Of men in our
club, but nearly all young. One in es-
pecial early attracted my attention and
held 1t through all the changing vicis-
STUDIES Of our many meetings. l say
attracted me, though fascinated would
be perhaps the better word, for after
the first evening Of his attendance I
used deliberately so to place myself
that l could watch him.
He came always in a rather worn
military cape, which on entering the
door he promptly threw back in such
a manner as to display the red lining.
This seemed an appropriate envelop-
ment Of his flaming, buoyant personal
ity. He walked with his chin up and
his back straight and trod directly on
and over the ends Of his toes so that
he seemed fairly to spring with vigor.
His body was very erect and tall and
plant, bending easily to every change
Of balance. If l were never to have
seen his face at all l should have
placed him as one of the laughing spir-
its of the world. His head was rather
small, round, well poised, with soft
close set ringlets all over it like a cap,
in the fashion Of some marble gods I
some features, with a clear, biscuit
brown complexion, and a close clipped,
stubby, light mustache. All these
things were interesting and attractive,
though no more SO than are the vigor
and beauty of any perfect animal. But
the quality of his eyes placed him, at
least to me, in a class apart. They
We're sober, clear eyes that looked out
gray and contemplative on the world
about them, so that II got the in
slant impression Of a soul behind them
that weighed and judged. Indeed,
they were not laughing yes at all and
rather negatived the impression made
by the mans general bearing. But
somewhere down in them something
f1ickered like a strong burning candle
in a brisk wind. Occasionally it was
almost out; then again it blazed up
clear, SO that n thought to see 1t
plainly through the steady brooding
look. 1t always fascinated the behold
err, for it was mysterious. Whether it
came and went, grew and shrank, fol-
lowing d%elicately the moods or refec-
lions Of the spirit within, " whether
it was a purely fortuitous effect Of
light and refraction no man was ever
able to say. And some men later
made some very bad guesses. I my
self think it was the devil Of genius
a devil behind the steady control Of a
clear brain. His name, I soon discov-
cred, was Talbot Ward.
AT this period l was starting in as
an assistant bookkeeper to a large ex-
porting firm. They were e~nterprising
,>~1-I- 80 >lv~NIrx &Iorv EJ-As~-