Year: 1872

COCIETY at Monte Hill was based upon
~ the broad principle that so long as a
man made his living honestly, paid his
debts when he could, and minded his own
business, it was nobody's affair but his
own whence he came, what was his name,
or whittier he proposed betaking himself
when tired of the brilliant society, beauti-
full scenery and bracing atmosphere of the
Hill.


The hero of this story CHANGED somehow
-or other, when he first come to the Hill, to
speak Of Copenhagen, alluding, probably
to the Danish capital. From that time
forward he was always referred to as eco
penhagen," until he came to know and an
.swer to the name as well as if his mother
had called him by it in his childhood. In
deed, fancied that for some private reason
he preferred to be known by this soubri-
ceived from his parents, for / CHANGED to
be standing by when he answered ques-
tion touching his personal identity by say
ing, "Dey call me Copenhagen" and the
township assessor told me he was entered
so on his book; which thought extremely
.odd, too, for those continental Europeans,
as general thing like to see their name
spread pretty extensively on paper. Ihave
thought that some of them get married,
and Others die, for no other purpose under
heaven than to get their name in print.


have intimated that Copenhagen was a
continental European. learned that from
his accent; might have discerned it from
his personal appearance. He was tall,
straight and muscular, with regular feat
lures, fair complexion, blue eyes and faxen
hair-altogether rather of the Apollonic
than the Herculean type. But the manly
beauty of his features was almost constant
ly overshadowed with an expression of sad
ness, obscuring the natural joyousness
which should have rested there; as when a
laughing brook is covered with a seasons
ice, or the sun is for four weeks at time
'veiled behind wintery clouds. Yet as the
ice is thawed and the clouds rifted, sol the
shade was somewhat lifted from Copenha-
gems countenance, and he seemed to over
how'with exuberant enjoyment. At such
times he was quite companionable, abound
ing infelicitous small talk and numerous
anecdotes, which derived additional charm
from hislforeign idiom and accent, singing
melodious Scandinavian roundelays with
much spirit, and drinking his glass of wine
Che never took anything stronger) with
great relish. But each of these "lucid in
tervals, as some of the "boys" facetiously
termed them, was sure to befollowed by
period of depression, during which he
secluded himself as much as possible from
human society, treating all who yentured
to intrude upon his privacy with coldness
and taciturnity that they did not care to
press their attempts at sociality. or me
alone he made an exception. / was but a
boy then, just turned of eighteen, but
alone in the world, and try ing as we'll as
could to fill the place and discharge the re-
sponsibilities of man. Copenhagen and
j seemed to be drawn together by the SYM
pathetic bond of loneliness; and l used to
spend many an hour in his company when
Others were repelled by him with coldness
almost amounting to rudeness. We never
conversed much together, however, but sat
silently commuuing with our own thoughts
finding a strange pleasure in the compan-
iUnship. tI .t


Copenhagen had not built his cabin in the
village, as most of the miners had done for
the sake Of such social advantages as Monte