Year: 1875

lFrom Harper's Bazar.l


l had just finished my days dissection.


When in the act of gathering my instru-
ments together, previous to leaving the
dissecting. room, my attention was at
tracted to an adjoining table by hearing
the exclamation, "Guess I've done It
now!" On looking toward the speaker
l discovered him to be a fellow-student
who went by the nickname of " California
Jackson" He was a man past middle
life, of reserved manner, peculiar habits
and style of speech, but a wonderfully
successful student, plodding, dogged, and
persevering to degree. He made no
friends or companions at college. His
pipe seemed to meet all the requirements
of his case. Except during class hours,
he was continually smoking.


No one seemed to know his history
particularly, but a rumor was abroad to
the effect that he was "an old miner" of
California, a man who had "seen life,"
who had dared the savage and the wilder
ness, and who had made very nice little
pot of money. How or why he had be-
come student of medicine no one seemed
to know. There was an air of mystery
about the man which had long rendered
him interesting to me. Many time did
] gaze on his wrinkled cOmtenance,
shaggy beard, and cold, steady gray-blue
eye, with desire to know what his life
had been.


An extensive scar, the mark of what
must have been CHASTITY wound, existed
on one of his temples. 1t did not lessen
my desire to be made acquainted with
his history.


The present occasion seemed a very
favorable opportunity. / crossed over
to the table where lay the subject" or
dead body, which he had been dissecting,
and found that my interesting friend had
accidentally punctured the palm of his
hand with the point of his dissectinH
knife. This was a poisoned wound of the
worst description, and Jackson knew
that as well as /, yet he did not seem to
be alarmed in the least After having
sucked the puncture thoroughly, he held
his hand out for me to cauterize it with
point of nitrate of silver, which l held
ready for use. The hand thus held forth
was as cool and steady as possible, and
when l grasped his wrist felt his slow,
regular pulse. Although the caustic
must have given him considerable pain,
he did not vince in the least; and when
/ had finished, and we were leaving the
room together, he gave low, harsh
laugh, and said, "Guess I've had more
than this fore now!"


We walked along the streets together
as far as our common road lay, and my
hope was that when jackson turned up
the quiet street where he lodged he would
ask me to go up and see his "diggings."
But to my great disappointment he only
turned off with goodnight, mister,
and thank you" Thus nv hopes of
penetrating the mystery of "California
mist of the mountain.


And rs walked slowly along the
crowded gas-lit streets of the city 1 oc-
cupied my mind with endless conjectures
about the history of this man. asso-
ciated him with Indians, tomahawks,
scalps, scalping-knives, silver mines i'm
wild ravines defended by hired ruffians,
who patrolled, rife in hand, night and
day, to defend natures treasure cave.
In short, made my fellow-student the
hero (?) of the wild life which is led on
the Pacific slope even at the present day.


Reaching my dingy lodgings, let my
self in with latch, lit my gas, and
called for tea. My frugal meal was
brought in by the domestic, an ugly,
shriyeled, lame old woman, who had that
peculiar, irresistible, fascinating power
over me possessed by all extremely hide
GUS or disgusting objects. This old crea-
ture was a perfect study in "the ugly"
] had friend, young artist, who was
forever raying about the study of the
beautiful" The model which I studied
did not present feature nor movement
which was destitute of ugliness. I do
not know whether the contemplation of
this specimen of humanity had bene-
fetal effect on me or the contrary. |
Charlie, my young artist friend, used 10 |
dread paying me visit. One glance at
cold Jenny" was, TO his critical artists
eye, what discord in music would be TO |
a delicate and accurate ear.


"Gadi" he used to say when she left |
the room, "can't fancy how you can stand |
that, old fellow. One advantage, though"
he would add, as he lit his pipe, "there