Part 27 (1/2)
”The mines were three hundred and fifty miles from civilization, there being no reduction works of any kind, and pure silver would hardly have paid. So Felton did not realize readily from his investment. After some months had gone by Felton was standing on Montgomery street, San Francisco, one day when a long procession, celebrating St. Patrick's day, filed past. Of course Erin's flag was 'full high advanced' in the procession. Turning to a friend, Felton said: 'Can you tell why that flag is like a Reese River mine?'
”The friend could not.
”Said Felton: 'It's composed mostly of sham rock and a blasted lyre!'”
Ashley was next to speak.
”After all,” said he, ”the funniest things are sometimes those which are not meant to be funny at all. Steve Gillis, in a newspaper office down town, perpetrated one the other day. An Eastern editor was here, and when he found out how some of the men in the office were working he was paralyzed, and said to Gillis:
”'There's ----, you will go into his room some day and find him dead. He will go like a flash some time. No man can do what he is doing and stand it.'
”'Do you think so?' asked Gillis.
”'Indeed I do; I know it,' said the man.
”'Then,' said Gillis, 'you ought to be here. You would see the most magnificent funeral ever had in Virginia City.'”
By this time it was very late and the Club dispersed for the night.
Next morning Harding, who was reading the morning paper, came upon this item:
A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE.
Last evening, about seven-thirty o'clock, there was a terrific fight on Union Street, near the depot; four men against five.
It lasted but a few minutes, but the five men were dreadfully beaten. No one seemed to know the origin of the fight. A boy who was standing across the street says the men met, a few low words pa.s.sed between them, and then the fight ensued. The four men, who seem to have been the a.s.sailants, hardly suffered any damage, but the five others were so badly beaten that two of them had to be carried home, while the other three had fearful mansard roofs put upon them.
There were no arrests; indeed little sympathy was felt for the injured men, for though at present at work in the mines, they are known as bullies and roughs by trade.
No one seems to know who the victors were, except that they were miners. One man told our reporter that he knew one of the men by sight; that he was, he thought, a Gold Hill miner. No weapons were drawn on either side, and no loud words were spoken, but it was as fierce an encounter as has been seen here since the old fighting days.
Harding looked up from the paper and said:
”Wright, what was it you said about the drill of the Emmett Guards, last night?”
”They are splendid, those Emmetts,” was the reply, with an imperturbable face.
CHAPTER XVI.
Pay day was on the fifth of the month. On the night of the thirteenth, when the Club met at the usual hour for supper, Miller was not present.
He was never as regular as the others, so the rest did not wait supper for him. After supper the Club settled down to their pipes, the Professor, the Colonel and Alex came in, and the usual discussion about stocks was indulged in for some minutes, the chief matter dwelt upon being the steady and unaccountable rise in Sierra Nevada. At length it was noticed that Carlin did not join as usual in the conversation, and Ashley asked him what he seemed so cast down about.
At this Carlin shook himself together and said: ”I will be glad if you will all give me your attention for a moment.” He took a letter from his pocket and read as follows:
CARLIN: When you receive this I shall be on my way, by horseback (overland), to Eastern Nevada. I am going to Austin, and if I do not obtain employment there, shall continue on to Eureka. You can find me in one place or the other by Sunday.
The evening of pay day, with the money which the Club had placed in my hands to pay the bills, I went down town to carry out the wishes of the Club, when I met a friend, who is in the close confidence of the ”big ring” of operators. He called me aside and told me that he had inside information that within three days Silver Hill would commence to jump, that within a week the present value would be multiplied by five or six and more likely by ten. That there would be an immediate and great advance he a.s.sured me was absolutely certain. He told me how he had received his information, and it seemed to me to be conclusive.
I found a broker, unloaded my pockets, and bade him buy Silver Hill; to buy on a margin all he could afford to. The stock has fallen thirty per cent., and the indications are that it will go still lower. Yesterday I suppose it was sold out, for on the previous day I received a notice from the broker to please call at his office at once. My courage, that never failed me before, broke down. I could not go. The amount of money belonging to the Club which I had was altogether $575.00. Of course it in lost. It is a clear case of breach of trust, if not of embezzlement. You can make me smart for it, if you feel disposed to, or if you can give me the time, I can pay the money in about eight months after I get to work. That is, I can send you about eighty dollars per month. If wanted I will be in Austin or Eureka.