roughing it-第50部分

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public　from　recognizing　these　once　notorious　men。　　No　longer　notorious；
for　the　majority　of　them　have　drifted　back　into　poverty　and　obscurity
again。

In　Nevada　there　used　to　be　current　the　story　of　an　adventure　of　two　of
her　nabobs；　which　may　or　may　not　have　occurred。　　I　give　it　for　what　it　is
worth：

Col。　Jim　had　seen　somewhat　of　the　world；　and　knew　more　or　less　of　its
ways；　but　Col。　Jack　was　from　the　back　settlements　of　the　States；　had　led
a　life　of　arduous　toil；　and　had　never　seen　a　city。　　These　two；　blessed
with　sudden　wealth；　projected　a　visit　to　New　York；Col。　Jack　to　see　the
sights；　and　Col。　Jim　to　guard　his　unsophistication　from　misfortune。　　They
reached　San　Francisco　in　the　night；　and　sailed　in　the　morning。　　Arrived
in　New　York；　Col。　　Jack　said：

〃I've　heard　tell　of　carriages　all　my　life；　and　now　I　mean　to　have　a　ride
in　one；　I　don't　care　what　it　costs。　　Come　along。〃

They　stepped　out　on　the　sidewalk；　and　Col。　Jim　called　a　stylish　barouche。
But　Col。　Jack　said：

〃No；　sir！　　None　of　your　cheap…John　turn…outs　for　me。　　I'm　here　to　have　a
good　time；　and　money　ain't　any　object。　　I　mean　to　have　the　nobbiest　rig
that's　going。　　Now　here　comes　the　very　trick。　　Stop　that　yaller　one　with
the　pictures　on　itdon't　you　fretI'll　stand　all　the　expenses　myself。〃

So　Col。　Jim　stopped　an　empty　omnibus；　and　they　got　in。　　Said　Col。　Jack：

〃Ain't　it　gay；　though？　　Oh；　no；　I　reckon　not！　　Cushions；　and　windows；　and
pictures；　till　you　can't　rest。　　What　would　the　boys　say　if　they　could　see
us　cutting　a　swell　like　this　in　New　York？　　By　George；　I　wish　they　could
see　us。〃

Then　he　put　his　head　out　of　the　window；　and　shouted　to　the　driver：

〃Say；　Johnny；　this　suits　me！suits　yours　truly；　you　bet；　you！　　I　want
this　shebang　all　day。　　I'm　on　it；　old　man！　　Let　'em　out！　　Make　'em　go！
We'll　make　it　all　right　with　you；　sonny！〃

The　driver　passed　his　hand　through　the　strap…hole；　and　tapped　for　his
fareit　was　before　the　gongs　came　into　common　use。　　Col。　Jack　took　the
hand；　and　shook　it　cordially。　　He　said：

〃You　twig　me；　old　pard！　　All　right　between　gents。　　Smell　of　that；　and　see
how　you　like　it！〃

And　he　put　a　twenty…dollar　gold　piece　in　the　driver's　hand。　　After　a
moment　the　driver　said　he　could　not　make　change。

〃Bother　the　change！　　Ride　it　out。　　Put　it　in　your　pocket。〃

Then　to　Col。　　Jim；　with　a　sounding　slap　on　his　thigh：

〃Ain't　it　style；　though？　　Hanged　if　I　don't　hire　this　thing　every　day　for
a　week。〃

The　omnibus　stopped；　and　a　young　lady　got　in。　　Col。　Jack　stared　a　moment；
then　nudged　Col。　Jim　with　his　elbow：

〃Don't　say　a　word；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Let　her　ride；　if　she　wants　to。
Gracious；　there's　room　enough。〃

The　young　lady　got　out　her　porte…monnaie；　and　handed　her　fare　to　Col。
Jack。

〃What's　this　for？〃　　said　he。

〃Give　it　to　the　driver；　please。〃

〃Take　back　your　money；　madam。　　We　can't　allow　it。　　You're　welcome　to　ride
here　as　long　as　you　please；　but　this　shebang's　chartered；　and　we　can't
let　you　pay　a　cent。〃

The　girl　shrunk　into　a　corner；　bewildered。　　An　old　lady　with　a　basket
climbed　in；　and　proffered　her　fare。

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Col。　Jack。　　〃You're　perfectly　welcome　here；　madam；　but
we　can't　allow　you　to　pay。　　Set　right　down　there；　mum；　and　don't　you　be
the　least　uneasy。　　Make　yourself　just　as　free　as　if　you　was　in　your　own
turn…out。〃

Within　two　minutes；　three　gentlemen；　two　fat　women；　and　a　couple　of
children；　entered。

〃Come　right　along；　friends；〃　said　Col。　　Jack；　〃don't　mind　us。　　This　is　a
free　blow…out。〃　　Then　he　whispered　to　Col。　　Jim；

〃New　York　ain't　no　sociable　place；　I　don't　reckonit　ain't　no　name　for
it！〃

He　resisted　every　effort　to　pass　fares　to　the　driver；　and　made　everybody
cordially　welcome。　　The　situation　dawned　on　the　people；　and　they　pocketed
their　money；　and　delivered　themselves　up　to　covert　enjoyment　of　the
episode。　　Half　a　dozen　more　passengers　entered。

〃Oh；　there's　plenty　of　room；〃　said　Col。　　Jack。　　〃Walk　right　in；　and　make
yourselves　at　home。　　A　blow…out　ain't　worth　anything　as　a　blow…out；
unless　a　body　has　company。〃　　Then　in　a　whisper　to　Col。　　Jim：　〃But　ain't
these　New　Yorkers　friendly？　　And　ain't　they　cool　about　it；　too？　　Icebergs
ain't　anywhere。　　I　reckon　they'd　tackle　a　hearse；　if　it　was　going　their
way。〃

More　passengers　got　in；　more　yet；　and　still　more。　　Both　seats　were
filled；　and　a　file　of　men　were　standing　up；　holding　on　to　the　cleats
overhead。　　Parties　with　baskets　and　bundles　were　climbing　up　on　the　roof。
Half…suppressed　laughter　rippled　up　from　all　sides。

〃Well；　for　clean；　cool；　out…and…out　cheek；　if　this　don't　bang　anything
that　ever　I　saw；　I'm　an　Injun！〃　whispered　Col。　Jack。

A　Chinaman　crowded　his　way　in。

〃I　weaken！〃　said　Col。　Jack。　　〃Hold　on；　driver！　　Keep　your　seats；　ladies；
and　gents。　　Just　make　yourselves　freeeverything's　paid　for。　　Driver；
rustle　these　folks　around　as　long　as　they're　a　mind　to　gofriends　of
ours；　you　know。　　Take　them　everywheresand　if　you　want　more　money；　come
to　the　St。　Nicholas；　and　we'll　make　it　all　right。　　Pleasant　journey　to
you；　ladies　and　gentsgo　it　just　as　long　as　you　pleaseit　shan't　cost
you　a　cent！〃

The　two　comrades　got　out；　and　Col。　Jack　said：

〃Jimmy；　it's　the　sociablest　place　I　ever　saw。　　The　Chinaman　waltzed　in　as
comfortable　as　anybody。　　If　we'd　staid　awhile；　I　reckon　we'd　had　some
niggers。　　B'　George；　we'll　have　to　barricade　our　doors　to…night；　or　some
of　these　ducks　will　be　trying　to　sleep　with　us。〃




CHAPTER　XLVII。

Somebody　has　said　that　in　order　to　know　a　community；　one　must　observe　the
style　of　its　funerals　and　know　what　manner　of　men　they　bury　with　most
ceremony。　　I　cannot　say　which　class　we　buried　with　most　eclat　in　our
〃flush　times；〃　the　distinguished　public　benefactor　or　the　distinguished
roughpossibly　the　two　chief　grades　or　grand　divisions　of　society
honored　their　illustrious　dead　about　equally；　and　hence；　no　doubt　the
philosopher　I　have　quoted　from　would　have　needed　to　see　two
representative　funerals　in　Virginia　before　forming　his　estimate　of　the
people。

There　was　a　grand　time　over　Buck　Fanshaw　when　he　died。　　He　was　a
representative　citizen。　　He　had　〃killed　his　man〃not　in　his　own　quarrel；
it　is　true；　but　in　defence　of　a　stranger　unfairly　beset　by　numbers。
He　had　kept　a　sumptuous　saloon。　　He　had　been　the　proprietor　of　a　dashing
helpmeet　whom　he　could　have　discarded　without　the　formality　of　a　divorce。
He　had　held　a　high　position　in　the　fire　department　and　been　a　very
Warwick　in　politics。　　When　he　died　there　was　great　lamentation　throughout
the　town；　but　especially　in　the　vast　bottom…stratum　of　society。

On　the　inquest　it　was　shown　that　Buck　Fanshaw；　in　the　delirium　of　a
wasting　typhoid　fever；　had　taken　arsenic；　shot　himself　through　the　body；
cut　his　throat；　and　jumped　out　of　a　four…story　window　and　broken　his
neckand　after　due　deliberation；　the　jury；　sad　and　tearful；　but　with
intelligence　unblinded　by　its　sorrow；　brought　in　a　verdict　of　death　〃by
the　visitation　of　God。〃　　What　could　the　world　do　without　juries？

Prodigious　preparations　were　made　for　the　funeral。　　All　the　vehicles　in
town　were　hired；　all　the　saloons　put　in　mourning；　all　the　municipal　and
fire…company　flags　hung　at　half…mast；　and　all　the　firemen　ordered　to
muster　in　uniform　and　bring　their　machines　duly　draped　in　black。　　Now
let　us　remark　in　parenthesisas　all　the　peoples　of　the　earth　had
representative　adventurers　in　the　Silverland；　and　as　each　adventurer　had
brought　the　slang　of　his　nation　or　his　locality　with　him；　the　combination
made　the　slang　of　Nevada　the　richest　and　the　most　infinitely　varied　and
copious　that　had　ever　existed　anywhere　in　the　world；　perhaps；　except　in
the　mines　of　California　in　the　〃early　days。〃　　Slang　was　the　language　of
Nevada。　　It　was　hard　to　preach　a　sermon　without　it；　and　be　understood。
Such　phrases　as　〃You　bet！〃　　〃Oh；　no；　I　reckon　not！〃　　〃No　Irish　need
apply；〃　and　a　hundred　others；　became　so　common　as　to　fall　from　the　lips
of　a　speaker　unconsciouslyand　very　often　when　they　did　not　touch　the
subject　under　discussion　and　consequently　failed　to　mean　anything。

After　Buck　Fanshaw's　inquest；　a　meeting　of　the　short…haired　brotherhood
was　held；　for　nothing　can　be　done　on　the　Pacific　coast　without　a　public
meeting　and　an　expression　of　sentiment。　　Regretful　resolutions　were
passed　and　various　committees　appointed；　among　others；　a　committee　of　one
was　deputed　to　call　on　the　minister；　a　fragile；　gentle；　spiritual　new
fledgling　from　an　Eastern　theological　seminary；　and　as　yet　unacquainted
with　the　ways　of　the　mines。　　The　committeeman；　〃Scotty〃　Briggs；　made　his
visit；　and　in　after　days　it　was　worth　something　to　hear　the　minister　tell
about　it。　　Scotty　was　a　stalwart　rough；　whose　customary　suit；　when　on
weighty　official　business；　like　committee　work；　was　a　fire　helmet；
flaming　red　flannel　shirt；　patent　leather　belt　with　spanner　and　revolver
attached；　coat　hung　over　arm；　and　pants　stuffed　into　boot　tops。
He　formed　something　of　a　contrast　to　the　pale　theological　student。　　It　is
fair　to　say　of　Scotty；　however；　in　passing；　that　he　had　a　warm　heart；　and
a　strong　love　for　his　friends；　and　never　entered　into　a　quarrel　when　he
could　reasonably　keep　out　of　it。　　Indeed；　it　was　commonly　said　that
whenever　one　of　Scotty's　fights　was　investigated；　it　always　turned　out
that　it　had　originally　been　no　affair　of　his；　but　that　out　of　native
good…heartedness　he　had　dropped　in　of　his　own　accord　to　help　the　man　who
was　getting　the　worst　of　it。　　He　and　Buck　Fanshaw　were　bosom　friends；　for
years；　and　had　often　taken　adventurous　〃pot…luck〃　together。　　On　one
occasion；　they　had　thrown　off　their　coats　and　taken　the　weaker　side　in　a
fight　among　strangers；　and　after　gaining　a　hard…earned　victory；　turned
and　found　that　the　men　they　were　helping　had　deserted　early；　and　not　only
that；　but　had　stolen　their　coats　and　made　off　with　them！　　But　to　return
to　Scotty's　visit　to　the　minister。　　He　was　on　a　sorrowful　mission；　now；
and　his　face　was　the　picture　of　woe。　　Being　admitted　to　the　presence　he
sat　down　before　the　clergyman；　placed　his　fire…hat　on　an　unfinished
manuscript　sermon　under　the　minister's　nose；　took　from　it　a　red　silk
handkerchief；　wiped　his　brow　and　heaved　a　sigh　of　dismal　impressiveness；
explanatory　of　his　business。