按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
on abnormal legs were following at its heels。
CHAPTER V。
While this simple pastoral life was centred around the school…house
in the clearing； broken only by an occasional warning pistol…shot
in the direction of the Harrison…McKinstry boundaries； the more
business part of Indian Spring was overtaken by one of those spasms
of enterprise peculiar to all Californian mining settlements。 The
opening of the Eureka Ditch and the extension of stagecoach
communication from Big Bluff were events of no small importance；
and were celebrated on the same day。 The double occasion
overtaxing even the fluent rhetoric of the editor of the 〃Star〃
left him struggling in the metaphorical difficulties of a Pactolian
Spring； which he had rashly turned into the Ditch； and obliged him
to transfer the onerous duty of writing the editorial on the Big
Bluff Extension to the hands of the Honorable Abner Dean；
Assemblyman from Angel's。 The loss of the Honorable Mr。 Dean's
right eye in an early pioneer fracas did not prevent him from
looking into the dim vista of the future and discovering with that
single unaided optic enough to fill three columns of the 〃Star。〃
〃It is not too extravagant to say；〃 he remarked with charming
deprecation； 〃that Indian Spring； through its own perfectly
organized system of inland transportation； the confluence of its
North Fork with the Sacramento River； and their combined effluence
into the illimitable Pacific； is thus put not only into direct
communication with far Cathay but even remoter Antipodean markets。
The citizen of Indian Spring taking the 9 A。 M。 Pioneer Coach and
arriving at Big Bluff at 2。40 is enabled to connect with the
through express to Sacramento the same evening； reaching San
Francisco per the Steam Navigation Company's palatial steamers in
time to take the Pacific Mail Steamer to Yokohama on the following
day at 8。30 P。 M。〃 Although no citizen of Indian Spring appeared
to avail himself of this admirable opportunity； nor did it appear
at all likely that any would； everybody vaguely felt that an
inestimable boon lay in the suggestion； and even the master
professionally intrusting the reading aloud of the editorial to
Rupert Filgee with ulterior designs of practice in the pronunciation
of five…syllable words； was somewhat affected by it。 Johnny Filgee
and Jimmy Snyder accepting it as a mysterious something that made
Desert Islands accessible at a moment's notice and a trifling
outlay； were round…eyed and attentive。 And the culminating
information from the master that this event would be commemorated by
a half…holiday； combined to make the occasion as exciting to the
simple school…house in the clearing as it was to the gilded saloon
in the main street。
And so the momentous day arrived； with its two new coaches from Big
Bluff containing the specially invited speakersalways specially
invited to those occasions； and yet strangely enough never before
feeling the extreme 〃importance and privilege〃 of it as they did
then。 Then there were the firing of two anvils； the strains of a
brass band； the hoisting of a new flag on the liberty…pole； and
later the ceremony of the Ditch opening； when a distinguished
speaker in a most unworkman…like tall hat； black frock coat； and
white cravat； which gave him the general air of a festive grave…
digger； took a spade from the hands of an apparently hilarious
chief mourner and threw out the first sods。 There were anvils；
brass bands； and a 〃collation〃 at the hotel。 But everywhere
overriding the most extravagant expectation and even the laughter
it provokedthe spirit of indomitable youth and resistless
enterprise intoxicated the air。 It was the spirit that had made
California possible； that had sown a thousand such ventures
broadcast through its wilderness； that had enabled the sower to
stand half…humorously among his scant or ruined harvests without
fear and without repining； and turn his undaunted and ever hopeful
face to further fields。 What mattered it that Indian Spring had
always before its eyes the abandoned trenches and ruined outworks
of its earlier pioneers？ What mattered it that the eloquent
eulogist of the Eureka Ditch had but a few years before as
prodigally scattered his adjectives and his fortune on the useless
tunnel that confronted him on the opposite side of the river？ The
sublime forgetfulness of youth ignored its warning or recognized it
as a joke。 The master； fresh from his little flock and prematurely
aged by their contact； felt a stirring of something like envy as he
wandered among these scarcely older enthusiasts。
Especially memorable was the exciting day to Johnny Filgee； not
only for the delightfully bewildering clamor of the brass band； in
which； between the trombone and the bass drum； he had got
inextricably mixed； not only for the half…frightening explosions of
the anvils and the maddening smell of the gunpowder which had
exalted his infant soul to sudden and irrelevant whoopings； but for
a singular occurrence that whetted his always keen perceptions。
Having been shamelessly abandoned on the veranda of the Eureka
Hotel while his brother Rupert paid bashful court to the pretty
proprietress by assisting her in her duties； Johnny gave himself up
to unlimited observation。 The rosettes of the six horses； the new
harness； the length of the driver's whiplash； his enormous buckskin
gloves and the way he held his reins； the fascinating odor of
shining varnish on the coach； the gold…headed cane of the Honorable
Abner Dean： all these were stored away in the secret recesses of
Johnny's memory； even as the unconsidered trifles he had picked up
en route were distending his capacious pockets。 But when a young
man had alighted from the second or 〃Truly〃 coach among the REAL
passengers； and strolled carelessly and easily in the veranda as if
the novelty and the occasion were nothing to him； Johnny； with a
gulp of satisfaction； knew that he had seen a prince！ Beautifully
dressed in a white duck suit； with a diamond ring on his finger； a
gold chain swinging from his fob； and a Panama hat with a broad
black ribbon jauntily resting on his curled and scented hair；
Johnny's eyes had never rested on a more resplendent vision。 He
was more romantic than Yuba Bill； more imposing and less impossible
than the Honorable Abner Dean； more eloquent than the masterfar
more beautiful than any colored print that he had ever seen。 Had
he brushed him in passing Johnny would have felt a thrill； had he
spoken to him he knew he would have been speechless to reply。
Judge then of his utter stupefaction when he saw Uncle Ben
actually Uncle Ben！approach this paragon of perfection； albeit
with some embarrassment； and after a word or two of unintelligible
conversation walk away with him！ Need it be wondered that Johnny；
forgetful at once of his brother； the horses； and even the
collation with its possible 〃goodies；〃 instantly followed。
Th