roughing it-第73节

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services。　　He　glanced　up；　hesitated；　and　said：

〃However；　we　will　omit　the　benediction！〃and　the　next　instant　there　was
a　vacancy　in　the　atmosphere　where　he　had　stood。

After　the　first　shock；　an　Oakland　minister　said：

〃Keep　your　seats！　　There　is　no　better　place　to　die　than　this〃

And　added；　after　the　third：

〃But　outside　is　good　enough！〃　　He　then　skipped　out　at　the　back　door。

Such　another　destruction　of　mantel　ornaments　and　toilet　bottles　as　the
earthquake　created；　San　Francisco　never　saw　before。　　There　was　hardly　a
girl　or　a　matron　in　the　city　but　suffered　losses　of　this　kind。　　Suspended
pictures　were　thrown　down；　but　oftener　still；　by　a　curious　freak　of　the
earthquake's　humor；　they　were　whirled　completely　around　with　their　faces
to　the　wall！　　There　was　great　difference　of　opinion；　at　first；　as　to　the
course　or　direction　the　earthquake　traveled；　but　water　that　splashed　out
of　various　tanks　and　buckets　settled　that。　　Thousands　of　people　were　made
so　sea…sick　by　the　rolling　and　pitching　of　floors　and　streets　that　they
were　weak　and　bed…ridden　for　hours；　and　some　few　for　even　days
afterward。Hardly　an　individual　escaped　nausea　entirely。

The　queer　earthquakeepisodes　that　formed　the　staple　of　San　Francisco
gossip　for　the　next　week　would　fill　a　much　larger　book　than　this；　and　so
I　will　diverge　from　the　subject。

By　and　by；　in　the　due　course　of　things；　I　picked　up　a　copy　of　the
Enterprise　one　day；　and　fell　under　this　cruel　blow：

　　　　　　NEVADA　MINES　IN　NEW　YORK。G。　　M。　　Marshall；　Sheba　Hurs　and　Amos　H。
　　　　　　Rose；　who　left　San　Francisco　last　July　for　New　York　City；　with　ores
　　　　　　from　mines　in　Pine　Wood　District；　Humboldt　County；　and　on　the　Reese
　　　　　　River　range；　have　disposed　of　a　mine　containing　six　thousand　feet
　　　　　　and　called　the　Pine　Mountains　Consolidated；　for　the　sum　of
　　　　　　3；000；000。　　The　stamps　on　the　deed；　which　is　now　on　its　way　to
　　　　　　Humboldt　County；　from　New　York；　for　record；　amounted　to　3；000；
　　　　　　which　is　said　to　be　the　largest　amount　of　stamps　ever　placed　on　one
　　　　　　document。　　A　working　capital　of　1；000；000　has　been　paid　into　the
　　　　　　treasury；　and　machinery　has　already　been　purchased　for　a　large
　　　　　　quartz　mill；　which　will　be　put　up　as　soon　as　possible。　　The　stock　in
　　　　　　this　company　is　all　full　paid　and　entirely　unassessable。　　The　ores
　　　　　　of　the　mines　in　this　district　somewhat　resemble　those　of　the　Sheba
　　　　　　mine　in　Humboldt。　　Sheba　Hurst；　the　discoverer　of　the　mines；　with
　　　　　　his　friends　corralled　all　the　best　leads　and　all　the　land　and　timber
　　　　　　they　desired　before　making　public　their　whereabouts。　　Ores　from
　　　　　　there；　assayed　in　this　city；　showed　them　to　be　exceedingly　rich　in
　　　　　　silver　and　goldsilver　predominating。　　There　is　an　abundance　of
　　　　　　wood　and　water　in　the　District。　　We　are　glad　to　know　that　New　York
　　　　　　capital　has　been　enlisted　in　the　development　of　the　mines　of　this
　　　　　　region。　　Having　seen　the　ores　and　assays；　we　are　satisfied　that　the
　　　　　　mines　of　the　District　are　very　valuableanything　but　wild…cat。

Once　more　native　imbecility　had　carried　the　day；　and　I　had　lost　a
million！　　It　was　the　〃blind　lead〃　over　again。

Let　us　not　dwell　on　this　miserable　matter。　　If　I　were　inventing　these
things；　I　could　be　wonderfully　humorous　over　them；　but　they　are　too　true
to　be　talked　of　with　hearty　levity；　even　at　this　distant　day。　＇True；　and
yet　not　exactly　as　given　in　the　above　figures；　possibly。　　I　saw　Marshall；
months　afterward；　and　although　he　had　plenty　of　money　he　did　not　claim　to
have　captured　an　entire　million。　　In　fact　I　gathered　that　he　had　not　then
received　50；000。　　Beyond　that　figure　his　fortune　appeared　to　consist　of
uncertain　vast　expectations　rather　than　prodigious　certainties。　　However；
when　the　above　item　appeared　in　print　I　put　full　faith　in　it；　and
incontinently　wilted　and　went　to　seed　under　it。＇　Suffice　it　that　I　so
lost　heart；　and　so　yielded　myself　up　to　repinings　and　sighings　and
foolish　regrets；　that　I　neglected　my　duties　and　became　about　worthless；
as　a　reporter　for　a　brisk　newspaper。　　And　at　last　one　of　the　proprietors
took　me　aside；　with　a　charity　I　still　remember　with　considerable　respect；
and　gave　me　an　opportunity　to　resign　my　berth　and　so　save　myself　the
disgrace　of　a　dismissal。




CHAPTER　LIX。

For　a　time　I　wrote　literary　screeds　for　the　Golden　Era。　C。　H。　Webb　had
established　a　very　excellent　literary　weekly　called　the　Californian；　but
high　merit　was　no　guaranty　of　success；　it　languished；　and　he　sold　out　to
three　printers；　and　Bret　Harte　became　editor　at　20　a　week；　and　I　was
employed　to　contribute　an　article　a　week　at　12。　　But　the　journal　still
languished；　and　the　printers　sold　out　to　Captain　Ogden；　a　rich　man　and　a
pleasant　gentleman　who　chose　to　amuse　himself　with　such　an　expensive
luxury　without　much　caring　about　the　cost　of　it。　　When　he　grew　tired　of
the　novelty；　he　re…sold　to　the　printers；　the　paper　presently　died　a
peaceful　death；　and　I　was　out　of　work　again。　　I　would　not　mention　these
things　but　for　the　fact　that　they　so　aptly　illustrate　the　ups　and　downs
that　characterize　life　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　A　man　could　hardly　stumble
into　such　a　variety　of　queer　vicissitudes　in　any　other　country。

For　two　months　my　sole　occupation　was　avoiding　acquaintances；　for　during
that　time　I　did　not　earn　a　penny；　or　buy　an　article　of　any　kind；　or　pay
my　board。　　I　became　a　very　adept　at　〃slinking。〃　　I　slunk　from　back　street
to　back　street；　I　slunk　away　from　approaching　faces　that　looked　familiar；
I　slunk　to　my　meals；　ate　them　humbly　and　with　a　mute　apology　for　every
mouthful　I　robbed　my　generous　landlady　of；　and　at　midnight；　after
wanderings　that　were　but　slinkings　away　from　cheerfulness　and　light；　I
slunk　to　my　bed。　　I　felt　meaner；　and　lowlier　and　more　despicable　than　the
worms。　　During　all　this　time　I　had　but　one　piece　of　moneya　silver　ten
cent　pieceand　I　held　to　it　and　would　not　spend　it　on　any　account；　lest
the　consciousness　coming　strong　upon　me　that　I　was　entirely　penniless；
might　suggest　suicide。　　I　had　pawned　every　thing　but　the　clothes　I　had
on；　so　I　clung　to　my　dime　desperately；　till　it　was　smooth　with　handling。

However；　I　am　forgetting。　　I　did　have　one　other　occupation　beside　that　of
〃slinking。〃　　It　was　the　entertaining　of　a　collector　（and　being
entertained　by　him；）　who　had　in　his　hands　the　Virginia　banker's　bill　for
forty…six　dollars　which　I　had　loaned　my　schoolmate；　the　〃Prodigal。〃　　This
man　used　to　call　regularly　once　a　week　and　dun　me；　and　sometimes　oftener。
He　did　it　from　sheer　force　of　habit；　for　he　knew　he　could　get　nothing。
He　would　get　out　his　bill；　calculate　the　interest　for　me；　at　five　per
cent　a　month；　and　show　me　clearly　that　there　was　no　attempt　at　fraud　in
it　and　no　mistakes；　and　then　plead；　and　argue　and　dun　with　all　his　might
for　any　sumany　little　trifleeven　a　dollareven　half　a　dollar；　on
account。　　Then　his　duty　was　accomplished　and　his　conscience　free。　　He
immediately　dropped　the　subject　there　always；　got　out　a　couple　of　cigars
and　divided；　put　his　feet　in　the　window；　and　then　we　would　have　a　long；
luxurious　talk　about　everything　and　everybody；　and　he　would　furnish　me　a
world　of　curious　dunning　adventures　out　of　the　ample　store　in　his　memory。
By　and　by　he　would　clap　his　hat　on　his　head；　shake　hands　and　say　briskly：

〃Well；　business　is　businesscan't　stay　with　you　always！〃and　was　off　in
a　second。

The　idea　of　pining　for　a　dun！　　And　yet　I　used　to　long　for　him　to　come；
and　would　get　as　uneasy　as　any　mother　if　the　day　went　by　without　his
visit；　when　I　was　expecting　him。　　But　he　never　collected　that　bill；　at
last　nor　any　part　of　it。　　I　lived　to　pay　it　to　the　banker　myself。

Misery　loves　company。　　Now　and　then　at　night；　in　out…of…the　way；　dimly
lighted　places；　I　found　myself　happening　on　another　child　of　misfortune。
He　looked　so　seedy　and　forlorn；　so　homeless　and　friendless　and　forsaken；
that　I　yearned　toward　him　as　a　brother。　　I　wanted　to　claim　kinship　with
him　and　go　about　and　enjoy　our　wretchedness　together。　　The　drawing　toward
each　other　must　have　been　mutual；　at　any　rate　we　got　to　falling　together
oftener；　though　still　seemingly　by　accident；　and　although　we　did　not
speak　or　evince　any　recognition；　I　think　the　dull　anxiety　passed　out　of
both　of　us　when　we　saw　each　other；　and　then　for　several　hours　we　would
idle　along　contentedly；　wide　apart；　and　glancing　furtively　in　at　home
lights　and　fireside　gatherings；　out　of　the　night　shadows；　and　very　much
enjoying　our　dumb　companionship。

Finally　we　spoke；　and　were　inseparable　after　that。　　For　our　woes　were
identical；　almost。　　He　had　been　a　reporter　too；　and　lost　his　berth；　and
this　was　his　experience；　as　nearly　as　I　can　recollect　it。　　After　losing
his　berth　he　had　gone　down；　down；　down；　with　never　a　halt：　from　a
boarding　house　on　Russian　Hill　to　a　boarding　house　in　Kearney　street；
from　thence　to　Dupont；　from　thence　to　a　low　sailor　den；　and　from　thence
to　lodgings　in　goods　boxes　and　empty　hogsheads　near　the　wharves。　　Then；
for　a　while；　he　had　gained　a　meagre　living　by　sewing　up　bursted　sacks　of
grain　on　the　piers；　when　that　failed　he　had　found　food　here　and　there　as
chance　threw　it　in　his　way。　　He　had　ceased　to　show　his　face　in　daylight；
now