down the mother lode-第2节

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f　the　ox…freight　teams　which　plied　their　way　across　Haggin　Grant　to　Auburn　and　Dutch　Flat；　or　to　Folsom　and　Coloma。

Later　a　railway　was　built　as　far　as　Auburn　station；　then　situated　at　a　point　three　miles　east　of　Loomis　which　was　at　that　time　called　Pino。

Nothing　remains　of　Auburn　station。　But　the　road　bed　of　the　old　railway　is　still　to　be　found　in　certain　wooded　tracts　which　have　not　given　way　to　the　fruit　ranches；　and　the　highway　from　Fair　Oaks　into　Folsom　follows　the　old　cuts　and　grades　for　several　miles。

In　the　days　preceding　and　immediately　following　the　discovery　of　gold　in　California；　building　was　very　difficult。　Every　stick　of　lumber　in　my　grandfather's　house　came　by　ship　〃around　the　Horn；〃　and　the　fruit　trees　grape　vines；　flowers；　even　bees；　for　his　lovely　garden：　were　all　sent　from　Europe。

In　the　smaller　settlements　there　was　seldom　more　than　one　large　building　which　could　be　used　for　social　purposes；　and　this　was　often　the　card　room　or　bar　room　in　connection　with　the　hotel　of　the　town。

So　here　is　the　tale　that　was　told　of　one　Sunday　in　Stinson's　bar　room；　in　the　late　'50s　at　Auburn　Station：

They　tried　to　give　a　ball　once　a　year　at　Stinson's。　Persons　came　to　it　from　30　miles　about；　particularly　if　they　were　women；　and　every　woman　divided　each　dance　among　four　men。　When　a　man　invited　a　lady　to　come　to　a　dance；　in　many　instances　he　insisted　upon　the　privilege　of　buying　her　a　silken　gown　and　slippers　to　wear；　and　this　was　not　considered　unusual；　nor　was　she　in　any　way　obligated　to　him　for　it。　There　were　so　few　〃ladies〃　that　they　were　treated　as　little　short　of　divinities。

This　Saturday　night　there　had　been　no　dance；　and　the　men　at　Gentleman　Jack's　table　at　Stinson's　had　played　〃three…card　monte〃　on　through　the　dawn　and　the　sunrise；　and　into　broad　daylight。　The　door　was　pushed　open；　letting　in　a　rush　of　cool；　sweet　air　which　guttered　the　candles　set　in　old　bottles；　and　drove　the　heavy　fog　of　tobacco　smoke　toward　the　blackened　ceiling。　A　voice　boomed　forth：

〃Come　on；　now；　gentlemen。　Two　ladies　have　come　with　posies　in　tall　silver　vases　and　a　white　altar　cloth　for　this　table。　The　preacher's　coming　over　from　Folsom；　and　there　will　be　church　held　here　in　one　hour。　He's　a　busy　man　today。　An　infant　will　be　given　a　license　to　travel　the　long　and　uncertain　road　to　heaven；　and　a　pair　of　happy　lovers　will　be　made　one。〃

〃One　…　unhappy　pair。〃

It's　William　Duncan。　He's　intoxicated　again；〃　drawled　Gentleman　Jack；　stretching　his　graceful　length　and　smiling　at　a　long；　aristocratic　figure　crouched　over　a　small　table　in　a　corner。　〃His　last　strike　turned　out　to　be　only　a　small　pocket；　and　so　he　drowns　his　woes　in　liquor；　as　usual。〃　He　bowed　to　his　recent　card　partners。　〃Gentlemen；　I　am　sincerely　sorry　for　your　losses　this　night。　I　shall　sleep　an　hour　before　the　holy　man　arrives。　He　sauntered　out；　stuffing　a　buckskin　bag　of　gold　dust　into　his　pocket。

〃There　lies　my　pocket　…　in　his　pocket；〃　muttered　Duncan。　〃No；　Stinson〃　raising　his　voice　authoritatively；　〃I　shall　not　go　out。　It　is　my　desire　to　pray　for　my　sins　today　*　*　*　and　there　has　a　letter　come　from　overseas　which　I　must　read　…　if　I　can。　If　I　can　…　〃

In　an　hour　the　room　was　cleared　of　smoke；　greasy　cards；　poker　chips　and　empty　bottles。　The　bar　was　in　a　small　room　apart。　The　poker　table；　supplemented　with　a　box；　was　covered　with　a　handsome　altar　cloth　flanked　by　huge　silver　candlesticks　and　vases　which　had　been　carried　across　the　plains。　Every　individual　in　the　community　came　to　church　and　stayed　afterward　for　the　christening。　At　least　twenty　men　expressed　a　wish　to　be　god…father　to　the　baby　and　the　proud　mother　accepted　all　offers。　When　the　christening　was　over；　William　Duncan　lurched　to　his　feet；　his　high…bred　face　full　of　tenderness；　his　long…fingered；　fine　grained　hands　poised　over　the　rosy　child；　while　he　quoted：

〃May　time　who　sheds　his　blight　o'er　all；　And　daily　dooms　some　joy　to　death。　O'er　thee　let　years　so　gently　fall；　They　shall　not　crush　one　flower　beneath！〃

〃Ah；　'here　comes　the　bride！'　'All　the　world's　a　stage！'　Let　us　on　with　the　next　scene；〃　and　he　reeled　back　to　his　little　table　in　the　corner。

The　kissing　and　congratulations　after　the　wedding　were　interrupted　by　the　shouts　of　a　man　on　horseback；　and　riding　hard。

〃Where's　the　minister？　Send　for　Doc　Miller！　That　beast　of　a　Mexican　horse　thief　…　he'　shot　Jim　Muldoon　down　at　Dolton's　Bar。　Jim　caught　he's　stealing　his　horse　and　I'm　afraid　the　dirty　greaser's　killed　him。　We　got　'im；　though；　before　he　skipped。　Somebody　go　down　to　Rattlesnake　for　Doc　Miller。　They're　bringing　'em　both　here。〃

When　Doc　Miller　saw　Muldoon　stretched　on　the　barroom　table；　the　same　table　which　a　few　minutes　before　had　served　as　an　altar　he　shook　his　head。

〃He　will　be　gone　in　half　an　hour；〃　he　said。　The　men　standing　about　began　taking　off　their　hats。

〃I　wish　to　write　home；〃　whispered　Muldoon。　The　young　mother　handed　her　baby　to　its　father　and　seizing　pencil　and　paper；　ran　forward。　The　minister　opened　his　prayer　book　at　the　service　for　the　dying。

When　that　service　had　been　read；　and　what　had　been　Muldoon　carried　away　to　be　made　ready　for　the　last　sleep；　only　the　minister　and　the　tall　Englishman　were　left　in　the　bar…room。

〃In　the　midst　of　life　we　are　in　death；〃　muttered　Duncan。

〃True；〃　rebuked　the　other　〃so　live　well　the　life　which　the　Lord；　thy　God；　hath　provided　thee。〃　Will　Duncan　laughed　aloud。

〃It　is　too　late；　Man…o'…God！　There　is　no　place　in　the　world　for　a　younger　son。〃　The　minister　had　not　heard。　He　sprang　toward　the　open　window；　calling：

〃Wait！　It　is　written　…　'Thou　shalt　not　kill！'　Bring　him　in；　like　just　and　honest　men；　for　a　hearing。　He　may　be　a　horse　thief　and　a　murderer　but　you　shall　take　the　rope　from　his　neck　and　he　shall　speak　in　his　own　defense　before　he　goes　to　his　Maker。〃

So　a　hearing　was　given　（although　grudgingly；　and　with　audible　grumbling）　by　the　friends　of　Muldoon　across　the　table　which　had　so　lately　been　his　bier；　but　in　the　end　they　took　the　Mexican　out　for　the　short…cut　to　retribution。

Two　hours　later；　around　the　same　table　was　solemnized　the　funeral　service　of　Jim　Muldoon。　The　minister　would　not　return　for　six　weeks。　It　must　be　held　at　once。　Gentleman　Jack　gave　a　suit　of　finest　black　broadcloth　for　a　shroud。　and　the　little　bride；　keeping　one　flower　from　her　wedding　bouquet；　placed　the　rest　in　the　dead　man's　hands。　She　kissed　him　softly　on　his　forehead；　whispering　through　her　tears。　〃For　the　ones　at　home　who　loved　you；〃　and　stood　watching　as　six　men　carried　him　away　to　the　tiny　cemetery　under　the　trees。　on　a　hill。

Vesper　services　were　over　and　the　weary　minister　and　his　congregation　had　gone　before　Duncan　found　courage　to　open　and　read　his　letter。　His　elder　brother；　heir　to　the　title　and　great　houses　and　landed　estates　of　his　family；　had　been　killed　in　the　hunting　field　and　he；　being　next　in　line；　was　to　come　home　to　succeed　to　the　position。

He；　William　…　Duncan　…　Claibourne　…　Earl　of　…　but　no；　his　family　name　had　never　been　told　in　California。

Portions　of　the　services　he　had　heard　that　day　drifted　through　his　mind：　〃Whosoever　shall　not　receive　the　kingdom　of　God　as　a　little　child；　he　shall　not　enter　therein。　*　*　*　We　do　sign　him　with　the　sign　of　the　cross　in　token　hereafter　that　he　shall　manfully　fight　against　the　sin；　the　world；　and　the　devil；　and　to　continue　Christ's　faithful　soldier　unto　his　life's　end。〃　So；　the　child　starting　on　his　earthly　journey　with　the　minister's　blessing　and　the　backing　of　twenty　god…fathers！

The　holy　old　church　service　which　he　had　heard　at　home　in　stately　English　cathedrals　…　the　nuggets　in　the　contribution　plate　…　the　radiant　bride　who　had　come　across　the　plains　to　hear　〃Dearly　Beloved；　We　are　gathered　together；〃　standing　beside　the　man　she　loved。　The　service　for　the　dying：　〃When　we　shall　have　served　thee　in　our　generation　we　may　be　gathered　unto　our　Fathers；　having　the　testimony　of　a　good　conscience；　the　confidence　of　a　certain　faith；　in　favor　with　Thee　our　God；　and　in　perfect　charity　with　the　world。〃　So；　Jim　Muldoon；　cut　down　before　his　time；　and　his　slayer　out　there　in　the　darkness　on　the　end　of　a　rope。

The　dying　candle　picked　out　in　flame　a　withered　cabbage　rose　under　the　table；　a　baby's　mitten；　the　letter　written　for　the　man　who　had　died；　the　Mexican's　sombrero　on　a　chair；　the　gilt　sun　and　moon　and　stars　on　the　glass　face　of　the　grandfather　clock　by　the　window。

Duncan's　head　fell　forward　in　his　clasped　arms　on　the　table；　and　in　his　dreams　he　heard　the　huntsman's　silver　horn　from　across　the　seas　calling　him　home　to　carry　on　the　destiny　of　the　ancient　and　honorable　name　which　was　his。　His　〃strike　of　pay　ore〃　in　his　〃land　of　gold。〃

The　candle　wick　in　a　shallow　pool　of　tallow　flared　high；　and　went　out。

The　old　clock　chimed　twelve。



The　Tom　Bell　Stronghold

II

〃You　smile；　O　poet；　and　what　do　you？　You　lean　from　your　window　and　watch　life's　column　Trampling　and　struggling　through　dust　and　dew；　Filled　with　its　purposes　grave　and　solemn；　An　act；　a　gesture；　a　face　…　who　knows？　And　you　pluck　from　your　bosom　the　verse　that　grows；　And　down　it　flies　like　my　red；　red　rose；　And　you　sit　and　dream　as　away　it　goes；　And　think　that　your　duty　is　done　…　now；　don't　you？〃

…　Bret　Harte。



In　the　early　days　it　was