Sally Dows

by Bret Harte

  THE TRANSFORMATION OF BUCKEYE CAMP

  PART I.

  The tiny lights that had been far scattered and intermittent asfireflies all along the dark stream at last dropped out one by one,leaving only the three windows of "Parks' Emporium" to pierce theprofoundly wooded banks of the South Fork. So all-pervading was thedarkness that the mere opening of the "Emporium" front door shot out anilluminating shaft which revealed the whole length of the little mainstreet of "Buckeye," while the simple passing of a single figure beforeone of the windows momentarily eclipsed a third of the settlement. Thisundue pre-eminence given to the only three citizens of Buckeye who werestill up at ten o 'clock seemed to be hardly justified by their outwardappearance, which was that of ordinary long-bearded and long-bootedriver bar miners. Two sat upon the counter with their hands upon theirknees, the third leaned beside the open window.

  It was very quiet. The faint, far barking of a dog, or an occasionalsubdued murmur from the river shallows, audible only when the wind roseslightly, helped to intensify their solitude. So supreme had it becomethat when the man at the window at last continued his conversationmeditatively, with his face towards it, he seemed to be taking allNature into his confidence.

  "The worst thing about it is, that the only way we can keep her out ofthe settlement is by the same illegal methods which we deplore in othercamps. We have always boasted that Buckeye could get along withoutVigilance Committees or Regulators."

  "Yes, and that was because we started it on the principle of originalselection, which we are only proposing to continue," replied one ofthe men on the counter. "So there's nothing wrong about our sending adeputation to wait upon her, to protest against her settling here, andgive her our reasons."

  "Yes, only it has all the impudence without the pluck of the Regulators.You demand what you are afraid to enforce. Come, Parks, you know she hasall the rights on her side. Look at it squarely. She proposes to opena store and sell liquor and cigars, which she serves herself, in thebroken-down tienda which was regularly given to her people by theSpanish grantee of the land we're squatting on. It's not her fault butours if we've adopted a line of rules, which don't agree with hers, togovern the settlers on HER land, nor should she be compelled to followthem. Nor because we justify OUR squatting here, on the ground that theSpanish grant isn't confirmed yet, can we forbid her squatting under thesame right."

  "But look at the moral question, Brace. Consider the example; theinfluence of such a shop, kept by such a woman, on the community! Wehave the right to protect ourselves--the majority."

  "That's the way the lynchers talk," returned Brace. "And I'm not so sureabout there being any moral question yet. You are assuming too much.There is no reason why she shouldn't run the tienda as decently--barringthe liquor sale, which, however, is legal, and for which she can get alicense--as a man could, and without interfering with our morals."

  "Then what is the use of our rules?"

  "They were made for those who consented to adopt them, as we all did.They still bind US, and if we don't choose to buy her liquor or cigarsthat will dispose of her and her tienda much more effectually than yourprotest. It's a pity she's a lone unprotected woman. Now if she only hada husband"--

  "She carries a dagger in her garter."

  This apparently irrelevant remark came from the man who had not yetspoken, but who had been listening with the languid unconcern of onewho, relinquishing the labor of argument to others, had consented toabide by their decision. It was met with a scornful smile from each ofthe disputants, perhaps even by an added shrug of the shoulders fromthe woman's previous defender! HE was evidently not to be taken in byextraneous sentiment. Nevertheless, both listened as the speaker,slowly feeling his knees as if they were his way to a difficult subject,continued with the same suggestion of stating general fact, but waivingany argument himself. "Clarkson of Angels allows she's got a free,gaudy, picter-covered style with the boys, but that she can begilt-edged when she wants to. Rowley Meade--him ez hed his skelp pulledover his eyes at one stroke, foolin' with a she bear over on BlackMountain--allows it would be rather monotonous in him attemptin' anyfamiliarities with her. Bulstrode's brother, ez was in Marysville, saidthere was a woman--like to her, but not her--ez made it lively for theboys with a game called 'Little Monte,' and he dropped a hundred dollarsthere afore he came away. They do say that about seven men got shot inMarysville on account o' this one, or from some oneasiness that happenedat her shop. But then," he went on slowly and deferentially as the facesof the two others were lowered and became fixed, "SHE says she tired o'drunken rowdies,--there's a sameness about 'em, and it don't sell herpipes and cigars, and that's WHY she's coming here. Thompson over at DryCreek sez that THAT'S where our reputation is playin' us! 'We've got heras a reward o' virtoo, and be d----d to us.' But," cautiously, "Thompsonain't drawed a sober breath since Christmas."

  The three men looked in each other's faces in silence. The same thoughtoccurred to each; the profane Thompson was right, and the woman's adventwas the logical sequence of their own ethics. Two years previously,the Buckeye Company had found gold on the South Fork, and had taken upclaims. Composed mainly of careful, provident, and thoughtful men,--someof cultivation and refinement,--they had adopted a certain orderlydiscipline for their own guidance solely, which, however, commendeditself to later settlers, already weary of the lawlessness and recklessfreedom which usually attended the inception of mining settlements.Consequently the birth of Buckeye was accompanied with no dangeroustravail; its infancy was free from the diseases of adolescentcommunities. The settlers, without any express prohibition, had tacitlydispensed with gambling and drinking saloons; following the unwrittenlaw of example, had laid aside their revolvers, and mingled togetherpeacefully when their labors were ended, without a single peremptoryregulation against drinking and playing, or carrying lethal weapons.Nor had there been any test of fitness or qualification for citizenshipthrough previous virtue. There were one or two gamblers, a skillfulduelist, and men who still drank whiskey who had voluntarily sought thecamp. Of some such antecedents was the last speaker. Probably with twowives elsewhere, and a possible homicidal record, he had modestly heldaloof from obtrusive argument.

  "Well, we must have a meeting and put the question squarely to the boysto-morrow," said Parks, gazing thoughtfully from the window. The remarkwas followed by another long silence. Beyond, in the darkness, Buckeye,unconscious of the momentous question awaiting its decision, slept onpeacefully.

  "I brought the keg of whiskey and brandy from Red Gulch to-day thatDoctor Duchesne spoke of," he resumed presently. "You know he said weought to have some in common stock that he could always rely upon inemergencies, and for use after the tule fever. I didn't agree with him,and told him how I had brought Sam Denver through an attack with quinineand arrowroot, but he laughed and wanted to know if we'd 'resolved'that everybody should hereafter have the Denver constitution. That'sthe trouble with those old army surgeons,--they never can get over the'heroics' of their past. Why he told Parson Jennings that he'd rathertreat a man for jim-jams than one that was dying for want of stimulants.However, the liquor is here, and one of the things we must settletomorrow is the question if it ought not to be issued only on Duchesne'sprescription. When I made that point to him squarely, he grinned again,and wanted to know if I calculated to put the same restriction on thesale of patent medicines and drugs generally."

  "'N powder 'n shot," contributed the indifferent man.

  "Perhaps you'd better take a look at the liquor, Saunders," said Parks,dismissing the ethical question. "YOU know more about it than we do. Itought to be the best."

  Saunders went behind the counter, drew out two demijohns, and, possiblyfrom the force of habit, selected THREE mugs from the crockery andpoured some whiskey into each, before he could check himself.

  "Perhaps we had better compare tastes," said Brace blandly. They allsipped their liquor slowly and in silence. The decision was favorable."Better try some with water to see how it mixes," said S
aunders,lazily filling the glasses with a practiced hand. This required moredeliberation, and they drew their chairs to the table and sat down. Aslight relaxation stole over the thoughtful faces of Brace and Parks,a gentle perspiration came over the latter's brow, but the features andexpression of Saunders never changed. The conversation took a broaderrange; politics and philosophy entered into it; literature and poetrywere discussed by Parks and Brace, Saunders still retaining the air ofa dispassionate observer, ready to be convinced, but abstaining fromargument--and occasionally replenishing the glasses. There was felt tobe no