St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

Page 29 text:

THE PESSIJIIST OF GOLD-BFG 27 ed, Cut it out. lf yo11 were EL 11121111 l XVOllltlllll1 leave il soun-l ll0llQ i11 your body. Sai11ts -'LF21iX, said Mrs. O 'Flal1erty. l'd like ter l1e a 1112111 jest ter l121ve ye thry. liut. all the sanie, ye may l1e El sai11t yersilf without knowin' it. ltfs not. the Oriole around tl1e head that makes tl1i111. lt's the Oriole around the heart. HTGl'I'0llCG niadc ine , she said proudly later, Han' l cudn't sthop to say lI1tlI'PgH but Gold-Bug li116XV tl1at like tl skillful geiieral sl1e was glad to get her forces off safely, though she lltlfl to keep a brave face i11 retreat. No 0110 iinitated l1er courage. and Seb was left to keep tl1e eve11 l6llOI' of his way. He was l1'3V9l' deaf to tl1e voice of charity. He fed the hungryg found wo1'k for the needyg saw tl1at the sick l1ad food and niedicineg tl1e indigent, burial. He growled continuously but his ll31lllS flew to tl1e golden lining of his purse. Ulf people want to live a11d l1e miserable , l1e said, t'l'1n happy to keep thein. NVhen they 're dead let 's get rid of ll1Glll as e21sily as pos- sible. But the day came wl1e11 even Gold-ling l1ad a tl1rill. Black Jack l1ad bee11 reported to l1e at l1is gaine again. Elllll stories of hold-ups had begun to trickle i11 from various places. And 11ow it was Gold-lSug's turn. Its ow11 stage some fifteen 111iles from tow11 had been called 1113011 to de- liver. There l1ad been resistance. This was iiaturally to l1e expected of Gold-Buggers. There had been killing. This was expected of Black Jack. Seb would he 21 heavy loser because 21 large part of l1is ClG2l11-1115 was U11 that stage. HServes nie right, l1e said, Hyou C311 lt trust anybody. But lVllQlfll91' served right or wrong, l1e acted proniptly. Wliile others were excitedly discussing the niatter, l1e had gone to l1is cabin, saddled his mustang, looked to the prim- ing of l1is pistols Hlltl was o11 his way. Wait Hllil well join, cried a score. But l1e was already o11t of ear-shot Hllfl a trail of dust was the only answer that l1e sent back. And yet as l1e sp11rred l1is l1o1-SQ queer thoughts shot across his mind. Wliat was it all to him? Gold? He dc-

Page 28 text:

gf, NIE loiwirlax privateg and on the following night, they had slipped out of the camp for parts unknown. They must have gone hy o11e of the trails for the stage-driver had not passed them on the road. The stream of life in Gold-Bug was too fast to bother itself with a bubble or two that had floated for such a short time on its bosom. A close observer would have seen the muscles around ielfs mouth tighten and lines of pain deepen on his fore- head. Could the speaker have had a hand upon the lis- tener's heart-but that was another matter. Seb casually glanced at the deserted hutg thought it would suit himg opined that the dead man ghost would not bother himg and settled down a denizen of Gold-Bug. He invested his money wiselyg drank moderately and never gambled. lf, at times, others filled their glasses at his expense they were welcome to do sog his own glass simply contained the minimum con- sistent with companionship. He would sit for hours silent in watching a game, but his interest was in a study of the players rather than the cards, and he strode out into the night he would sum up all in the terse sentence The Devil has the fools, but we are all in the shuffle. At other times he would sit in the moonlight by the side of the cabin. never seeming to raise his eyes from the mound over which the trees cast their shadows. His face, however, was not pleas- ant to look upon. There was no tenderness for the departed Wllat was the mystery of the grave? Yet beneath the cold cynicism of the man, there was a heart. Others were generous in wordsg he in deeds. The word of gratitude. however, must never be spoken. Gold- liug knew the condition. Mrs. O'Flaherty was the first to sin and it was well that she was a woman. Her husband had met with a painful accident. Selfs contribution had made appeals to others unnecessary and the poor woman was overcome with gratitude. t'May Hivin above an' His lilissed Mother an' all the Saints -She stopped short as she saw the working of his features. Cut it out , he shout-

Page 30 text:

28 THE IGNA TIAN spised it. For what or whom was he gathering it Y Let the rohher have it. lt could only hring him evil. His own elaims were rieh. 'llhere was plenty more. It was not cow- ardiee that caused him almost to curse his haste, hut tha Slmmt- that he had had lost his self-eontrolg that he had al- lowed the sentiments of earlier life to reassert their swayg that he had proved recreant to his pessimism when unex- pectedly put to the test. This was what pained him hut he eould not turn hack now. No one would understand him. Ile didn't know that Mrs. 0'Flaherty had sized him up when she said on one oecasiong lt's all war-paint that'll eome off wid the washin. ' He had no idea that the wash- ing had eonuueneed. Yes, he must go forward. This point settled. he felt that he was himself again. On he sped un- mindful of the heauties of nature. He was thinking of the miles ahead, To the outcome he gave little thought. No hrave man thinks of the outcome. And, after all, to whom did it matter? ln Gold-Bug he had finished the quest for vengeance. He had lived hy the grave of the man who had ruined his life. It was hard for him to forgive his wife, and he yearned for his hoy-hut Black Jack was the propo- sition at present-Whoa! He had just turned a rocky hend in the road, and there eouiing down the hill at full speed was the stage that had heen rohhed. Had the stage heen nearer the turn, his ride would have ended thereg for the spring freshets had eut into the hack leaving little room to pass. He and his horse would have landed among the houlders in the hed of the stream helow. You can 't even trust yourself in this world. was his silent eomment. And as he saw the stage-driver draw up his horses and reaeh for his gun. he added aloud. And you ean't pin your faith to stage-drivers that have heen visited hy lilack Jack. He threw up his arms and pressed his horse slowly forward to whe1'e a meeting might safely take place. The stage-driver soon recognized him and laid aside his gun. and as he took up the reins he east a hasty glanqg