University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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 W. T. Sweigert F. A. Hughes E. I. Fitzpatrick J. II. Born T.J. Hatpin J. C. Hughes N. B. Maroevich 4

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The Pessimist of Gold-Bug Mayo J. Urolmi C“ OLD-Ht'G GULCH was a had place, goodness knows, y yet it was neither better nor worse than the ordinary run of early mining camps. It had its halt dozen saloons for every five hundred inhabitants, but the climate was dry and the inhabitants drier. It had its wide open gambling-hells, the shrines of miscellaneous wickedness, hut it made no apology for itself, offered no invitation to the straight-laced and virtuous; it simply said. “I am what 1 am. If you woo me you must take me for better or for worse . The ordinary inhabitant never bothered his brains to see on which side the balance lay. This call of the wild had filled his ears and the glitter of gold had dazzled his eyes. There was but one exception, Sob Stef fins, the man of the cool gray eyes and stubborn chin, rugged of form and the best pistol-shot among them. He had made up his mind on the first day of his advent, “Gold-Hug lied it it spoke of “The better ; and yet it seemed paradoxical that it couldn't be “Worse . Taciturn on other subjects, he was eloquent on the shortcomings of Gold-Hug. In the beginning, local pride was sensitive, quite a number loudly protested their anxiety to champion its name; some few were rash enough to make tin-attempt. Then Gold-Hug awoke to the fact that it was prouder of its new citizen than of its good reputation. At least it was willing to concede him privileges that it was still shy in granting to others. Hesides, it was no little distinction to be considered the worst place in tin world by a man whose pistol-finger was so highly respected. Hut if Seb Steffins found Gold-Hug so bad. he was far from being a severe moralist. The whole world was black to him; what else was to be expected of Gold-Hug. The town sometimes wondered, but never he. Every new fact

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77 E PESSIMIST OE GOLD-KEG 25 confirmed his theory that the world ami its institutions were sunk in perdition. When Ilarrv Iloefler, the piano-player at the Argonaut, eloped with the widow Zander, and left his wife and three small children to fight life's battle alone, he discoursed long and eloquently on marriage as a mockery. When John Trueman, the cashier of tin Gold-Bug National Hank, absconded with the funds, he recalled to his hearers minds his pet theory that n; one could be trusted. When Andy Jones, the postmaster, was short in his accounts, Seh showed that “Government of the people, by the people and for the people was a fizzle. And when it was reported that the clergyman at Sheba Junction had repudiated an unsecured loan from a parishioner, he huddled the clergy of all times and placed into a common group and drove them through the gate that leaves all hope behind. What had soured this man was one mystery. What kept him in Gold-Hug was another. A man's lineage in a mining camp began and ended with himself. There was nothing to inquire as to that. 11 is history began with the last place he came from. It was dangerous to pry further unless by “special request. Seb had come from ’Frisco with plenty of money; had casually inquired about Bert Handley, a gambler, whom, he said, he had known as a boy and whom ldatives in the East were desirous of communicating with; and had manifested little emotion when a deserted hut was shown him in a redwood thicket with a narrow mound a short way off. “lie had expected such an end, he said. “Gamblers were fated to it, and it was to be by one hand or another. Hut it seemed as if his own hand moved instinctively to his pistol though he quickly suppressed the motion, and turning away asked if Bert had been alone. He was answered that he left a wife and a boy of fifteen; but as the tragedy had taken place a short time after the gambler's arrival, and mother and son had kept to themselves, little was known about them. Their only request was to be left undisturbed with tin dead; to have the burial strictly