roughing it-第47章

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wasand　so；　when　some　roughs　jumped　the　Catholic　bone…yard　and　started
in　to　stake　out　town…lots　in　it　he　went　for　'em！　　And　he　cleaned　'em；
too！　　I　was　there；　pard；　and　I　seen　it　myself。〃

〃That　was　very　well　indeedat　least　the　impulse　waswhether　the　act　was
strictly　defensible　or　not。　　Had　deceased　any　religious　convictions？
That　is　to　say；　did　he　feel　a　dependence　upon；　or　acknowledge　allegiance
to　a　higher　power？'

More　reflection。

〃I　reckon　you've　stumped　me　again；　pard。　　Could　you　say　it　over　once
more；　and　say　it　slow？〃

〃Well；　to　simplify　it　somewhat；　was　he；　or　rather　had　he　ever　been
connected　with　any　organization　sequestered　from　secular　concerns　and
devoted　to　self…sacrifice　in　the　interests　of　morality？〃

〃All　down　but　nineset　'em　up　on　the　other　alley；　pard。〃

〃What　did　I　understand　you　to　say？〃

〃Why；　you're　most　too　many　for　me；　you　know。　　When　you　get　in　with　your
left　I　hunt　grass　every　time。　　Every　time　you　draw；　you　fill；　but　I　don't
seem　to　have　any　luck。　　Lets　have　a　new　deal。〃

〃How？　　Begin　again？〃

〃That's　it。〃

〃Very　well。　　Was　he　a　good　man；　and〃

〃ThereI　see　that；　don't　put　up　another　chip　till　I　look　at　my　hand。
A　good　man；　says　you？　　Pard；　it　ain't　no　name　for　it。　　He　was　the　best
man　that　everpard；　you　would　have　doted　on　that　man。　　He　could　lam　any
galoot　of　his　inches　in　America。　　It　was　him　that　put　down　the　riot　last
election　before　it　got　a　start；　and　everybody　said　he　was　the　only　man
that　could　have　done　it。　　He　waltzed　in　with　a　spanner　in　one　hand　and　a
trumpet　in　the　other；　and　sent　fourteen　men　home　on　a　shutter　in　less
than　three　minutes。　　He　had　that　riot　all　broke　up　and　prevented　nice
before　anybody　ever　got　a　chance　to　strike　a　blow。　　He　was　always　for
peace；　and　he　would　have　peacehe　could　not　stand　disturbances。　　Pard；
he　was　a　great　loss　to　this　town。　　It　would　please　the　boys　if　you　could
chip　in　something　like　that　and　do　him　justice。　　Here　once　when　the　Micks
got　to　throwing　stones　through　the　Methodis'　Sunday　school　windows；　Buck
Fanshaw；　all　of　his　own　notion；　shut　up　his　saloon　and　took　a　couple　of
six…shooters　and　mounted　guard　over　the　Sunday　school。　　Says　he；　'No
Irish　need　apply！'　　And　they　didn't。　　He　was　the　bulliest　man　in　the
mountains；　pard！　　He　could　run　faster；　jump　higher；　hit　harder；　and　hold
more　tangle…foot　whisky　without　spilling　it　than　any　man　in　seventeen
counties。　　Put　that　in；　pardit'll　please　the　boys　more　than　anything
you　could　say。　　And　you　can　say；　pard；　that　he　never　shook　his　mother。〃

〃Never　shook　his　mother？〃

〃That's　itany　of　the　boys　will　tell　you　so。〃

〃Well；　but　why　should　he　shake　her？〃

〃That's　what　I　saybut　some　people　does。〃

〃Not　people　of　any　repute？〃

〃Well；　some　that　averages　pretty　so…so。〃

〃In　my　opinion　the　man　that　would　offer　personal　violence　to　his　own
mother；　ought　to〃

〃Cheese　it；　pard；　you've　banked　your　ball　clean　outside　the　string。
What　I　was　a　drivin'　at；　was；　that　he　never　throwed　off　on　his　mother
don't　you　see？　　No　indeedy。　　He　give　her　a　house　to　live　in；　and　town
lots；　and　plenty　of　money；　and　he　looked　after　her　and　took　care　of　her
all　the　time；　and　when　she　was　down　with　the　small…pox　I'm　d…d　if　he
didn't　set　up　nights　and　nuss　her　himself！　　Beg　your　pardon　for　saying
it；　but　it　hopped　out　too　quick　for　yours　truly。

You've　treated　me　like　a　gentleman；　pard；　and　I　ain't　the　man　to　hurt
your　feelings　intentional。　　I　think　you're　white。　　I　think　you're　a
square　man；　pard。　　I　like　you；　and　I'll　lick　any　man　that　don't。　　I'll
lick　him　till　he　can't　tell　himself　from　a　last　year's　corpse！　　Put　it
there！〃　＇Another　fraternal　hand…shakeand　exit。＇

The　obsequies　were　all　that　〃the　boys〃　could　desire。　　Such　a　marvel　of
funeral　pomp　had　never　been　seen　in　Virginia。　　The　plumed　hearse；　the
dirge…breathing　brass　bands；　the　closed　marts　of　business；　the　flags
drooping　at　half　mast；　the　long；　plodding　procession　of　uniformed　secret
societies；　military　battalions　and　fire　companies；　draped　engines；
carriages　of　officials；　and　citizens　in　vehicles　and　on　foot；　attracted
multitudes　of　spectators　to　the　sidewalks；　roofs　and　windows；　and　for
years　afterward；　the　degree　of　grandeur　attained　by　any　civic　display　in
Virginia　was　determined　by　comparison　with　Buck　Fanshaw's　funeral。

Scotty　Briggs；　as　a　pall…bearer　and　a　mourner；　occupied　a　prominent　place
at　the　funeral；　and　when　the　sermon　was　finished　and　the　last　sentence　of
the　prayer　for　the　dead　man's　soul　ascended；　he　responded；　in　a　low
voice；　but　with　feelings：

〃AMEN。　　No　Irish　need　apply。〃

As　the　bulk　of　the　response　was　without　apparent　relevancy；　it　was
probably　nothing　more　than　a　humble　tribute　to　the　memory　of　the　friend
that　was　gone；　for；　as　Scotty　had　once　said；　it　was　〃his　word。〃

Scotty　Briggs；　in　after　days；　achieved　the　distinction　of　becoming　the
only　convert　to　religion　that　was　ever　gathered　from　the　Virginia　roughs；
and　it　transpired　that　the　man　who　had　it　in　him　to　espouse　the　quarrel
of　the　weak　out　of　inborn　nobility　of　spirit　was　no　mean　timber　whereof
to　construct　a　Christian。　　The　making　him　one　did　not　warp　his　generosity
or　diminish　his　courage；　on　the　contrary　it　gave　intelligent　direction　to
the　one　and　a　broader　field　to　the　other。

If　his　Sunday…school　class　progressed　faster　than　the　other　classes；　was
it　matter　for　wonder？　　I　think　not。　　He　talked　to　his　pioneer　small…fry
in　a　language　they　understood！　　It　was　my　large　privilege；　a　month　before
he　died；　to　hear　him　tell　the　beautiful　story　of　Joseph　and　his　brethren
to　his　class　〃without　looking　at　the　book。〃　　I　leave　it　to　the　reader　to
fancy　what　it　was　like；　as　it　fell；　riddled　with　slang；　from　the　lips　of
that　grave；　earnest　teacher；　and　was　listened　to　by　his　little　learners
with　a　consuming　interest　that　showed　that　they　were　as　unconscious　as　he
was　that　any　violence　was　being　done　to　the　sacred　proprieties！




CHAPTER　XLVIII。

The　first　twenty…six　graves　in　the　Virginia　cemetery　were　occupied　by
murdered　men。　　So　everybody　said；　so　everybody　believed；　and　so　they　will
always　say　and　believe。　　The　reason　why　there　was　so　much　slaughtering
done；　was；　that　in　a　new　mining　district　the　rough　element　predominates；
and　a　person　is　not　respected　until　he　has　〃killed　his　man。〃　　That　was
the　very　expression　used。

If　an　unknown　individual　arrived；　they　did　not　inquire　if　he　was　capable；
honest；　industrious；　buthad　he　killed　his　man？　　If　he　had　not；　he
gravitated　to　his　natural　and　proper　position；　that　of　a　man　of　small
consequence；　if　he　had；　the　cordiality　of　his　reception　was　graduated
according　to　the　number　of　his　dead。　　It　was　tedious　work　struggling　up
to　a　position　of　influence　with　bloodless　hands；　but　when　a　man　came　with
the　blood　of　half　a　dozen　men　on　his　soul；　his　worth　was　recognized　at
once　and　his　acquaintance　sought。

In　Nevada；　for　a　time；　the　lawyer；　the　editor；　the　banker；　the　chief
desperado；　the　chief　gambler；　and　the　saloon　keeper；　occupied　the　same
level　in　society；　and　it　was　the　highest。　　The　cheapest　and　easiest　way
to　become　an　influential　man　and　be　looked　up　to　by　the　community　at
large；　was　to　stand　behind　a　bar；　wear　a　cluster…diamond　pin；　and　sell
whisky。　　I　am　not　sure　but　that　the　saloon…keeper　held　a　shade　higher
rank　than　any　other　member　of　society。　　His　opinion　had　weight。　　It　was
his　privilege　to　say　how　the　elections　should　go。　　No　great　movement
could　succeed　without　the　countenance　and　direction　of　the　saloon…
keepers。　　It　was　a　high　favor　when　the　chief　saloon…keeper　consented　to
serve　in　the　legislature　or　the　board　of　aldermen。

Youthful　ambition　hardly　aspired　so　much　to　the　honors　of　the　law；　or　the
army　and　navy　as　to　the　dignity　of　proprietorship　in　a　saloon。

To　be　a　saloon…keeper　and　kill　a　man　was　to　be　illustrious。　　Hence　the
reader　will　not　be　surprised　to　learn　that　more　than　one　man　was　killed
in　Nevada　under　hardly　the　pretext　of　provocation；　so　impatient　was　the
slayer　to　achieve　reputation　and　throw　off　the　galling　sense　of　being
held　in　indifferent　repute　by　his　associates。　　I　knew　two　youths　who
tried　to　〃kill　their　men〃　for　no　other　reasonand　got　killed　themselves
for　their　pains。　　〃There　goes　the　man　that　killed　Bill　Adams〃　was　higher
praise　and　a　sweeter　sound　in　the　ears　of　this　sort　of　people　than　any
other　speech　that　admiring　lips　could　utter。

The　men　who　murdered　Virginia's　original　twenty…six　cemetery…occupants
were　never　punished。　　Why？　　Because　Alfred　the　Great；　when　he　invented
trial　by　jury　and　knew　that　he　had　admirably　framed　it　to　secure　justice
in　his　age　of　the　world；　was　not　aware　that　in　the　nineteenth　century　the
condition　of　things　would　be　so　entirely　changed　that　unless　he　rose　from
the　grave　and　altered　the　jury　plan　to　meet　the　emergency；　it　would　prove
the　most　ingenious　and　infallible　agency　for　defeating　justice　that　human
wisdom　could　contrive。　　For　how　could　he　imagine　that　we　simpletons　would
go　on　using　his　jury　plan　after　circumstances　had　stripped　it　of　its
usefulness；　any　more　than　he　could　imagine　that　we　would　go　on　using　his
candle…clock　after　we　had　invented　chronometers？　　In　his　day　news　could
not　travel　fast；　and　hence　he　could　easily　find　a　jury　of　honest；
intelligent　men　who　had　not　heard　of　the　case　they　were　called　to　try
but　in　our　day　of　telegraphs　and　newspapers　his　plan　compels　us　to　swear
in　juries　composed　of　fools　and　rascals；　because　the　system　rigidly
excludes　honest　men　and　men　of　brains。

I　remember　one　of　those　sorrowful　farces；　in　Virginia；　which　we　call　a
jury　trial。　　A　noted　desperado　killed　Mr。　B。；　a　good　citizen；　in　the　most
wanton　and　cold…blooded　way。　　Of　course　the　papers　were　full　of　it；　and
all　men　capable　of　reading；　read　about　it。　　And　of　course　all　men　not
deaf　and　dumb　and　idiotic；　talked　about　it。　　A　jury…list　was　made　out；
and　Mr。　B。　L。；　a　prominent　banker　and　a　valued　citizen；　was　questioned
precisely　as　he　would　have　been　questioned　in　any　court　in　America：

〃Have　you　heard　of　this　homicide？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　held　conversations　upon　the　subject？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　formed　or　expressed　opinions　about　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　read　the　newspaper　accounts　of　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　do　not　want　you。〃

A　minister；　intelligent；　esteemed；　and　greatly　respected；　a　merchant　of
high　character　and　known　probity；　a　mining　superintendent　of　intelligence
and　unblemished　reputation；　a　quartz　mill　owner　of　excellent　standing；
were　all　questioned　in　the　same　way；　and　all　set　aside。　　Each　said　the
public　talk　and　the　newspaper　reports　had　not　so　biased　his　mind　but　that
sworn　testimony　would　overthrow　his　previously　formed　opinions　and　enable
him　to　render　a　verdict　without　prejudice　and　in　accordance　with　the
facts。　　But　of　course　such　men　could　not　be　trusted　with　the　case。
Ignoramuses　alone　could　mete　out　unsullied　justice。

When　the　peremptory　challenges　were　all　exhausted；　a　jury　of　twelve　men
was　impaneleda　jury　who　swore　they　had　neither　heard；　read；　talked
about　nor　expressed　an　opinion　concerning　a　murder　which　the　very　cattle
in　the　corrals；　the　Indians　in　the　sage…brush　and　the　stones　in　the
streets　were　cognizant　of！　　It　was　a　jury　composed　of　two　desperadoes；
tw