public from recognizing these once notorious men。 No longer notorious；
for the majority of them have drifted back into poverty and obscurity
again。
In Nevada there used to be current the story of an adventure of two of
her nabobs； which may or may not have occurred。 I give it for what it is
worth：
Col。 Jim had seen somewhat of the world； and knew more or less of its
ways； but Col。 Jack was from the back settlements of the States； had led
a life of arduous toil； and had never seen a city。 These two； blessed
with sudden wealth； projected a visit to New York；Col。 Jack to see the
sights； and Col。 Jim to guard his unsophistication from misfortune。 They
reached San Francisco in the night； and sailed in the morning。 Arrived
in New York； Col。 Jack said：
〃I've heard tell of carriages all my life； and now I mean to have a ride
in one； I don't care what it costs。 Come along。〃
They stepped out on the sidewalk； and Col。 Jim called a stylish barouche。
But Col。 Jack said：
〃No； sir！ None of your cheap…John turn…outs for me。 I'm here to have a
good time； and money ain't any object。 I mean to have the nobbiest rig
that's going。 Now here comes the very trick。 Stop that yaller one with
the pictures on itdon't you fretI'll stand all the expenses myself。〃
So Col。 Jim stopped an empty omnibus； and they got in。 Said Col。 Jack：
〃Ain't it gay； though？ Oh； no； I reckon not！ Cushions； and windows； and
pictures； till you can't rest。 What would the boys say if they could see
us cutting a swell like this in New York？ By George； I wish they could
see us。〃
Then he put his head out of the window； and shouted to the driver：
〃Say； Johnny； this suits me！suits yours truly； you bet； you！ I want
this shebang all day。 I'm on it； old man！ Let 'em out！ Make 'em go！
We'll make it all right with you； sonny！〃
The driver passed his hand through the strap…hole； and tapped for his
fareit was before the gongs came into common use。 Col。 Jack took the
hand； and shook it cordially。 He said：
〃You twig me； old pard！ All right between gents。 Smell of that； and see
how you like it！〃
And he put a twenty…dollar gold piece in the driver's hand。 After a
moment the driver said he could not make change。
〃Bother the change！ Ride it out。 Put it in your pocket。〃
Then to Col。 Jim； with a sounding slap on his thigh：
〃Ain't it style； though？ Hanged if I don't hire this thing every day for
a week。〃
The omnibus stopped； and a young lady got in。 Col。 Jack stared a moment；
then nudged Col。 Jim with his elbow：
〃Don't say a word；〃 he whispered。 〃Let her ride； if she wants to。
Gracious； there's room enough。〃
The young lady got out her porte…monnaie； and handed her fare to Col。
Jack。
〃What's this for？〃 said he。
〃Give it to the driver； please。〃
〃Take back your money； madam。 We can't allow it。 You're welcome to ride
here as long as you please； but this shebang's chartered； and we can't
let you pay a cent。〃
The girl shrunk into a corner； bewildered。 An old lady with a basket
climbed in； and proffered her fare。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Col。 Jack。 〃You're perfectly welcome here； madam； but
we can't allow you to pay。 Set right down there； mum； and don't you be
the least uneasy。 Make yourself just as free as if you was in your own
turn…out。〃
Within two minutes； three gentlemen； two fat women； and a couple of
children； entered。
〃Come right along； friends；〃 said Col。 Jack； 〃don't mind us。 This is a
free blow…out。〃 Then he whispered to Col。 Jim；
〃New York ain't no sociable place； I don't reckonit ain't no name for
it！〃
He resisted every effort to pass fares to the driver； and made everybody
cordially welcome。 The situation dawned on the people； and they pocketed
their money； and delivered themselves up to covert enjoyment of the
episode。 Half a dozen more passengers entered。
〃Oh； there's plenty of room；〃 said Col。 Jack。 〃Walk right in； and make
yourselves at home。 A blow…out ain't worth anything as a blow…out；
unless a body has company。〃 Then in a whisper to Col。 Jim： 〃But ain't
these New Yorkers friendly？ And ain't they cool about it； too？ Icebergs
ain't anywhere。 I reckon they'd tackle a hearse； if it was going their
way。〃
More passengers got in； more yet； and still more。 Both seats were
filled； and a file of men were standing up； holding on to the cleats
overhead。 Parties with baskets and bundles were climbing up on the roof。
Half…suppressed laughter rippled up from all sides。
〃Well； for clean； cool； out…and…out cheek； if this don't bang anything
that ever I saw； I'm an Injun！〃 whispered Col。 Jack。
A Chinaman crowded his way in。
〃I weaken！〃 said Col。 Jack。 〃Hold on； driver！ Keep your seats； ladies；
and gents。 Just make yourselves freeeverything's paid for。 Driver；
rustle these folks around as long as they're a mind to gofriends of
ours； you know。 Take them everywheresand if you want more money； come
to the St。 Nicholas； and we'll make it all right。 Pleasant journey to
you； ladies and gentsgo it just as long as you pleaseit shan't cost
you a cent！〃
The two comrades got out； and Col。 Jack said：
〃Jimmy； it's the sociablest place I ever saw。 The Chinaman waltzed in as
comfortable as anybody。 If we'd staid awhile； I reckon we'd had some
niggers。 B' George； we'll have to barricade our doors to…night； or some
of these ducks will be trying to sleep with us。〃
CHAPTER XLVII。
Somebody has said that in order to know a community； one must observe the
style of its funerals and know what manner of men they bury with most
ceremony。 I cannot say which class we buried with most eclat in our
〃flush times；〃 the distinguished public benefactor or the distinguished
roughpossibly the two chief grades or grand divisions of society
honored their illustrious dead about equally； and hence； no doubt the
philosopher I have quoted from would have needed to see two
representative funerals in Virginia before forming his estimate of the
people。
There was a grand time over Buck Fanshaw when he died。 He was a
representative citizen。 He had 〃killed his man〃not in his own quarrel；
it is true； but in defence of a stranger unfairly beset by numbers。
He had kept a sumptuous saloon。 He had been the proprietor of a dashing
helpmeet whom he could have discarded without the formality of a divorce。
He had held a high position in the fire department and been a very
Warwick in politics。 When he died there was great lamentation throughout
the town； but especially in the vast bottom…stratum of society。
On the inquest it was shown that Buck Fanshaw； in the delirium of a
wasting typhoid fever； had taken arsenic； shot himself through the body；
cut his throat； and jumped out of a four…story window and broken his
neckand after due deliberation； the jury； sad and tearful； but with
intelligence unblinded by its sorrow； brought in a verdict of death 〃by
the visitation of God。〃 What could the world do without juries？
Prodigious preparations were made for the funeral。 All the vehicles in
town were hired； all the saloons put in mourning； all the municipal and
fire…company flags hung at half…mast； and all the firemen ordered to
muster in uniform and bring their machines duly draped in black。 Now
let us remark in parenthesisas all the peoples of the earth had
representative adventurers in the Silverland； and as each adventurer had
brought the slang of his nation or his locality with him； the combination
made the slang of Nevada the richest and the most infinitely varied and
copious that had ever existed anywhere in the world； perhaps； except in
the mines of California in the 〃early days。〃 Slang was the language of
Nevada。 It was hard to preach a sermon without it； and be understood。
Such phrases as 〃You bet！〃 〃Oh； no； I reckon not！〃 〃No Irish need
apply；〃 and a hundred others； became so common as to fall from the lips
of a speaker unconsciouslyand very often when they did not touch the
subject under discussion and consequently failed to mean anything。
After Buck Fanshaw's inquest； a meeting of the short…haired brotherhood
was held； for nothing can be done on the Pacific coast without a public
meeting and an expression of sentiment。 Regretful resolutions were
passed and various committees appointed； among others； a committee of one
was deputed to call on the minister； a fragile； gentle； spiritual new
fledgling from an Eastern theological seminary； and as yet unacquainted
with the ways of the mines。 The committeeman； 〃Scotty〃 Briggs； made his
visit； and in after days it was worth something to hear the minister tell
about it。 Scotty was a stalwart rough； whose customary suit； when on
weighty official business； like committee work； was a fire helmet；
flaming red flannel shirt； patent leather belt with spanner and revolver
attached； coat hung over arm； and pants stuffed into boot tops。
He formed something of a contrast to the pale theological student。 It is
fair to say of Scotty； however； in passing； that he had a warm heart； and
a strong love for his friends； and never entered into a quarrel when he
could reasonably keep out of it。 Indeed； it was commonly said that
whenever one of Scotty's fights was investigated； it always turned out
that it had originally been no affair of his； but that out of native
good…heartedness he had dropped in of his own accord to help the man who
was getting the worst of it。 He and Buck Fanshaw were bosom friends； for
years； and had often taken adventurous 〃pot…luck〃 together。 On one
occasion； they had thrown off their coats and taken the weaker side in a
fight among strangers； and after gaining a hard…earned victory； turned
and found that the men they were helping had deserted early； and not only
that； but had stolen their coats and made off with them！ But to return
to Scotty's visit to the minister。 He was on a sorrowful mission； now；
and his face was the picture of woe。 Being admitted to the presence he
sat down before the clergyman； placed his fire…hat on an unfinished
manuscript sermon under the minister's nose； took from it a red silk
handkerchief； wiped his brow and heaved a sigh of dismal impressiveness；
explanatory of his business。