A CALIFORNIAN MINER.

Evening Star, Issue 3342, 5 November 1873, Page 3

A CALIFORNIAN MINER.

There was a tall man, a sort of half sportsman and half miner, who had a cabin close to town, and who seemed to take a special interest in these battles. He was known as “Long Dan,” always carried a pistol, and took a pride in getting into trouble. A gambler called, from bis grand look and manner, “ The Prince,” warned him that he would die with his boots on. “Now, see if you don’t; if you keep on slinging your sixshooter round loose in this sort of way you will go up the flumo as slick as a salmon — die with your boots on before you know it.” Dan smiled blandly as he tapped his ivory pistol-bar t, and said “ Bet you cigars I don’t. Whenever my man comes to the centre, I will call him, sec if 1 don’t, and get away with it, too.” The metaphor here ustdby ban is taken from the game of poker, in which miners delight to get rid of their gold. Soon after this conversation pistol shots were heard at the Howlin’Wilderness, .and Prince rushing thither learned that “it was Long Dan.” As a friend and neighbor of the wounded man, room was ma.- e for him at the monte-table, and Dan whispered to him a request to take off his bools. The Prince hastened to comply, and again whispered to him, “ Prince, Prince, old boy, I’ve won the cigars ! I’ve won ’em, hy the holy poker.” And so he did. —From “Lifeamont/ the Alodocs."