JEM BRIGGS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1882, 5 March 1880, Page 3

JEM BRIGGS.

The following perfectly true story (says the “ Virginia Enterprise ”) is hardly entitled to a place in this column, but as its lack of humor is somewhat atoned for by a very obvious moral, and as it would doubtless fail to reach the public in any other way, we give it herewith:—

The other day we met on Kearney street on old Washoe acquaintance, called Jem Briggs, whose usually seedy miner’s apparel was on this occasion replaced by a gorgeous display of velvet vest, check pants, red tie and ponderous gold watchehain, while his honest and simple face shone above these evidences of prosperity with the placid contentment of a full harvest moon. “Hello, Jem,” we said, “glad to see you looking so well. Look like you’d struck it rich recently.” “ So I have,” said Jem; and then as his honest face saddened a little, he continued — “but I’ve just had a mighty tough loss, though. My partner—Ned Bimber—you remember Ned ? —has gone up tho shaft.” “Dead, eh ? " “ Yes. I’ll tell you how it was. You see Ned and I had a quarrel about two years ago. Don’t matter now what it was all about. Mebbe Ned was wrong, and mebbe I was ; but all the same, neither of us would back down—ooupl’er dam fools you’ll say ; and so we were—and the upshot was we parted and agreed never to speak to each other again.” “ And didn’t you ?” “ No, sir ; wo didn’t—more shame for us, as had been pards fifteen years together. Well, about a year ago, Ned pot a good gravel claim up on the Feather, and struck it thick. Cleaned up over two hundred thousand in six months.”

“ And how were you getting on ?” “Oh 1 clean broke ; working up on the Com. for four dollars a day. Well, I was kinder sneakin’ glad to hear of Ned’s luck; but the next thing I hoard was that ho had been killed by the mine’s caving in on him. He lived just long enough to make his will. Well, the lawyer found that Ned was worth about 220,000 dola., and the will gave five thousand to each one of his three brothers—they had all come out from the East when they heard of Ned’s find—and the same amount to me, for all we’d quarrelled. But Ned allers was a ’centric sort of cuss, and the will provided that none of us should get the money if we attended his funeral. He didn’t want anybody present but the minister and the undertaker. He said he had died lonely, and he wanted to be buried lonely.’ Them’s just his words. Tho distribution of the rest of the estate, about 200,000 dols., be bad provided for in another codicil, to ba opened the day after the funeral, but wo all understood it was donated to a charitable object.” “Of course, you stayed away from the funeral ?”

“Well, you seo, that was just the point. Somehow I felt so kinder miserable and down hearted—you see Nod was the only partner I over had—that I determined to go and see him Bent down on his last cage anyway — money or no money—and I did.” “ And the three brothers ?” “ No, they none of them went; in fact, they were so disgusted at the ‘ divy ’ that they cleared out down to ’Frisco right away to see about breaking the will. So I was the only person at the funeral. My friends oil thought me a lunatic to throw away SSOOO in that style, but somehow I couldn’t help it, As it turned out, however, it was the luckiest thing I ever did.” “ How was that ? ” “ Why, the next day when the main will was opened, we found it really gave the entire balance of the property to whichever one of us four disobeyed the conditions for the SSOOO bequests. So, you see, I came in for the whole $200,000 just like a knife.” “ And do you know I shall alters think,” said the legatee, as he hastily steered us into the nearest bar-room to conceal tho gathering moisture in his eye, “I shall allers believe that Ned kinder put up the whole job a purpose, ' ’cause he hnmc'd I’d Is thar ! ”

THE DRUIDS. The Mistletoe Dodge held their usual fjrtnightly meeting at their Dodge room, Star and Garter Hotel, last evening. A letter was read in reference to the appointment of Bro. Swinnorton as D.P. for the ensuing term, which was most cordially received. Bro. Swinnerton responded, thanking the members for their kindly feeling. A chest was presented by Bro. Ekog for holding the lodge regalia. A hearty vote of thanks was passed by the lodge for the present. It was proposed that the officers of the lodge form a sub-committee to frame laws for forming a Benevolent Fund in connection with the lodge. A notice of motion was given by Bro. Ryan that it is desirable to hold a soiree for the purpose of making the members, their wives and families, better acquainted with each other, and that a committee of five members be appointed to carry out the details. The tickets for admission to be 2s, and the profits, if any, to bo expended in purchasing official regalia. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to D.R. Bro. P. B. Rooke for the trouble and pains he had taken in respect of the Order. Several propositions having been made and some routine business transacted, the lodge closed in due form.