The Luck of Roaring Camp

Observation Post, Volume 1, Issue 31, 18 December 1942, Page 1

The Luck of Roaring Camp

Thomas Luck, according to the laws of the United States, and the State of California, so help me God.’’ It was the first time that the name of the Diety had been uttered in Roaring Camp, other than as profanity. So a name was given to Tommy in a ceremony, perhaps ludicrous, but nevertheless as sincere as'any performed 'under more enlightened circumstances. ' INFLUENCE. After that the change in camp was more rapid. The hut set aside for Tommy Luck, or “ the Luck,’’ as he was more commonly called, showed the first signs. of improvement. First it was swept,then scrubbed! Then the outside was repaired and little extras were addedentirely unnecessary trifles, which nevertheless made the hut more attractive to look at. Then it • was whitewashed. Soon Stumpy sent to Red Dog for curtains—curtains in Roaring Camp ! ! A rosewood cradle was packed 80 miles by mule, and when it arrived it, “sorter killed the rest of the furniture,!’ so complete refurnishing and painting of the cabin became an urgent necessity. Men who had formed a habit of strolling along to see how the Luck was progressing seemed to like the change. In sblf defence and to attract once-more .the attention it. was rapidly losing “Tuttle’s grocery’’ bestored itself and imported -a carpet and mirrors. Reflections in the latter seemed to indicate stricter habits of personal tidiness. Again, Stumpy imposed a type of quarantine on all who aspired to the honour of holding the Luck. Some

had been in the habit of regarding clothing after the manner of the snake his skinsomething more came off only through decay. But such was the influence of the .'Luck that soon it was noticed that several of the worst offenders against cleanliness ' were appearing regularly every afternoon' in clean shirts ,and -with faces still gloving from the vigour of their ablutions ! RADICAL CHANGES. ' Nor were social and moral laws neglected. The Luck must sleepwoe betide any who indulged in the yelling and shouting that had earned the camp its name. Profanity and tactily given up within sound of the sacred precincts of the hut, and throughout! the Camp the popular form of expletive ‘ ‘ Damn the luck,’’ or “Curse the luck, was

(Condensed by the Padre.) THE CAMP. / Perhaps you know Bret Harte yarn ‘.‘The Luck of Roaring Camp.’’ Here is part of it, very much condensed. The population of this settlement during the “golden era’/ of California, consisted of • wild characters . who had been repelled from more civilized communities by. the unwelcomed attentions of certain gentlemen of the law. They were outcasts all, attracted to the rugged barrenness of the Camp by the promises of refuge, and of gold. The type of . men they were can be judged by the fact that their town derived its name from the innocent pastimes in which its citizens indulged ! ■ , It was unwise for an outsider to attempt to take up residence in the Camp, usually in such cases a small section of land (about 7 feet by 3 feet) was set aside as, the permanent home of the aspirant to citizenship, and the affairs of the Camp troubled him no more. The pioneers were jealous of their haven of refuge, and its gold ! ONE WELCOME STRANGER. But one day a stranger did find welcome, and his privilege was won by his unique method of entry. Never before had a babe been born in Roaring Camp. A strange hush fell upon.the.assembled community as the first faint cry. was heard. That quietness could not have been due to the passing of the Mother; death was too common there, to elicit sympathy. But the coming of the small new life spread its quietening. influence . and stilled the passions of the crowd. ; All must see the little stranger, and by mutual consent a line was formed to file past the table on which the baby lay. . The sight stirred something in the heart of the first . spectator and awkwardly he pulled. his hat from his head. The others followed his example. • Thus was shown the first mark of respect for another, ever expressed in Roaring Camp ! ! As each man passed the candle box that formed the cradle some offering found its. way into a hat nearby. PROBLEM. ' Outside once more, heated arguments arose as to what was to be done with the child. Opinions differed widely until someone remarked that he should be sent - off to Red Dog, .40 miles away, where female attention could be procured. The suggestion met with fiercest opposition. No plan which entailed ' parting with the new acquisition would be entertained. Nor was the suggestion of a nurse favoured, because no “decent’’ woman would make her home in Roaring Campand' “the other kind’’ wasn’t good enough for the child 1 Finally it was settled that Stumpy, who 1 had been elected from the first as official guardian of - the baby, should continue to supervise his welfare, with the assistance of Jenny, the ash, who provided the necessary nourishment. - By some strange working of kindly nature the experiment succeeded. Day by day the child grew, and day by day the roistering citizens of Roaring Camp bowed before the quiet and unassuming influence, of a tiny babe. NAMING THE CHILD. Before many weeks it was apparent to all that a name must be found.- He couldn’t always be called Stumpy Boy,’/or “The Kid,’’ or even ‘.‘The Coyote (an .allusion to his vocal powers). So a christening was indicated Such a ceremony presented endless possibilities. One ingenious satirist spent two days preparing a burlesque of the Church service. The “choir’ ' was trained to render ribald parodies of hymns. The mock altar was built. On the day appointed the procession marched to the ceremony and the rough cradle was deposited before the altar. Then quietly Stumpy stepped forward. “It ain’t my style to spoil the fun. boys, but it strikes me it ain’t just on the square. It’s playing a pretty low trick on the baby to ring in fun on him when he can’t understand. But we’re here for a christening. I proclaim you

abandoned as having too much personal i significance. When summer came Tommy was carried to the diggings and deposited on a soft bed of pine boughs, to sleep and to play while the men were at work. Soon it became the habit to decorate this rude bower with flowers and shrubs. Clusters.of wild honeysuckle and azalia would appear, and realisation dawned that there was beauty in these trifles .which previously had passed unnoticed and had been trampled underfoot. Then, while the men worked, they began to seek strangely marked pebbles and fragments of varigated quartz that would “do for Tommy to play with.’’ So the transformation of men, and of Roaring Camp went on until the expressman, the only link with the out; side world would say in Red Dog. ‘ ‘ They ’ve got a street in Roaring Camp that would lay over any street in Red Dog. They’ve got vines and flowers round their housesand they wash themselves twice 3 day ! ! ” . Through the influence of a babe common decency came to a camp where men had lived in degradation. | . OUR ROARING CAMP. / 1 The Luck of Roaring Camp is just, a story, -but at Christmas time we are reminded of another Babe. It is a true story this time. He came into a Roar ing —this world of • ours and through the years His influence is at work subduing the wild passions of mankind, and enobling the human race. Not long ago my attention was drawn to the following quotation taken originally from the “Detroit Young Man. ’ ’ . “Here is a man who was born in an

obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter’s shop until he was 30, and then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never owned a home. He never reared a family. He never went to college. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where he. was born. He never did one of’the things that usually accompanies greatness. He had no eredentials but himself. •‘While still a young man, the tide oi popular opinion turned against him. He was turned over to his enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. His executors gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth while he was dying, and that was his coat. When he tv as dead he was taken down and laid in. a borrowcd grave through the pity of a friend. “Nineteeh wide centuries have come and gone and to-day He is the centrepiece of the human race and the leader in the column of progress. “I am very far within the mark < when I say that all the armies that ever marched and all the navies that ever were built, and all the Parliaments that ever sat, ano all the Kings t rat over reigned, put together have not atfec.ted tin life of man upon this earth, as has that One Solitary Life 1 ” ,