roughing it-第26章

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with　little　sympathy。　　The　auctioneer　stormed　up　and　down　the　streets　on
him　for　four　days；　dispersing　the　populace；　interrupting　business；　and
destroying　children；　and　never　got　a　bidat　least　never　any　but　the
eighteen…dollar　one　he　hired　a　notoriously　substanceless　bummer　to　make。
The　people　only　smiled　pleasantly；　and　restrained　their　desire　to　buy；　if
they　had　any。　　Then　the　auctioneer　brought　in　his　bill；　and　I　withdrew
the　horse　from　the　market。　　We　tried　to　trade　him　off　at　private　vendue
next；　offering　him　at　a　sacrifice　for　second…hand　tombstones；　old　iron；
temperance　tractsany　kind　of　property。　　But　holders　were　stiff；　and　we
retired　from　the　market　again。　　I　never　tried　to　ride　the　horse　any　more。
Walking　was　good　enough　exercise　for　a　man　like　me；　that　had　nothing　the
matter　with　him　except　ruptures；　internal　injuries；　and　such　things。
Finally　I　tried　to　give　him　away。　　But　it　was　a　failure。　　Parties　said
earthquakes　were　handy　enough　on　the　Pacific　coastthey　did　not　wish　to
own　one。　　As　a　last　resort　I　offered　him　to　the　Governor　for　the　use　of
the　〃Brigade。〃　　His　face　lit　up　eagerly　at　first；　but　toned　down　again；
and　he　said　the　thing　would　be　too　palpable。

Just　then　the　livery　stable　man　brought　in　his　bill　for　six　weeks'
keepingstall…room　for　the　horse；　fifteen　dollars；　hay　for　the　horse；
two　hundred　and　fifty！　　The　Genuine　Mexican　Plug　had　eaten　a　ton　of　the
article；　and　the　man　said　he　would　have　eaten　a　hundred　if　he　had　let
him。

I　will　remark　here；　in　all　seriousness；　that　the　regular　price　of　hay
during　that　year　and　a　part　of　the　next　was　really　two　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　a　ton。　　During　a　part　of　the　previous　year　it　had　sold　at　five
hundred　a　ton；　in　gold；　and　during　the　winter　before　that　there　was　such
scarcity　of　the　article　that　in　several　instances　small　quantities　had
brought　eight　hundred　dollars　a　ton　in　coin！　　The　consequence　might　be
guessed　without　my　telling　it：　peopled　turned　their　stock　loose　to
starve；　and　before　the　spring　arrived　Carson　and　Eagle　valleys　were
almost　literally　carpeted　with　their　carcases！　　Any　old　settler　there
will　verify　these　statements。

I　managed　to　pay　the　livery　bill；　and　that　same　day　I　gave　the　Genuine
Mexican　Plug　to　a　passing　Arkansas　emigrant　whom　fortune　delivered　into
my　hand。　　If　this　ever　meets　his　eye；　he　will　doubtless　remember　the
donation。

Now　whoever　has　had　the　luck　to　ride　a　real　Mexican　plug　will　recognize
the　animal　depicted　in　this　chapter；　and　hardly　consider　him　exaggerated
but　the　uninitiated　will　feel　justified　in　regarding　his　portrait　as　a
fancy　sketch；　perhaps。




CHAPTER　XXV。

Originally；　Nevada　was　a　part　of　Utah　and　was　called　Carson　county；　and　a
pretty　large　county　it　was；　too。　　Certain　of　its　valleys　produced　no　end
of　hay；　and　this　attracted　small　colonies　of　Mormon　stock…raisers　and
farmers　to　them。　　A　few　orthodox　Americans　straggled　in　from　California；
but　no　love　was　lost　between　the　two　classes　of　colonists。　　There　was
little　or　no　friendly　intercourse；　each　party　staid　to　itself。　　The
Mormons　were　largely　in　the　majority；　and　had　the　additional　advantage　of
being　peculiarly　under　the　protection　of　the　Mormon　government　of　the
Territory。　　Therefore　they　could　afford　to　be　distant；　and　even
peremptory　toward　their　neighbors。　　One　of　the　traditions　of　Carson
Valley　illustrates　the　condition　of　things　that　prevailed　at　the　time　I
speak　of。　　The　hired　girl　of　one　of　the　American　families　was　Irish；　and
a　Catholic；　yet　it　was　noted　with　surprise　that　she　was　the　only　person
outside　of　the　Mormon　ring　who　could　get　favors　from　the　Mormons。　　She
asked　kindnesses　of　them　often；　and　always　got　them。　　It　was　a　mystery　to
everybody。　　But　one　day　as　she　was　passing　out　at　the　door；　a　large　bowie
knife　dropped　from　under　her　apron；　and　when　her　mistress　asked　for　an
explanation　she　observed　that　she　was　going　out　to　〃borry　a　wash…tub　from
the　Mormons！〃

In　1858　silver　lodes　were　discovered　in　〃Carson　County；〃　and　then　the
aspect　of　things　changed。　　Californians　began　to　flock　in；　and　the
American　element　was　soon　in　the　majority。　　Allegiance　to　Brigham　Young
and　Utah　was　renounced；　and　a　temporary　territorial　government　for
〃Washoe〃　was　instituted　by　the　citizens。　　Governor　Roop　was　the　first　and
only　chief　magistrate　of　it。　　In　due　course　of　time　Congress　passed　a
bill　to　organize　〃Nevada　Territory；〃　and　President　Lincoln　sent　out
Governor　Nye　to　supplant　Roop。

At　this　time　the　population　of　the　Territory　was　about　twelve　or　fifteen
thousand；　and　rapidly　increasing。　　Silver　mines　were　being　vigorously
developed　and　silver　mills　erected。　　Business　of　all　kinds　was　active　and
prosperous　and　growing　more　so　day　by　day。

The　people　were　glad　to　have　a　legitimately　constituted　government；　but
did　not　particularly　enjoy　having　strangers　from　distant　States　put　in
authority　over　thema　sentiment　that　was　natural　enough。　　They　thought
the　officials　should　have　been　chosen　from　among　themselves　from　among
prominent　citizens　who　had　earned　a　right　to　such　promotion；　and　who
would　be　in　sympathy　with　the　populace　and　likewise　thoroughly　acquainted
with　the　needs　of　the　Territory。　　They　were　right　in　viewing　the　matter
thus；　without　doubt。　　The　new　officers　were　〃emigrants；〃　and　that　was　no
title　to　anybody's　affection　or　admiration　either。

The　new　government　was　received　with　considerable　coolness。　　It　was　not
only　a　foreign　intruder；　but　a　poor　one。　　It　was　not　even　worth　plucking
except　by　the　smallest　of　small　fry　office…seekers　and　such。　　Everybody
knew　that　Congress　had　appropriated　only　twenty　thousand　dollars　a　year
in　greenbacks　for　its　supportabout　money　enough　to　run　a　quartz　mill　a
month。　　And　everybody　knew；　also；　that　the　first　year's　money　was　still
in　Washington；　and　that　the　getting　hold　of　it　would　be　a　tedious　and
difficult　process。　　Carson　City　was　too　wary　and　too　wise　to　open　up　a
credit　account　with　the　imported　bantling　with　anything　like　indecent
haste。

There　is　something　solemnly　funny　about　the　struggles　of　a　new…born
Territorial　government　to　get　a　start　in　this　world。　　Ours　had　a　trying
time　of　it。　　The　Organic　Act　and　the　〃instructions〃　from　the　State
Department　commanded　that　a　legislature　should　be　elected　at　such…and…
such　a　time；　and　its　sittings　inaugurated　at　such…and…such　a　date。　　It
was　easy　to　get　legislators；　even　at　three　dollars　a　day；　although　board
was　four　dollars　and　fifty　cents；　for　distinction　has　its　charm　in　Nevada
as　well　as　elsewhere；　and　there　were　plenty　of　patriotic　souls　out　of
employment；　but　to　get　a　legislative　hall　for　them　to　meet　in　was　another
matter　altogether。　　Carson　blandly　declined　to　give　a　room　rent…free；　or
let　one　to　the　government　on　credit。

But　when　Curry　heard　of　the　difficulty；　he　came　forward；　solitary　and
alone；　and　shouldered　the　Ship　of　State　over　the　bar　and　got　her　afloat
again。　　I　refer　to　〃CurryOld　CurryOld　Abe　Curry。〃　　But　for　him　the
legislature　would　have　been　obliged　to　sit　in　the　desert。　　He　offered　his
large　stone　building　just　outside　the　capital　limits；　rent…free；　and　it
was　gladly　accepted。　　Then　he　built　a　horse…railroad　from　town　to　the
capitol；　and　carried　the　legislators　gratis。

He　also　furnished　pine　benches　and　chairs　for　the　legislature；　and
covered　the　floors　with　clean　saw…dust　by　way　of　carpet　and　spittoon
combined。　　But　for　Curry　the　government　would　have　died　in　its　tender
infancy。　　A　canvas　partition　to　separate　the　Senate　from　the　House　of
Representatives　was　put　up　by　the　Secretary；　at　a　cost　of　three　dollars
and　forty　cents；　but　the　United　States　declined　to　pay　for　it。　　Upon
being　reminded　that　the　〃instructions〃　permitted　the　payment　of　a　liberal
rent　for　a　legislative　hall；　and　that　that　money　was　saved　to　the　country
by　Mr。　Curry's　generosity；　the　United　States　said　that　did　not　alter　the
matter；　and　the　three　dollars　and　forty　cents　would　be　subtracted　from
the　Secretary's　eighteen　hundred　dollar　salaryand　it　was！

The　matter　of　printing　was　from　the　beginning　an　interesting　feature　of
the　new　government's　difficulties。　　The　Secretary　was　sworn　to　obey　his
volume　of　written　〃instructions；〃　and　these　commanded　him　to　do　two
certain　things　without　fail；　viz。：

1。　　Get　the　House　and　Senate　journals　printed；　and；
2。　　For　this　work；　pay　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃thousand〃　for
composition；　and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃token〃　for　press…work；
in　greenbacks。

It　was　easy　to　swear　to　do　these　two　things；　but　it　was　entirely
impossible　to　do　more　than　one　of　them。　　When　greenbacks　had　gone　down　to
forty　cents　on　the　dollar；　the　prices　regularly　charged　everybody　by
printing　establishments　were　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃thousand〃
and　one　dollar　and　fifty　cents　per　〃token；〃　in　gold。　　The　〃instructions〃
commanded　that　the　Secretary　regard　a　paper　dollar　issued　by　the
government　as　equal　to　any　other　dollar　issued　by　the　government。　　Hence
the　printing　of　the　journals　was　discontinued。　　Then　the　United　States
sternly　rebuked　the　Secretary　for　disregarding　the　〃instructions；〃　and
warned　him　to　correct　his　ways。　　Wherefore　he　got　some　printing　done；
forwarded　the　bill　to　Washington　with　full　exhibits　of　the　high　prices　of
things　in　the　Territory；　and　called　attention　to　a　printed　market　report
wherein　it　would　be　observed　that　even　hay　was　two　hundred　and　fifty
dollars　a　ton。　　The　United　States　responded　by　subtracting　the　printing…
bill　from　the　Secretary's　suffering　salaryand　moreover　remarked　with
dense　gravity　that　he　would　find　nothing　in　his　〃instructions〃　requiring
him　to　purchase　hay！

Nothing　in　this　world　is　palled　in　such　impenetrable　obscurity　as　a　U。S。
Treasury　Comptroller's　understanding。　　The　very　fires　of　the　hereafter
could　get　up　nothing　more　than　a　fitful　glimmer　in　it。　　In　the　days　I
speak　of　he　never　could　be　made　to　comprehend　why　it　was　that　twenty
thousand　dollars　would　not　go　as　far　in　Nevada；　where　all　commodities
ranged　at　an　enormous　figure；　as　it　would　in　the　other　Territories；　where
exceeding　cheapness　was　the　rule。　　He　was　an　officer　who　looked　out　for
the　little　expenses　all　the　time。　　The　Secretary　of　the　Territory　kept
his　office　in　his　bedroom；　as　I　before　remarked；　and　he　charged　the
United　States　no　rent；　although　his　〃instructions〃　provided　for　that　item
and　he　could　have　justly　taken　advantage　of　it　（a　thing　which　I　would
have　done　with　more　than　lightning　promptness　if　I　had　been　Secretary
myself）。　　But　the　United　States　never　applauded　this　devotion。　　Indeed；　I
think　my　country　was　ashamed　to　have　so　improvident　a　person　in　its
employ。

Those　〃instructions〃　（we　used　to　read　a　chapter　from　them　every　morning；
as　intellectual　gymnastics；　and　a　couple　of　chapters　in　Sunday　school
every　Sabbath；　for　they　treated　of　all　subjects　under　the　sun　and　had
much　valuable　religious　matter　in　them　along　with　the　other　statistics）
those　〃instructions〃　commanded　that　pen…knives；　envelopes；　pens　and
writing…paper　be　furnished　the　members　of　the　legislature。　　So　the
Secretary　made　the　purchase　and　the　distribution。　　The　knives　cost　three
dollars　apiece。　　There　was　one　too　many；　and　the　Secretary　gave　it　to　the
Clerk　of　the　House　of　Repr