按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
… Page 17…
LIN McLEAN
and eloquently。
〃What are yu' doing at present？〃 Lin inquired。
〃Prospectin'。〃
Now prospecting means hunting gold； except to such spirits as the boy
Lin。 To these it means finding gold。 So Lin McLean listened to the talk of
his friend Honey Wiggin as the caboose trundled through the night。 He
saw himself in a vision of the near future enter a bank and thump down a
bag of gold…dust。 Then he saw the new； clean money the man would hand
him in exchange； bills with round zeroes half covered by being folded
over； and heavy； satisfactory gold pieces。 And then he saw the blue water
that twinkles beneath Boston。 His fingers came again on his trunk check。
He had his ticket； too。 And as dawn now revealed the gray country to him；
his eye fell casually upon a mile…post： 〃Omaha； 876。〃 He began to watch
for them：877； 878。 But the trunk would really get to Omaha。
〃What are yu' laughin' about？〃 asked Honey。
〃Oh； the wheels。〃
〃Wheels？〃
〃Don't yu' hear 'em？〃 said Lin。 〃'Variety；' they keep a…sayin'。 'Variety；
variety。' 〃
〃Huh！〃 said Honey； with scorn。 〃'Ker…chunka…chunk' 's all I make it。〃
〃You're no poet；〃 observed Mr。 McLean。
As the train moved into Evanston in the sunlight； a gleam of dismay
shot over Lin's face； and he ducked his head out of sight of the window；
but immediately raised it again。 Then he leaned out； waving his arm with a
certain defiant vigor。 But the bishop on the platform failed to notice this
performance； though it was done for his sole benefit； nor would Lin
explain to the inquisitive Wiggin what the matter was。 Therefore； very
naturally； Honey drew a conclusion for himself； looked quickly out of the
window； and； being disappointed in what he expected to see remarked；
sulkily； 〃Do yu' figure I care what sort of a lookin' girl is stuck on yu' in
Evanston？〃 And upon this young Lin laughed so loudly that his friend told
him he had never seen a man get so foolish in three years。
By…and…by they were in Utah； and； in the company of Ogden friends；
forgot prospecting。 Later they resumed freight trains and journeyed north
17
… Page 18…
LIN McLEAN
In Idaho they said good…bye to the train hands in the caboose； and came to
Little Camas； and so among the mountains near Feather Creek。 Here the
berries were of several sorts； and growing riper each day； and the bears in
the timber above knew this； and came down punctually with the season；
making variety in the otherwise even life of the prospectors。 It was now
August； and Lin sat on a wet hill making mud…pies for sixty days。 But the
philosopher's stone was not in the wash at that placer； nor did Lin gather
gold…dust sufficient to cover the nail of his thumb。 Then they heard of an
excitement at Obo； Nevada； and； hurrying to Obo； they made some more
mud…pies。
Now and then； eating their fat bacon at noon； Honey would say； 〃Lin；
wher're yu' goin'？〃
And Lin always replied； 〃East。〃 This became a signal for drinks。
For beauty and promise； Nevada is a name among names。 Nevada！
Pronounce the word aloud。 Does it not evoke mountains and clear air；
heights of untrodden snow and valleys aromatic with the pine and musical
with falling waters？ Nevada！ But the name is all。 Abomination of
desolation presides over nine…tenths of the place。 The sun beats down as
on a roof of zinc； fierce and dull。 Not a drop of water to a mile of sand。
The mean ash…dump landscape stretches on from nowhere to nowhere； a
spot of mange。 No portion of the earth is more lacquered with paltry；
unimportant ugliness。
There is gold in Nevada； but Lin and Honey did not find it。
Prospecting of the sort they did； besides proving unfruitful； is not
comfortable。 Now and again； losing patience； Lin would leave his work
and stalk about and gaze down at the scattered men who stooped or knelt
in the water。 Passing each busy prospector； Lin would read on every broad；
upturned pair of overalls the same label； 〃Levi Strauss； No。 2；〃 with a
picture of two lusty horses hitched to one of these garments and vainly
struggling to split them asunder。 Lin remembered he was wearing a label
just like that too； and when he considered all things he laughed to himself。
Then； having stretched the ache out of his long legs； he would return to his
ditch。 As autumn wore on； his feet grew cold in the mushy gravel they
were sunk in。 He beat off the sand that had stiffened on his boots； and
18
… Page 19…
LIN McLEAN
hated Obo； Nevada。 But he held himself ready to say 〃East〃 whenever he
saw Honey coming along with the bottle。 The cold weather put an end to
this adventure。 The ditches froze and filled with snow； through which the
sordid gravel heaps showed in a dreary fashion； so the two friends drifted
southward。
Near the small new town of Mesa； Arizona； they sat down again in the
dirt。 It was milder here； and； when the sun shone； never quite froze。 But
this part of Arizona is scarcely more grateful to the eye than Nevada。
Moreover； Lin and Honey found no gold at all。 Some men near them
found a little。 Then in January； even though the sun shone； it quite froze
one day。
〃We're seein' the country； anyway；〃 said Honey。
〃Seein' hell；〃 said Lin； 〃and there's more of it above ground than I
thought。〃
〃What'll we do？〃 Honey inquired。
〃Have to walk for a joba good…payin' job；〃 responded the hopeful
cow…puncher。 And he and Honey went to town。
Lin found a job in twenty…five minutes； becoming assistant to the
apothecary in Mesa。 Established at the drug…store； he made up the simpler
prescriptions。 He had studied practical pharmacy in Boston between the
ages of thirteen and fifteen； and； besides this qualification； the apothecary
had seen him when he first came into Mesa； and liked him。 Lin made no
mistakes that he or any one ever knew of； and； as the mild weather began；
he materially increased the apothecary's business by persuading him to
send East for a soda…water fountain。 The ladies of the town clustered
around this entertaining novelty； and while sipping vanilla and lemon
bought knickknacks。 And the gentlemen of the town discovered that
whiskey with soda and strawberry syrup was delicious； and produced just
as competent effects。 A group of them were generally standing in the shop
and shaking dice to decide who should pay for the next； while Lin
administered to each glass the necessary ingredients。 Thus money began to
come to him a little more steadily than had been its wont； and he divided
with the penniless Honey。
But Honey found fortune quickly； too。 Through excellent card…playing
19
… Page 20…
LIN McLEAN
he won a pinto from a small Mexican horse…thief who came into town
from the South； and who cried bitterly when he delivered up his pet pony
to the new owner。 The new owner； being a man of the world and agile on
his feet； was only slightly stabbed that evening as he walked to the dance…
hall at the edge of the town。 The Mexican was buried on the next day but
one。
The pony stood thirteen two； and was as long as a steamboat。 He had
white eyelashes； pink nostrils； and one eye was bright blue。 If you spoke
pleasantly to him； he rose instantly on his hind…legs and tried to beat your
face。 He did not look as if he could run； and that was what made him so
valuable。 Honey travelled through the country with him； and every
gentleman who saw the pinto and heard Honey became anxious to get up a
race。 Lin always sent money for Wiggin to place； and he soon opened a
bank account； while Honey； besides his racing…bridle； bought a silver…
inlaid one； a pair of forty…dollar spurs； and a beautiful saddle richly
stamped。 Every day （when in Mesa） Honey would step into the drug…store
and inquire； 〃Lin； wher're yu' goin'？〃
But L