Sage-Brush Bill [pp. 455-459]

SAGE- BRUSH BILL.
SAGE-BRUSH BILL.
HEN the men who trouble them- but his best and favorite apparel is still
selves slightly, and the world looked after, and is kept ready for apthoroughly, with useless statistics, have propriate occasions. Neither will it be
had a plenitude of work in the estimates wise to conclude that your neighbor with
of mankind they deduce from the eco- the pick and shovel, or he who drives
nomics of cities, there will still be an in- your vehicle, or the other who cooks
teresting field for them in fathoming the your meal, is unworthy to share your
motives which bring travelers into the company, for mental, any more than for
wilds of Arizona. What a change a few moral, reasons, since the causes influyears' residence in the latter produces encing men, in their desire for change,
in a man! Your friend, whom, in I86o, are as potent with those whose educayou knew in San Francisco, wore a tall, tion has been of the highest and smoothglossy beaver, shining boots, and bright est, as with those for whom it has been
neck-tie; but now, his beaver is low- scanty and rough; and as you will rarecrowned, wide- brimmed, and of accom- ly find a man here in whom good sense
modating shapes; boots rusty, thick- and sound judgment do not predominailed, patched, and large-to incase nate, it is wise policy to beware of hasty
the frayed edges of his well-worn panta- decisions on personal appearance. Some
loons; and he knows the full value of a one has remarked, that California's poputhick, woolen shirt, though it is button- lation is an aggregation of keen instincts
less, flies open at the neck, and is guilt- and intellects, gathered from all parts of
less of a tie. Our friend, too, has be- the globe; this is eminently the case in
come reticent, and as devout a believer the Territories.
in physiognomy as a child; he looks, It was my fortune, some time since,
without speaking, into your face, and he while traveling on a long and rather slow
calculates, without intending to be sci- journey through portions of Arizona, to
entific, on the correlation of mental and have as driver an individual possessing
moral qualities, as developed in your in his person what seemed to me to be
countenance. Slang is his great weak- a combination of the various peculiarities
ness, and he pets it; but then, slang is found in the class of men I have been
phonetic- the condensation of vigor- describing. We were alone, the road
ous thoughts, the maulturn in parvo of was dreary and monotonous, as well as
speech. dangerous; my companion was shrewd It will never do, in Arizona and simi- looking, but silent; always on the alert
lar countries, to conclude from a man's for possible Indian attacks, and careful
outward appearance, that he is either an that I was, too. My experience in travel
insignificant or an unworthy character. was considerable, but I found that his
The man who flavors his speech with was greater, and his practice faultless.
the coinage of the country, and deals in Every condition necessary to safe travel
the current, meaningless profanityof the was attended to: feeding and watering
community he is cast into, may have un- animals, examination of their hoofs,
consciously adopted the policy of doing mouths, and general health; scrutiny of
as others do, merely to avoid singularity; harness, axles, wheels, screws, bolts,
I87I.]
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