Lost Lenore Part 59

I knew they must be happy in this belief: for I once indulged in it myself. I could envy them, while hoping that, unlike me, the object for which they were exerting themselves might be accomplished. I had seen many young men--both in California and Australia--yielding to the temptations that beset them; and squandering the most valuable part of their lives in dissipation--scattering the very gold, in the acc.u.mulation of which they had already sacrificed both health and strength. It was a pleasure, therefore, to witness the behaviour of these two young miners, actuated by principles too pure and strong to be conquered by the follies that had ruined so many. For this reason, I could not help wishing them success; and I sincerely hoped that virtue, in their case, might meet with its reward.

Nearly everyone has some cause for self-gratification--some little revenue of happiness that makes him resigned to all ordinary conditions of life.

My two companions wished to acquire a certain sum of money, for a certain purpose. They had every reason to believe their wishes would be fulfilled; and were contented in their toil. Such was once the case with myself; but my circ.u.mstances had sadly changed. I had nothing to accomplish, nothing to hope for.

And yet this unfortunate state of existence was not without some reflections, that partially reconciled me to my fate. Others were toiling with hopes that might end in disappointment; and I was not.

Apprehensions for the future that might trouble them, were no longer a source of anxiety to me!

One of the young men, whom I have thus ceremoniously introduced, was named Alexander Olliphant. He was better known amongst us as "the Elephant"--a distinction partly suggested by his name, and partly owing to his herculean strength. He was a native of the colonies--New South Wales--though he differed very much in personal appearance from the majority of the native-born inhabitants of that colony, who are generally of a slender make. "The Elephant" was about six feet in height, but of a stout build, and possessing great physical strength.

Although born and brought up in New South Wales, his conversation proclaimed him familiar with most of the sights to be witnessed in London, Paris, and many others of the large cities of Europe. He appeared to have been well educated; and altogether there was a mystery about the man, that I could not comprehend. I did not try to fathom it.

Men working together on the gold-fields are seldom inquisitive; and two mates will often a.s.sociate, throughout the whole period of their partnership without either becoming acquainted with a single circ.u.mstance of the past life of the other--often, indeed, without even learning each other's family names!

I was along with Edmund Lee--already mentioned in my narrative--for many months; and yet he never heard my name, until the hour of our parting in Callao--when we were entering into an arrangement to correspond with each other!

The second of the young men I have spoken about, was known to us simply as, "Sailor Bill." He seldom had anything to say to anyone. We only knew, that he had been a sailor; and that he was to all appearance everything an honest fellow should be. He had worked with Olliphant for more than a year; and, although the two appeared to be on intimate terms of acquaintance--and actually were warm friends--neither knew anything of the private history of the other!

As soon as we should have completed our claim on the Gravel-pits lead, Olliphant and Bill had declared their intention of proceeding to Melbourne--to return to the diggings no more. They had been both fortunate, they said--having obtained the full amount for which they had been toiling, and something more.

They were going to realise those hopes and wishes, that had cheered and inspired them through the weary hours of their gold digging life.

They were both quite young. Perhaps they had parents in poverty, whom they were intending to relieve? Perhaps others might be waiting for their return, and would be made happy by it? The joy of antic.i.p.ating such a happiness was once mine; and I could imagine the agreeable emotions that must have occupied the thoughts of my two companions--once my own--to be mine no more.

They were going to give up gold digging--with spirits light, and hopes bright, perhaps to enter upon some new and pleasanter sphere of action, while I could bethink me of nothing that would ever more restore my lost happiness. For me there was nothing but to continue the monotonous existence my comrades were so soon to forsake.

Volume Three, Chapter XV.

A DINNER-PARTY OF DIGGERS.

Our claim was at length completed, and we--the shareholders--with some of our friends determined to hold a little jollification. We engaged a private room in the hotel, where we had divided our gold; and, after settling all accounts, we sat down to as good a dinner, as the landlord could place upon his table.

After dinner, our pipes were lit; and the only business before us, was to find some amus.e.m.e.nt for the rest of the evening.

"Rule Britannia," "The Red, White, and Blue," and "The Flag that braved a Thousand Years," were sung, and duly applauded. The poet of the company then gave us a song of his own composing, which, whatever may have been its merits, met with the approval of the company.

As it was understood that "the Elephant" and "Bill" were going to give up gold digging for good, and were to start for Melbourne the next day, one of the party came out with a proposal, warmly seconded by the rest.

"Elephant," said the person thus proposing, "now that you and Bill have made your fortunes, and are going to give up the business, suppose you tell us all what you intend doing with your money--so that, when we have made our fortune, we shall have your example to guide us in spending it?"

The individual who made this request, had once been a convict in Tasmania. He was rather a good-looking man, about forty-five years of age, and went by the name of Norton. The little bird called "rumour,"

had chirupped about the diggings many tales of his former achievements in crime--all of which, however, seemed to have been forgotten.

The reader may ask, why those of our company, who professed to be respectable men, should a.s.sociate with one who had manifestly been a transported felon?

The answer is, that we were in circ.u.mstances very different from those who might think of putting such a question. Ten or twelve men were required for working a mine on the Gravel-pits; and where nearly all the people of the place were strangers to each other, a man could not very well make choice of his companions, at least not all of them. Norton had bought a share in the claim from one of the first holders of it; and all that the rest of us could require of him, was, that he should perform his share of the work.

On such an occasion as that of dividing the gold, he had as much right to be one of the company, as any other shareholder.

"I will agree to what you propose, on one condition," responded the Elephant, to the proposal of Norton; "and I have no doubt but that my friend, Bill, will do the same. But in order that you should understand what I intend doing in the future, it will be necessary that you should be told something of my past. This I am willing to make known, if you, Norton, will give us a true account of the princ.i.p.al events of your life; and Bill will probably gratify your curiosity on the same terms?"

"Oh certainly," said Bill; "if Norton will give us his history, I'll give mine."

The idea of an old convict giving us a true account of his misfortunes and crimes, was thought to be a very happy one; and the whole company were amused at the way the "Elephant" had defeated Norton's attempt to gratify his curiosity: for they had no idea that the convict would make a "confession." But to the surprise of all, he accepted the terms; and declared himself ready and willing to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Olliphant and Bill could not retreat from the position they had taken, and Norton was called upon to commence. The gla.s.ses were again filled, and the short black pipes relit.

The company kept profound silence--showing the deep interest they felt in hearing the life narrative of a man, with whose crimes rumour had already made them partially acquainted.

"I am," began Norton, "the son of a poor man--a day labourer, and was born in the north of Scotland. Inspired by the hopes common to youth, I married early. In consequence, I had to endure the misery every man must meet, who is cursed with poverty, and blessed with a family he is unable to support.

"The mutual affection my wife and I entertained for each other, only increased our wretchedness. It was agony to see one who loved me, having to endure the privations and hardships to which our poverty subjected us.

"By almost superhuman exertions, and by living half-starved, I managed at last to sc.r.a.pe together a sufficient sum to take me to America--where I hoped to be able to provide a home for my wife and child.

"I had not the means to take them along with me, though I left enough to secure, what I thought, would be a permanent home for them until I should return.

"My wife had a brother--an only relative--who lived in a lonely house among the hills. He and his wife kindly agreed to give my old woman a home, until I should either return, or send for her.

"I will not weary you with the particulars of what I did in America-- more than to state that I went to the copper mines near Lake Superior; and that I was not there a year, before I was so fortunate as to find a rich vein of ore, which I sold to a mining company for 6,000 dollars.

"I sent my wife a part of this money, along with the intelligence, that I would soon return for her. With the rest, I purchased a small farm in the southern part of the State of Ohio; and leaving a man in charge of it, I returned to Scotland for my family.

"I got back in the middle of winter--in December. It was a very cold morning, when I arrived in sight of the hovel, that contained all I loved most dear on earth. It was Christmas Day; and, in order to have the pleasure of spending it along with my wife, I had walked all the night before. When I drew near the house, I noticed that the snow--that had been falling for two days--lay untrodden around the door!

"I hurried up inside, when I saw, lying on the floor, and partly covered with rags, my wife and child. They were what men call--_dead_!

"The appearance of the hut, and of the dead bodies, told me all. They had died of cold and hunger.

"I afterwards learnt, that my brother-in-law had died some time before; and that his wife immediately afterwards had gone away from the hovel to join some of her own relatives, who lived near the border.

"My poor wife had disposed of every thing that would sell for a penny; and had in vain endeavoured to find employment. The distance of the hut from any neighbour, had prevented her from receiving a.s.sistance in the last hours of her existence: for no one had been aware of the state of dest.i.tution to which she had been reduced.

"During the severe storm preceding her decease, she had probably lingered too long in the hut to be able to escape from it; and had miserably perished, as in a prison.

"Neither she, nor the child, could have been dead for any length of time. Their corpses were scarcely cold; and it was horrible for me to think, that I had been walking in the greatest haste throughout all that stormy night, and yet had arrived too late to rescue them!

"When sitting by their lifeless forms, in an agony of mind that words cannot describe, I was disturbed by the arrival of a stranger. It turned out to be the post carrier, who stepping inside the hut, handed me a letter. At a glance, I saw it was the letter I had sent from America--enclosing a draft for twenty-five pounds.

"Why has this letter not been delivered before?" I inquired of the man, speaking as calmly as I could.

"He apologised, by saying that the letter had only been in his possession _four days_; and that no one could expect him to come that distance in a snow storm, when he had no other letter to deliver on the way!

"I took up an old chair--the only article of furniture in the house--and knocked the man senseless to the floor.

"His skull was broken by the blow; and he soon after died.

"I was tried, and convicted of manslaughter, for which I received a sentence of ten years transportation.

"At the end of three years, I obtained a ticket-of-leave for good conduct. And now, gentlemen, I have nothing more to tell you, that would be worth your listening to."