Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           HoovenhadbayonettedaFrenchChasseuratSedan.AnoldSpanish-Mexican,acentenarianfromGuadalajara,rememberedFremont’sstandonamountaintopinSanBenitoCounty.ThedruggisthadfiredataburglartryingtobreakintohisstoreoneNewYear’seve.YoungVaccahadseenadogshotinGuadalajara.FatherSarriahadmorethanonceadministeredthesacramentstoPortuguesedesperadoesdyingofgunshotwounds.Eventhewomenrecalledterriblescenes.Mrs.CutterrecountedtoaninterestedgrouphowshehadseenaclaimjumpedinPlacerCountyin1851,whenthreemenwereshot,fallinginafusilladeofrifleshots,andexpiringlateruponthefloorofherkitchenwhileshelookedon.Mrs.Dykehadbeeninastagehold-up,whentheshotgunmessengerwasmurdered.Storiesbythehundredswenttheroundofthecompany.Theairwassurchargedwithblood,dyinggroans,thereekofpowdersmoke,thecrackofrifles.Allthelegendsof’49,theviolent,wildlifeoftheearlydays,wererecalledtoview,defilingbeforethemthereinanendlessprocessionundertheglareofpaperlanternsandkerosenelamps.

           Buttheaffairhadarousedacombativespiritamongstthemenoftheassembly.Instantlyaspiritofaggression,oftruculence,swelledupunderneathwaistcoatsandstarchedshirtbosoms.Morethanoneoffenderwaspromptlyaskedto“stepoutside.”Itwaslikeyoungbucksexcitedbyanencounterofstags,loweringtheirhornsupontheslightestprovocation,showingoffbeforethedoesandfawns.Oldquarrelswereremembered.Onesoughtlaboriouslyforslightsandinsults,veiledinordinaryconversation.