s.
The meeting between Colonel Starbottle of Siskyion and Chubbuck, as
previously arranged by our "Boston," late of Roaring Camp, is said to
have been indescribably affecting. The Colonel embraced him unsteadily.
"I could not return to my constituents at Siskyion, sir, if this hand,
which has grasped that of the gifted Prentice and the lamented Poe,
should not have been honored by the touch of the godlike Chubbuck.
Gentlemen, American literature is looking up. Thank you, I will take
sugar in mine." It was "Boston" who indited letters of congratulations
from H. W. Longfellow, Tennyson, and Browning, to Mr. Chubbuck,
deposited them in the Sierra Flat post-office, and obligingly consented
to dictate the replies.

The simple faith and unaffected delight with which these manifestations
were received by the poet and his patron might have touched the hearts
of these grim masters of irony, but for the sudden and equal development
in both of the variety of weak natures. Mr. McCorkle basked in the
popularity of his protege, and became alternately supercilious or
patronizing toward the dwellers of Sierra Flat; while the poet, with
hair carefully oiled and curled, and bedecked with cheap jewelry and
flaunting neck-handkerchief, paraded himself before the single hotel.
As may be imagined, this new disclosure of weakness afforded intense
satisfaction to Sierra Flat, gave another lease of popularity to the
poet, and suggested another idea to the facetious "Boston."

At that time a young lady popularly and professionally known as the
"California Pet" was performing to enthusiastic audiences in the
interior. Her specialty lay in the personation of youthful masculine
character; as a gamin of the street she was irresistible, as a
negro-dancer she carried the honest miner's heart by storm. A saucy,
pretty brunette, she had preserved a wonderful moral reputation even
under the Jove-like advances of showers of gold that greeted her
appearance on the stage at Sierra Flat. A prominent and delighted member
of that audience was Milton Chubbuck. He attended every night. Every
day he lingered at the door of the Union Hotel for a glimpse of the
"California Pet." It was not long before he received a note
from her,--in "Boston's" most popular and approved female
hand,--acknowledging his admiration. It was not long before "Boston" was
called upon to indite a suitable reply. At last, in furtherance of his
facetious design, it became necessary for "Bo