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sluggish miner。
〃Ole Daddy must use up a pow'ful sight of wood； every time I've
passed by his shanty he's been makin' the chips fly。 But what gets me is；
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that the pile don't seem to come down；〃 said Whisky Dick to his neighbor。
〃Well； you derned fool！〃 growled his neighbor； 〃spose some chap
happens to pass by thar； and sees the old man doin' a man's work at eighty；
and slouches like you and me lying round drunk； and that chap； feelin'
kinder humped； goes up some dark night and heaves a load of cut pine
over his fence； who's got anything to say about it？ Say？〃 Certainly not
the speaker； who had done the act suggested； nor the penitent and
remorseful hearer； who repeated it next day。
The pies and cakes made by the old woman were； I think； remarkable
rather for their inducing the same loyal and generous spirit than for their
intrinsic excellence； and it may be said appealed more strongly to the
nobler aspirations of humanity than its vulgar appetite。 Howbeit；
everybody ate Mammy Downey's pies； and thought of his childhood。
〃Take 'em； dear boys；〃 the old lady would say； 〃it does me good to see you
eat 'em； reminds me kinder of my poor Sammy； that； ef he'd lived； would
hev been ez strong and beg ez you be； but was taken down with lung fever；
at Sweetwater。 I kin see him yet； that's forty year ago； dear！ comin' out o'
the lot to the bake…house； and smilin' such a beautiful smile； like yours；
dear boy； as I handed him a mince or a lemming turnover。 Dear； dear；
how I do run on！ and those days is past！ but I seems to live in you again！〃
The wife of the hotel…keeper； actuated by a low jealousy； had suggested
that she 〃seemed to live OFF them；〃 but as that person tried to
demonstrate the truth of her statement by reference to the cost of the raw
material used by the old lady； it was considered by the camp as too
practical and economical for consideration。 〃Besides；〃 added Cy Perkins；
〃ef old Mammy wants to turn an honest penny in her old age； let her do it。
How would you like your old mother to make pies on grub wages？ eh？〃
A suggestion that so affected his hearer （who had no mother） that he
bought three on the spot。 The quality of these pies had never been
discussed but once。 It is related that a young lawyer from San Francisco；
dining at the Palmetto restaurant； pushed away one of Mammy Downey's
pies with every expression of disgust and dissatisfaction。 At this juncture；
Whisky Dick； considerably affected by his favorite stimulant； approached
the stranger's table； and； drawing up a chair； sat uninvited before him。
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〃Mebbee； young man；〃 he began gravely； 〃ye don't like Mammy
Downey's pies？〃
The stranger replied curtly； and in some astonishment； that he did not；
as a rule； 〃eat pie。〃
〃Young man；〃 continued Dick； with drunken gravity； 〃mebbee you're
accustomed to Charlotte rusks and blue mange； mebbee ye can't eat unless
your grub is got up by one o' them French cooks'？ Yet WE us boys yar
in this campcalls that piea gooda com…pe…tent pie！〃
The stranger again disclaimed anything but a general dislike of that
form of pastry。
〃Young man；〃 continued Dick； utterly unheeding the explanation；
〃young man； mebbee you onst had an olea very ole mother； who；
tottering down the vale o' years； made pies。 Mebbee； and it's like your
blank epicurean soul； ye turned up your nose on the ole woman； and went
back on the pies； and on her！ She that dandled ye when ye woz a baby；
a little baby！ Mebbee ye went back on her； and shook her； and played off
on her； and gave her awaydead away！ And now； mebbee； young manI
wouldn't hurt ye for the world； but mebbee； afore ye leave this yar table；
YE'LL EAT THAT PIE！〃
The stranger rose to his feet； but the muzzle of a dragoon revolver in
the unsteady hands of Whisky Dick； caused him to sit down again。 He ate
the pie； and lost his case likewise； before a Rough…and… Ready jury。
Indeed； far from exhibiting the cynical doubts and distrusts of age；
Daddy Downey received always with childlike delight the progress of
modern improvement and energy。 〃In my day； long back in the twenties；
it took us nigh a weeka week； boysto get up a barn； and all the young
onesI was one thenfor miles 'round at the raisin'； and yer's you boys
rascals ye are； tooruns up this yer shanty for Mammy and me 'twixt sun…
up and dark！ Eh； eh； you're teachin' the old folks new tricks； are ye？
Ah； get along； you！〃 and in playful simulation of anger he would shake his
white hair and his hickory staff at the 〃rascals。〃 The only indication of
the conservative tendencies of age was visible in his continual protest
against the extravagance of the boys。 〃Why；〃 he would say； 〃a family； a
hull family；leavin' alone me and the old woman；might be supported on
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what you young rascals throw away in a single spree。 Ah； you young
dogs； didn't I hear about your scattering half…dollars on the stage the other
night when that Eyetalian Papist was singin'？ And that money goes out
of Amerikyivry cent！〃
There was little doubt that the old couple were saving； if not avaricious。
But when it was known； through the indiscreet volubility of Mammy
Downey； that Daddy Downey sent the bulk of their savings； gratuities； and
gifts to a dissipated and prodigal son in the East；whose photograph the
old man always carried with him；it rather elevated him in their regard。
〃When ye write to that gay and festive son o' yourn； Daddy；〃 said Joe
Robinson； 〃send him this yer specimen。 Give him my compliments； and
tell him； ef he kin spend money faster than I can； I call him！ Tell him； ef
he wants a first…class jamboree； to kem out here； and me and the boys will
show him what a square drunk is！〃 In vain would the old man continue
to protest against the spirit of the gift； the miner generally returned with
his pockets that much the lighter； and it is not improbable a little less
intoxicated than he otherwise might have been。 It may be premised that
Daddy Downey was strictly temperate。 The only way he managed to
avoid hurting the feelings of the camp was by accepting the frequent
donations of whisky to be used for the purposes of liniment。
〃Next to snake…oil； my son；〃 he would say； 〃and dilberry…juice； and
ye don't seem to pro…duce 'em hereabouts；whisky is good for rubbin' onto
old bones to make 'em limber。 But pure cold water； 'sparklin' and bright
in its liquid light；' and； so to speak； reflectin' of God's own linyments on its
surfiss； is the best； onless； like poor ol' Mammy and me； ye gets the dumb…
agur from over…use。〃
The fame of the Downey couple was not