Identifier: selectworksofbre00hart (find matches)
Title: The select works of Bret Hartte in prose and poetry
Year: 1872 (1870s)
Authors: Harte, Bret, 1836-1902
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Chatto and Windus, Piccadilly
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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ble kem his wife and fivekids from the States. H4 DOWS FLAT, It was rough,—mighty rough;But the boys they stood by,And they brought him the stuffFor a house, on the sly ;And the old woman,—well, she did washing, and took onwhen no one was nigh. But this yer luck of Dows Was so powerful meanThat the spring near his houseDried right up on the green ;A ml he sunk forty feet down for water, but nary a drop tobe seen. Then the bar petered out, And the boys wouldnt stay ;And the chills* got about,And his wife fell away :But Dow, in his well, kept a peggin in his usual ridikilousway. One day,—it was June,—And a year ago, jest,—This Dow kem at noonTo his work like the rest,With a shovel and pick on his shoulder, and a derringerf hidin his breast. He goes to the well, And he stands on the brink,And stops for a spell Jest to listen and think :For the sun in his eyes, (jest like this sir !) you see, kindermade the cuss blink. * Fever and ague. f A derringer, revolver. DOIVS FLAT, 1856.
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He eroes to the well;And he stands on the brink, And stops for a spell,Jest to listen anl thLnc DOWS FLAT. 445 His two ragged gals In the gulch were at play,And a gownd that was SalsKinder flapped on a bay :Not much for a man to be leavin. but his all,—as Ive heerdthe folks say. And—Thats a peart hoss Thet youve got,—aint it now %What might be her cost % Eh % Oh !—Well, then, Dow-Lets see,—well, that forty-foot grave wasnt his sir, that dayanyhow. For a blow of his pick Sorter caved in the side,And he looked and turned sick, Then he trembled and cried.For you see the dern cuss had struck— Water V— Beg your parding, young man, there you lied ! It was gold,—in the quartz, And it ran all alike ;And I reckon five oughts Was the worth of that strike ;And that house with the coopilows hisn,—which the sameisnt bad for a Pike. Thets why its Dows Flat; And the thing of it isThat he kinder got that Through sheer contrairiness :For twas water the derned cuss was seekin, and his

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