| Show TRUTHFUL JAMES NEVER TOLD LIE Character Made Famous by Bret Harte Dies at Home in California LIVED IN NATURES BOSOM KNOWN BY PIONEERS OF EARLY DAYS Sonora Cal Cat April IS lJames James Gulls Gillis at atone atone atone one time Mark MarIe Twains mining partner and the original of Bret Uret Hartes Truth Truthful Truthful Truthful ful James died today Judge C C Goodwin of oC Salt Lake knew Jim Gillis Gulls as he calls him about fifty years ago ngo In California and was often a guest at Gillis home in Tuolumne coun county county ty t Jim Gillis Gulls was never a mining partner of Mark Twain as the dispatch says said Judge Goodwin Twains friend and second in the famous duel Mark never fought was Steve Gillis Jima Jim brother As fat fai as 1 I know kno Jim Jm GUile Gillis never saw w Mark Twain and was not on oi the Comstock in III the early arh t days I as Steve was WIlS Steve was WIlS news editor of ot tho the Vir tir Virginia ir irginia ginia sinia City Enterprise for twenty years eaTh and worked on that paper with Mark but hut huts us s I remember Jim went to California about 53 9 and lived the rest of his life there He lie did know Bret Harte and t I can call n tell you ou a good story stor about that Harto Harte came to Jims Juns place once broke and nd disheartened Gillis kept him there therea a week welk cheered him up and gave him hima a stake Years afterward when Hartt Harte had bad become famous and was a popular idol among women Gillis called on him one day dIU in San Francisco only to meet meeta a chilling and humiliating reception Gil Gillis Gillis Gillis lis said nothing at the time but next morning he showed showN up at Hartes place and said aid he lie wanted that WJ SO he ho had lot let Harte have hae years ears before Harte gave it to him at once onee Gillis Gulls then said he had forgotten the loan an instant after it WAS s made and would never have thought of o oIt it again if Harte had not mistreated him himI I 1 have helped a good many men man along alo E EIn in my life but I never knowingly helped a scrub and I dont want any scrub to tobe tobe be he under tinder obligation to me said Gillis as ashe ashe ashe he walked out with hI his money mone Character and Philosopher I believe Harte got many man of the Ideas he used in his writing from rom GUlls Gillis Guile was a rare character and a true philosopher pher As far as 1 know he Jle never mar married married ried tied He lie used to talk to the birds as he hI walked along and they the did not tear fear him himI I remember once when he walked with me from his place to show me a trail He soon forgot I was with him and began bega to talk to the birds as WP we w went along alo l I He lie talked to them just as if they the under understood 1 I stood what he meant and maybe they th did I He was waa closer to them than any an human i being I ever knew I remember a larks morning greeting drew from Crom his some som something thing like this Shame on you You lazy laz lark Jark Youre the last one up and the sun greets you He lIe met an owls hoot with Ah ha you old oh burglar of oC the Youre Toure about ready r tb PI g to Geu TM and amI youre oure saying good night this morning and other animals were his lila closest friends and I b believe the more he hI saw of o omen men he more he liked the birds birdsA A Great StoryTeller Ho He was a sententious kindly old fello v vand and md a great story teller For forty years he lIe had been almost a recluse lIe He nad n 1 mine on Jackass hill hilt two or three miles from Tuttletown and I understand ie e made a fortune out of it lie He used to go goto goto goto to San Francisco once every year or two by b way of diversion lint but he loved lot d his country count place better than any other spot in the world The Gillis Gulls boys bos came tame to California from Mississippi in early earl days da s I suppose Jim must have hae been about 75 To 7 years ears old when he died I understand Steve Stee also struck it rich in m mining and that the brothers had been living livin together t ether In Tuolumne county a long time Continued on Page 3 I TRUTHFUL JAMES NEVER TOLD LIE HE LIEI I Continued from page 1 It is generally conceded ed that the two poems by Bret Harte herewith reproduced were Inspired by the quaint utterances of James Tames Gillis Gulls Truthful James Many Man Manof of the other othery verses and writings of Harte had their source so 50 it Is said in Jim Gulls Gillis G III Iso I Plain Language From Truthful James I Which I wish Ish to remark And my language Is li That for ways was that are arc dark And for tricks that tat t are Ir vain The heathen hathen Chinee is peculiar pec Ilar Which the same I would ri to toe explain Ah Ak Sin was his name And I shall shah not deny den denIn In regard to the same What hat that name might Imply imph But his smile it was and childlike As I frequent remarked It was August the third And quite soft was the skies Which It might be inferred That Ah All Sin was likewise 0 Yet he played It that day upon William And me In a way I despise Which we had a small game And Ah Sin took a hand It was euchre The Thc same He did not understand But he smiled as he sat by the table With the smile that was childlike and bland Yet the Hie cards they were stocked In a way wa that I grieve And my feelings were ere shocked At the state of Nyes sleeve sl e Which was stuffed full Cull of aces a es and bow bowers firs ers And the same with intent to deceive d But the hands that were played pl ili j d dBy dBy By that heathen Chinee Chi nee And the points that he made Were Vere quite frightful to see se Till at last he put down a right bower Which the th same sante Nye Nyc had dealt unto me Then I looked up at Nye Ne N e And he gazed upon me And he rose with a sigh And said sald Can this be bee We e are ruined by b Chinese cheap labor And went for that heathen Chinee Chi nee In the scene that ensued I did not take a hand But the floor It was strewed Like the tha leaves leave on the strand With the cards that Ah Alt Sin had been hid hiding hidIng hiding ing ingIn IngIn ingIn In the gams gam he did id not understand tand In his sleeves which were long longHe longHe longHe He had four jacks Which was coming it strong Yet I state but tS And we W found on his nails which were taper What Is frequent in tapers wax Which is why I remark And my m language is plain That for ways that are re dark And for tricks that are arc vain The heathen Chinee Is peculiar pecullar Which the same I am free tree to maintain |
