red. One spoke casually of having at that instant a charter for a
bank in one pocket, and one for a railroad in the other. They bought and
sold any and all kinds of oil-land in any quantity, without giving it a
thought. While I was in their office, one man exhibited a very handsome
revolver. "How much did it cost?" asked B. "Fifty dollars" (10 pounds).
"I wish," replied B., "that when you go to Philadelphia you'd get me a
dozen of them for presents." A man came to the window and called for
him. "What do you want?" "Here are the two horses I spoke about
yesterday." Hardly heeding him, and talking to others, B. went to the
window, cast a casual glance at the steeds, and said, "What was it you
said that you wanted for them?" "Three thousand dollars." "All right!
go and put 'em in the stable, and come here and get the money."

From Plummer I had to go ten miles to Oil City. If I had only known it,
one of my very new friends, who was very kind indeed to a stranger, would
have driven me over in his sleigh. But I did not know it, and so paid a
very rough countryman ten dollars (2 pounds) to take me over on a
_jumper_. This is the roughest form of a sledge, consisting of two
saplings with the ends turned up, fastened by cross-pieces. The snow on
the road was two feet deep, and the thermometer at zero. But the driver
had two good horses, and made good time. I found it very difficult
indeed to hold on to the vehicle and also to keep my carpet-bag.
Meanwhile my driver entertained me with an account of a great misfortune
which had just befallen him. It was as follows:--

"Before this here oil-fever came along I had a little farm that cost me
$150, and off that, an' workin' at carpentrin', I got a _mighty_ slim
livin'. I used to keep all my main savin's to pay taxes, and often had
to save up the cents to get a prospective drink of whisky. Well, last
week I sold my farm for forty thousand dollars, and dern my skin ef the
feller that bought it didn't go and sell it yesterday for a hundred and
fifty thousand! Just like my derned bad luck!"

"See here, my friend," I said; "I have travelled pretty far in my time,
but I never saw a country in which a man with forty thousand dollars was
not considered rich."

"He may be rich anywhere else with it," replied the _nouveau riche_
contemptuously, "but it wouldn't do more than buy him a glass of whisky
here in Plummer."

Having learned what I could of oil-boring, I went