[Roughing It<br> Part 5. by Mark Twain]@TWC D-Link book
Roughing It
Part 5.

CHAPTER XLV
8/12

Till late in the night the principal citizens were at work arranging the morrow's campaign, and when they went to bed they had no fears for the result.
At eleven the next morning a procession of open carriages, attended by clamorous bands of music and adorned with a moving display of flags, filed along C street and was soon in danger of blockade by a huzzaing multitude of citizens.

In the first carriage sat Gridley, with the flour sack in prominent view, the latter splendid with bright paint and gilt lettering; also in the same carriage sat the mayor and the recorder.
The other carriages contained the Common Council, the editors and reporters, and other people of imposing consequence.

The crowd pressed to the corner of C and Taylor streets, expecting the sale to begin there, but they were disappointed, and also unspeakably surprised; for the cavalcade moved on as if Virginia had ceased to be of importance, and took its way over the "divide," toward the small town of Gold Hill.
Telegrams had gone ahead to Gold Hill, Silver City and Dayton, and those communities were at fever heat and rife for the conflict.

It was a very hot day, and wonderfully dusty.

At the end of a short half hour we descended into Gold Hill with drums beating and colors flying, and enveloped in imposing clouds of dust.


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