Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-08-28

loss OF 50 tempting prize as Dummys range
when that prize he was just on the poin
of realizing, he made most herculean effort
to reach the desired spot in the shortes
possible time. He seemed to possess ths
strength of a giant as he swept over tht
hills; spanned the mineral holes, leaped o
yer the stream, and toiled on among The
thick brush which often impeded his way
Such inhuman exertions will accomplish
anything; and they soon brought Tom t
| the desired spot.
With prodigious strength he hurled the
frame clear over the young willows which
entirely surrounded the hole in question
and heard it fall hard upon the stone be-
meath. Carefully separating the branche:
he descended, stepping upon the rocks and
tufts Of grass and sod on the sides SO as t6
prevent footprints from being made III the
soft earth. Having cautiously removed
several of the stones, he placed one end o.
the windlass in the cavity SO made, and re-
placed the stones, quite ingenuously, SC
THAT it wore the appearance of having fal
len at the same time with the rock and dirt
Retraeing his steps slowly, and raising
and brushing up with his hand the blades
of grass which the weight Of his body had
crushed beneath bis feet, he regained the
top, where, after weaving in and IN the viii
low branches so as to resemble their natu-
raj appearance as much as possible, and tc
destroy as elfectually as he was able all
traces Of any person having been there, he
set off to regain his cabin. By this time
the sun began to fling his morning beams
aslant the earth, bathing the tops Of the
hills and Hottest trees in a flood Of golden
| light, and Illuminating the whole heavens
with mild etfulgence which commingline
with the deep blue Of the sky, reflected to
those portions of the earth not yet reached
| by the suns rays subdued yet distinct
| light which enabled person to discover
objects at great distance. To go imme-
Idiately to his cabin, by the most direct
route, might bring him in contact with
some early wanderer among the mines, anc
THUS arouse their suspicious, as it was quite
notorious that Tom and his pillow invaria
/ Dry prolonged tnelf intimate arqualntacf
far into the morning hours. Having de
| termined to sweep quite 9 circuit in his
Journey homewards and in as concealed
manner as possible; he assumed crouch
ing position, as he started. He skulkec
from bush to bush, crawled beneath tht
brows of friendly hills, hid behind tht
mounds Of dirt and rock thrown up from
the numerous holes lying in his course
whose kindly shade gave him opportunity
to reconnoitre the ground over which he
would necessarily have to pass, to ascertain
if it was free from all stragglers. By man
aging thus adroitly, he reached his cabir
entirely unobserved as he imagined; aftel
accomplishing the most difficult part Of hi
scheme to his satisfaction.
/ In this, as in other portions of his ctsn
ming stratagem to wrong an innocent indi
Ividual, his course or conduct during thai
morning had produced the contrary effec
from that he intended, as we shall present
Fly see, although he had been PARTICULAR,
guarded in his movements to avoid thi
very thing.