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


know that frame, don't you %
eyes, I does p responded Jack.
snow, continued Tom, "ef you should
find That same winlass frame on the old
diggins / mean, which I think will run IN
to Dummy's wouldn't you be sure of it?"
aWell, l would, and no mistake. Tom,
! say, that would be clincher. I couldn't
help but blieye,' added Jack, bringing his
fist down upon his knee with great force.
sand you'd swear to it, Jack, wouldn't
you," pursued Tom with great warmth, ssef
it came to the pinch, and we'd be in fear
of losing them withoiit?''
Gas sure as shootin', Tom, replied Jack,
''on stack of bibles as high as the Sinsin-
eva Mound, if it was needed, we've had
many talks about old Ben's handy way with
a knife, cuttin Gurus things on cane-heads,
ax-handels, picks and frames-why the
frame and beam he has you know is all cut
and carved up--it's a sight to see it. If
your winlass with the fightin' dogs on, is
on them diggins, am bound to blieve, for
sartin, that they're the same ones. You
used that winlass thar on that hill to my
sartin knowlidge,an' if it be on them Dig
gins, then [ am sure"
''Ihat's the way to tell it, ia ok, and no
mistake, " responded Tom. ''To prove that
that same winlass is on them diggins you
come over to my cabin tomorrow mornin
after eatin, asnd YOU and me will go up and
look for i'll say it is there just as sure as
your name is Picayune Jack"
"My name Amt gie-a-yune Jack, I say,
Tom Frost, not by a d-m sight, I'd hav'
you know" pettishly replied Jack, "and
you know it as well as me."
"Never mind; Jsck," said Tom,aI didn't
mean to hurt your feelins-you know the
boys call YOU so. Now, Jack, I will give
you my plan, to get Duminy's diggins.-
You shall be my partner, and share a full
half of 'em-- when we Git 'em. I don't
mean to give one half rent. can tell you,
these landlords git enough, the lord knows,
and if we manage the thing about right
we needn't pay more nor half rent. You
know miner can work in the night as well
as daytime. That's enough. Now my
plan is this: Tomorrow being Sunday, a
heap of the miners will 60 down to see
Dummy's lead, and you and me will 90
down too, an when the most on EN- are
thar, will claim the diggins as part Of
my lead on the HILL You know | can
hold 'em by my old cedar winlass frame,
which they will all see. You know win
lass frame on diggins holds theln-that's
the rule, an I'd like to see the miner as
would say it dident.
/ There was Sam Woodland who won the
suit with Mike Flanagan up to SCRABBLE last
fall, upon this very thing. Mike you know,
had jumped SANS diggins, by goin' ahead
and sinkin' slrole when Same old winlass
lon 'em and Sam hadn't worked 'esn for
more nor 0 months, and that was the pint
on which Sam beet the paddy. Now il
Sam could hold, can hold sure. Tharll
| be huff on 'eIn thar who'll see fair play; et
thar amt, don't know the S5abble boys
that's ALL Eff they don't give 'em tome,
why spose I'll hat to 90 to law, and then
we're sure--we'lf get Nick Todd to help
us on the trial---whiskey will make him dc
Anything to anything we want; well
90 to town and hire. old squire Capias,
who'll manage 5ne kirds to suit him. Eff we
cant come it any other way ,well give Nick
a SWARM interest ,an'old Capias fghtin in
teres in the .lead;and | think we cant then
Be beat no how. I think the game is ours
So Jack keep stiff upper lip, mind what
you're about. Keep dark, say nothing to
nobody, till the right time3 an'we're bound
to win--lay low and keep shady, | say land
we'll bag the game and run with the Scab-
bic gals, as sure as your name is Pie
no john Jack, beg pardon-what say you
jack
at looks mighty like it, Tom ?'said Jack
GAS I've got the plan, think must be
lgoin. Its nigh on to midnight, and I'd like
to close these peppers of mine for short
time. All night to you Tom" finished
Jack as he started for the door;
i "Stop Jack" called out Tom, "before got
go let's take drop on the strength of oul
prospects afore you go; it'll do you good
land keep you from gettin' cold from the
fallen dew. So saying, he reached dowt
the old black bottle and poured out a gooC
swig, and passed it over to Jack, who die
the same.
Fl Tom raising his glass said, slack, here's
q to our success, and to your shine with the
lgals."
"Good, good" responded Jack, as he tos
sed off bis dram.
: AS Jack left the door, Tom called after
him cautioning him to take circuitous
path home, as he might meet some of The
boys coming home from late earousal al
> the Light House, which might excite suspi
lcion.
4 Thus they parted, Tom being well sat
a isfed with the success Of his plot thus far
! Now the fact was. that the old cedar wind
lass upon which were carved the dogs en-
algaged in battle, and which finally convin
seed Jack of the truth of which Tom had de
= Iclared as to the diggings on which the,
stood, was not there, and had never been
I, but on the contrary hay m an old cavee
llhole in the rear Of Toms cabin, where the,
!, had slumbered in undisturbed repose TO
!. the last year and half. About the holt
! that contained it,thick rows of brush fiaC
: grown up and interlaced their branches 81
. closely as to hide from view whatever j
nlheld. and in consequence the frame had es