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


I've worked there g heap o times. After
it piches little ways, it makes for the hill,
as strait as shootin', and runs plum into
the openings. If them diggins which
Dick Sanders and me worked on the hill,
was drifted west towards the branch they
would take in Dummy's claim as sure as
my names Tom Frost. No mistake a.
bcutit. Don't you remember, Jack, work
ed them same digginsgo
81 remembers tothin' about it, Tom"
responded Jack. "You worked about there
SO much, on both sides of the branch, in
the branch, and on its banks, that, blast
me, if | can remember you're workin' just
there"
"Don't knoww echoed Tom, "don't
know why you do know, you mast know,
or we can do nothin', and all our cakes
dough, that's all. You know the time
Bob Steel and ME had the fight on the
hill, about his emptyin' the liquor from my
jug when | was playin' poker with Josh
Lukins, at the Light House, and filled it
with water and I didn't find it out till next
day, when the boys come over and run me
almost to death about it; when Bob come
up just at the time and pitched into him
like quarter boss, and we had it hip and
thigh, Until I got watch-pocket under the
left eye, and Bob three teeth knocked
down his dogs throat. You remember
that, don't ye?"
"Y-e-s, | do, Tom Frost" drawled out
Jack, Sand remember too when a Teller
then and there as the lawyers say, about
your size and build, who cried out alfred
", enough, enoughr Don't you remem-
Der that too, Tom? and how that same fel-
Ter showed as clean a pair Of heels as you'd
see in a coon's age? It's all as fresh Tom,
to Inc, as new laid egg. Nobody who
see that fun will soon forgit it, can tell
We"
'May the devil seize ye, Jack, for a COW
ardly dog" cried Tom in a rage. Cant
you hold such pesky lies atween your teeth,
and keep your eye on the business we've
On hand! Any one hearin' and SEEM you
would think you didn't care two shakes Of
puppy's tail for money, when you can't
be beat for mean tricks in tryin' to get it.
But that amt here nor there. Let's stick
to the pint, like preacher with his writ
ten sarnlon. When that fight tuck place
we was on them diggins. You must re-
member it. Try, Jack, and see if you can't
dig that up out Of your muggy brain. II
you can't make that out, we're dished as
sure as a gun. They are jam up diggins.
They'll make a bully lead, and no mistake,
and if we don't bag the fowl some other
feller viii. Dummy can't keep 'em. He
haint got sense huff to hold on to 'em three
days. Some onprineipled cuss viii pull
the wool over his eyes aud buy 'em for an
old coat, or a jug of whiskey or-eone such
stuff. While they're goin' l don't see why
we shouldn't have a finger in the pie as
well as any on 'em. Now, don't you re-
member the fight was on them same dig
gins I know they was; and eff you wasn't
as dumb as q last years birds nest you'd
know Ii too. If we git that lead, | tell
YOU, Picayune Jack, we're made; we'll be
somebody; wen have pile of rocks which
would do ones heart good; we shan't have
to lead dogs life, and dig, dig, dig, night
and day, through rain and shine, through
thick an thin; not bit of it. Well be
gentlemen, and board out, ride in our owr
buggy, and shine with the girls. Think
of that. Now, the fair sex all round turns
the cold shoulder to us, and gives all then
smiles to them fellers as has the scales.-
We can't shine, no how, but get Dummy's
lead once an we're in town; We'll be hunk
for the party; well be the tallest kind Of
favorites with all the pretty gals for ten
miles around. Maybe ell be run fol
some office at lection, and get to be big
men. There's Jed Ankers, what's been to
Legislature, all cause he got big lead
and could dress well and swing gold
watch and talk big. When he was poor
and dug for Twin he warn't no better mol
you nor me; and he haint got no more
larnin'; bat money made him something
and somebody. Now it all depends on You
rememberin' about my workin' on thai
same lead. You're clarer on that pin
now, haint you, Jack ?"
During this harangue Jack had delibe
rately pulled his short pipe from his yes
pocket, where it and its predecessors hae
J reposed for years, when not needed for ac
tive service, fished from out company o
l old knives, keys, DC, from the bottom o
his pocket, his plug cut pieces therefrom
! rolled them in his hand until soft, cleaned
out his pipe bowl with his old jaoh-knife
! loaded and lighted, leaned back in his chat
: and pulled away most composedly, hi
eountenance changing at times as Tom en-
7 forced his point with some new reason
D When Tom touched upon their probabl
f standing with the ladies of Hardscrabble
+. contrasting it with what it would be pro
: vided they were possessed of large sums Q
, money, Jack pulled his pipe from his moutl
! and looked earnestly at his companion
moment but without saying a word, resu
med it again and sought his old postur
) and commenced again to issue from hi
: mouth great volumes of smoke at regula
f intervals. Upon the question of womer
: Picayuffe Jack had become of late, quit
a sensitive on account of having been jilte
: few days pr or by a young lady, wit
| whom he pub icly boasted he could shine
J Tom, finding Jack hard to. bring up tn
4 point of affirming the identity of the dig
gings he worked two years since and thos
x,-a1l