Smyrna times., 1870-02-16
MiSc.e/LUReO f o as.
" Early Days " in Nevada.
BY MARK TWAIN.

One of the curious features of Pacific coast
life is the startling uncertainty that marks a
mans career in the mines. He may spring
from poverty to wealth so suddenly as to turn
his hair white, and then after awhile he may
become poor again so suddenly as to make all
that white hair fall off and leave his head as
clean as a billiard ball. The great Nevada
river excitement of $3.50 was prolific in this
sort of vieissitudes.
Two brothers, teamsters, did some hauling
for man in Virginia City; and had to take
small segregated portion of silver mine in
lieu of $500 cash. They gave an outsider a
third to open the mine, aud they went on team
ing. But not long. Ten months after the
niue was out of debt and paying each owner
$1,000 to $4,000 a mOnth-say 100000
year. They had that handsome income for
Just about two years-and they dressed In the I
Oudest kind of costumes, aud wore mighty |
diamonds, and played poker for amusement, |
these men Who had seldom had twenty dollars
ut one time in all their lives before. One of
them is tending bar for wages, now, and the |
other is serving his country as COmmander-in-
Chief of street car in San Francisco at seven
y-fye dollars a month He was very glad to
get that employment, too. |
One of the earliest nabObs that Nevada was
delivered Of wore $4,000 worth of diamonds in
he couldn't spend his money as fast as he
made it. But let US learn from him that per-
sstsnt effort is bound to achieve success at
last. Within year time his happiness was
secure; for he hadn't cent to spend.
Another Nevada nabob boasted an income
that often reached SIC, 900 a month; and he
used to love to tell how he had worked in the
very mine that yielded it, for IS day, when
he first came to the country. Three years
sfterward be attained to the far more exceed
ing grandeur of working in it again, at four
dollars day. '"'''~ = ''''f .''
The silver and sage-brush State has knowl-
edge of anOth of these pets of fortune
lifted from actual poverty to afhuence almost
in single night--whO was able to offer $780,
OO0 tor position OF high official distinction,
shortly afterWard, and did offer it-and a little
over year ago a friend saw him shovelling
snow on the Pacific Railroad tor living, away
up on the summit of the Sierras, some Z, 200
feet above the level of comfort and the sea.
The friend remarked that it must be pretty
hard work, though as the snow was twenty
I've feet deep, it promised to be steady Job
At least. Yes, he said, he didn't mind it noso
though a month or so ago, when it was sixty
two feet and still a showing, he wasn't so mucf
attached to it, Such is life
Then there was John Smith. That was no
bis name, but we will call him that. He wa
agOod, honest, kind-hearted fellow, born ant
reared In the lower ranks of life, and miracu
Oasly ignorant. He drove a team, and tn
team belonged to another man. By-and-by h.
nzrrled an excellent woman-whO owned
:aall ranch-a ranch that paid them a com
iortable living for although it yielded but littl
bay, what little it did yield was worth from
szoO TO- $500 in gold per ton in the market
rfesently Smith traded a few acres of tn
inch for a small undevelOped silver mine i
uOd Hill. He opened the mine and built a
apretending ten-stamp mill Eighteen month
msrWard he quit raising hay, for his minin
SSeome had reached a most comfortable figure
come people said it was worth $50, 1000 month
a@ others said it was worth $6O,000. Smit
ss very rich anyhow He built house Ou
nme desert-right in the most forbidding an
OaerWise bowling desert-and it was eertainl
Eported that the house cost him quarter G
snlilon. Possibly that was exaggerated some
wat though it certainly was a fine house an
piece. : - - -
Well Smith is dead And when he died
sat worth cent. The lesson of all this I
~ one must learn holo to do everything
"A rs-one must have experience IN being ric
fore rSfe ne can remain rich. The history
ho'Sa will prove this to your entire satifa
~ sudden wealth is an awful misfortur
me average run of men. Its wasting breal
Instruct the reader after this fashion, thoug
10 man was ever convinced of it yet till f
u1ed 1t himself-and | am around no
ng Tor man who is afraid to try it.
-sa y, thad any luck, so far. s-sf 49, =
s a. the early pioneers of California acquir
da @@ less wealth, but an enormous major
lem haven't got any now. Those tn
~ got It slowly and by patient toll.
0@ reader has heard of the great Gould
sh..V silver mine Of Nevada. / believe
Me- are still quoted IN the stock sales in q
fts, s9rk a9rk papers, The claim comprised l,2
a@ Y remember rightly, or may be ID "
H.. and think it all belonged originally
oylen whose names it bears. Mr.. Cur
mlSs two-thirds of it--and he said that
esI out for twenty-five hundred dollars,
n,ss and an old plug horse that ate mp
das'eet yaluein bay and barley 10 sevente
n1 The watch And he said that Gor
bsssM Tor . pair of secondhand Governnie
mss sts ;s, and a bottle Of whisky that killed nj
Tia, - Three hours. aud an unoffendiDe strans
#yea,s smelt the cork was disabled for life. Fc
VA aIterward the mine thus disposed
n;lss sorth 10 the San Francisco market sew
ola ;% SIX hundred Thousand dollars in &c
sho ~ sse early days poverty ty-stricken Mexic
Gty. Ico Isoo IN canon right back of Virgil
@sa stream Of water as large as u ma