Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-06-20
The Leisure Hour.
Lofty WIFE, .f.V.D HOsJ' SIZE
S.SFRD Hin.


"claim'' in one OF the rural districts of the
placer mining country. At first we had
excellent success; the sand seemed rich
with dust, and several small nuggets of the
pnre ore attested our rising fortunes. In a
short time, however the yield began to di
minsh somehow it didn't seem to "pan
out" well. Our scanty washings of dust
grew scantier every day.
There was little chance for romance in
the life we led. We worked hard in the
"diggings" all day, taking our cold smack
at noon F; and morning and evening "took
turns" in our culinary duties, and tho
keeping Of our little shanty. Upon wash
ing days-"iew and far between"
wrestling nightly with soiled garments
and creek water, augmenting considerably
therein the alluvial deposit, we were wont
to lounge in trune council, smoking our
pipes of peace, and viewing complacently
our renovated apparel, dipping and sway
ing upon the tops Of the neighboring brush.
The surrounding "claims," with the ex-
ception of one adjoining, had been worked
out and abandoned long ago but with a
pertinacity born OF necessity, we had clung
TO ours. We had put in everything we had
here and IL must be hard struggle which
should cause us 10 throw it all up, and
leave empty handed. The boys in the next
claim were either "harder up'' or more ea-
silly discouraged than we, for amer trying
in vain TO sell out they abandoned their
claim and left the mines behind them-all
but one man, who for some reason best
known to himself, decided to remain be-
hind.
There were no other occupied "claims'
within a space of three miles; and our
nearest point of obtaining supplies being a
days journey out, one can easily imagine
that in our isolated situation, the gain OF a
comrade was not merely nominal consid-
Grafton.
Tomkins, the new conner, or Lot" as he
was familiarly called, was character.
Originally a New Hampshire man, and
the thrifty New England stock can be, he
had emigrated from the Gland of steady
habits" first to the west, and from thence
to our American "El Dorado" Fated Ia
disappointment, he had drfted about hith-
er and thither, led by ore freak and anoth-
er, until finally he had settled down in the
mines. Lot was famous story-toller,
abounding in legendary lore, and rich in
store of quaint old-time ballads. In the
beginning of his life with US, he might
have been ollen heard hilariously chanting,
in high pitched, nasal tone:
'.The 50 Id with golden dust is thick,
Ho, boys, no!
ick up Jumps AZ big as brick,
OF California god!"
| Humorous, easy, and with a strong dash Of
| egotism, combined with persistent good
nature and lively credulity-such was Lot
as we first knew him at he mines. Event
ually, however, his enthusiasm died out
for, as Lot himself foelingly expressed it
"The darn thing was oen-a-mos gin eout."
As have before stated, for some reason
best known to himself, Lot had considered
II expedlent TO remain behind, at the tim,
his partners abandoned the claim. Oul
explanation of this was, that TO his easy
disposition 1t seemed less di m cult 10 "bea
the ills he lad" than 10 subject himself tc
the exeriion Of seeking those he "knev
not Of" Subsequently, however, consid
erable additional light was thrown upor
this subject.
One afternoon-lt might have been thre,
weeks after the exodus of Lots partners
one of our neighbors engaged in mining
three miles further up the gulch, reinet
into camp on his way back from the city
where he had been to deposit his dust II
the Miners bank and get out supplies.
"Haloo George! Chris Here are let
ters for you r. he cried, tossing us the wei
come missives.
Lot, lettering up with quizzical smile
perpetrated his standing joke
"Well, say, ye ain't got nothln' fur me-
now, Amt yer"
"No, i guess not" returned the other
with peculiar twinkle beneath his bush,
eyebrows; "but thar's a woman an fou
small children on the way, asking for JUS
sich q looking feller as you"
Lots jocularity vanished in an instant
his jaw dropped, and with visible agitation
he blurted out:
"Come naow, none OF yer foolin'i Y
don't pull that on with me r.
"Foolingf Nary tlmei Its sober truth.
A sickly pallor swept over the man
face, and he seemed to shrink within him
self until dwarfed much below his usul
diminutive stature.
"Whatf what's that you say" he STAN
mered wildly.