New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-18

cousins and confidential friends. With
this word of explanation ! VIII i've yol so
much Of the history Ct tie brothers as came
: 20 ice in letters Of James, written at San
! Fran cisco in the year 1859. ! have them
here and, as he talked. he drew forth a
; packet Of, perhaps. a dozen letters, much
! worn, creased and soiled, and held them III
! his hand but have no NEED 10 rtcur 10
+: item. as have read them many times.
! We'll, from The point OF separation the
I Wilson's continued in a southeas'er!v dlIec-
! lion. They 1t first Travelled with every pre-
! caution against surpIise, hut finally relaxed
! their vigilance. as ;Eey were seemingly De-
!. yond the range Of hostile tribes.
/. ..At last they reached greer and mar
/: row valley, walled in by precipifous noun
(: ,ains, around which meandered, over and
! among bow lders Of richly cOlored rock Ard
: across beds of smooth and shining pebbles,
+: tie limpid waters OF a sEoW-feG stream
T; Here tIev determined TO rest and recruit
!. the mseives and their jaded animals, White
! hey ltisurelv and thoroughly prospected
! to! GOLD the region Immediately about them.
/: "D.eiriug TO remain in the valley :0r
| s, NE tine. they concluded 70 put up rude
! log cabiu. which wou!d protect their camp
a. cGuipage. and. pierced with loop h' les, fort
J fash ion. wOu!d serve as d defense n case o.
! an Indian attack.
"On tie morning after their arrival.
: Henry began to cut timber out OF which to
! construct the temporary home and fortress.
! while James went forth. gun in hand. I" re-
| flemish their Impoverished larder. Abou.
J zen O'Clock be killed deer, " hicl he shout
, dered and started for camp, He reached
| he little stream. persPiring and thirsty, for
lie day WAS warm, and threw his lump bur.
I den down apon a pebbly bar. while he
: stopped 20 re! Il drink.
NO sooner had his lips touched the water
| than his eye as arrested by the sparkle @.
! certain small objects scattered among the
.Ee aler.: and so. plunging bis hand into
; 'he pc!lucid waters. he drew forth a hand
/; tui OF the grave! for examinatit
IL was gold:
Yes. :Eere it was. in coarse. yellow
! grains and lumpe-richer than a dream. He
! dropped suddenly 70 examine the bar on
which he stood. 1t. too. was gorge,L with
! 'he gI!.tering metal, aud he rose with
| whOop OF JOY that made the woods echo
and brought Henry running to the spot. for
| he had Heard if.and recognised his brothers
| voice Oh the other side OF the little valley.
| You can imagine their fcstacy. They had
| known poverty all their lives. and there
| before them was wealth, sudden. splendid.
exhaus:less. But must not ljnger. Wolk.
| ing together they finished the cabin that
day. and the next began to gather The gold.
! weeks time they had heaped together a
marvellous quantity Of it. and began to con.
! template u return.
| Life was now precious. and after think.
| ing il over and weighing !he chances for
! and against the practicabilitv of getting
back Hnmoleeted. they were convinced that
! il was best 70 remain where they were until
the volunteer forces Under Genera; Lane.
| which they knew were on their way. had
reached the hostile country aud relieved
tie hard paths OF mountain travel from the
willy foe that lurked upon every step. Hav.
:rg made ar excavation in the centre Of
their cabin fl 'or. they lined it carefully
with rock. and. in the vault thus formed.
deposited their treasure. lied up in bags Of
dried and addressed deeiskin. This was
done in ease an attack from the Indians
should compel them TO tee. wher, 81 course.
it would be Impossible TO carry TIE heavy
metal.
bat no attack was made. aud, after the
lapse OF several weeks, they arose one nom.
il z and agreed that It was time 20 be upon
the bon eward trail. The sheeny tores; leaves
waved in the sot. winds of the morning. and
the fresh air was musical with the songs Of
birds. as. fully armed. they strobe torti.
spiritediy to bring in their horses. which
had grown lat and vigorous upon The bonn.
t!tu! pasture.
+ The cabin .too,! near the stefan in tue
edge If The wood. and " hen they had ap.
preached 20 within forty yards OF il. sud.
denly a score Of rifles c!asbed HPon them
from the bank. followed by the terrific war
! cry Of the Shdstas.
"Henry. who ii happened was IN from, If
! .Famt $. leading two of tine horses. sank
! with ii deadly groan. his horses fearing and
+: falling at :he same time. The Indians burst
| iron, their cover and sprang forward with
! al! the echoes Ut pandemonium. James
! emptied bis rifle with fatal aim among
#; them and drew his revolver. The Indians
; knew the kind of music they had to face.
and having neglected 20 reload. dashed
! back /" The cover OF the bank. The ,eso.
! lutte miner saw his salvation in this move.
men'. and. hastily tossing moose. halter
over the head of the only horse that re.
NAMED uuirjured, leaped upon his back
d! and was our of Immediate danger in an in.
| staDt--careeIiDg down the valley with the
scattering shots Of the enemy singing over
| his head. The war party being afoot. he
was No. followed, and finally reached the
! frontier settlement after "a journey of in.
credible hardship.
"As the Indian war continued without
abatement. he took passage for San Fran.
cisco IN order to obtain medical advice in
regard 20 his health, which exposure and
pr.vat.on had badly broken. Then il was
tina: he began The correspondence with me-
was in Chicago at the time.
unexpectedly receiving news OF his
ieatii IN the fall O! 1859, fastened TO San
francisco. and received from the hands of
his !andlard a little bundle of papers.
among which found this. Read it: no ex-
p,ana;:on is rrGu!.ed.'
He handed :e folded shce: of paper, On
which ii letter had been begun in a cramp.
ed. nrSain!y. but stiil iegible hand. Here
Il Is:
SAN FRANCISCO. October .i isj1.
DEAN CorsIS--l had hoped to see you
here before tits but the end has come sooner
Khan expected. / ,!rcaILed Of that cabin
in the wilds of Oregon. last nigh! and saw
poor Harry fall again before the eowarG!y
ehots of those skulkipg Shastas: and think
Il Is nearly over. | must write " hat | 10
tended to have spoken. ard endeavor 70
give you such directions as will enable You
10 find the cabin. for you must iind it, Theo.
dore. and enjoy its hidden gold. III" first
part OF your course IL plain enough: start
from Jacksonville aud keep the California
road for
Here the hand Of death stayed the reve.
iating pen. and there remained only black
ana shapeiess ink blot as a fit emblem of
the mystery that wrapped the whereabouts
OF Che lost cabin. turned from the paper
and looked at Harper--:or such was She
name by which he had introduced himself
10 me.
''Tha; is al Snow about it," -aid lie.
land here is my proposition: Let us jointly
purchase an outfit, and spend the summer
in the mountains of Southern Oregon.
With the ciew We have, l verify believe
that we shall find the cabin
Il am with YOU. and gave him = stead
fast grip.
Harper flushed with pleasure az the
prompt and hearty acquiescence. and We
sat talking over the details of our exped.
tlen until the gray eye Of dawn looked in,
and, with a cold and unsympathizing stare
admonished lis that our sitting had been