Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-08
stItfttn storn.
Lots Wife, and How She Saved Him.

Three Of US held joint posses sion of
claim in one of the rural districts
Of the placer-miningc country. AT first
We had excellent success; the sand
seemed rich with dust, and several
small nuggets of the pure ore attested
our risin. fortunes. In Z short time.
however, the yield began to diminish
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
snack at noon; and morning and even
ing "took turns in our culinary du-
ties. On washing days-"few and far
between'-after wrestling nightly
with soiled garments and creek water,
augmenting considerably therein the
alluvial deposit, We were wont to
lounge in triune council, smoking our
pipes of peace, and viewing compla-
Gently our renovated apparel, dripping
and swaying upon the tops Of the
neighboring brush.
The surrounding claims with the
exception of one adjoining, had been
worked out and abandoned long ago
but with pertinacity born of necessi-
ty, We had here ; and it must be hard
struggle which should cause us 10
throw it all up, and leave empty hand
ed. The boys in the next claim were
either "harder up" or more easily dis
couraged than we, for after trying in
vain to sell out, they abandoned their
claim and left the mines entirely-all
but one man, who for some reason best
known to himself, decided to remain
behind.
There were no other occupied claims
within space of three miles and our
nearest point of obtaining supplies
being days journey out, one can easi-
ly imagine that in our isolated stua-
ton the gain of comrade was not a
merely nominal consideration.
Tomkins. the new conner, or slot"
as he was familarly called, was char
acter. Originally New Hampshire
man, and shiftless as only degenerate
scion from the thrifty New England
stock can be, he had emigrated from
the ''land of steady habits" first to the
West, and thence to our American ''El
Dorado" Fated to disappointment he
had drifted about hither and thither,
led by one freak and another, until fl
nally he had settled down i'm the mines.
Lot was famous story-teller, abound
, ing in legendary lore, and rich in store
of quaint old time ballads. In the be-
ginning of his life with US, he might
have been often heard hilariously chant
ing, in high-pitched nasal tone:
The sand with golden dust is thick,
Ho, boys, ho'
Pick up Jumps as big as a brick,
OF California goid!''
, Humorous. easy, and with a strong
dash of egotism, combined with per-
sistent good nature and lively creduIi
ty-such was Lot as we first knew him
at the mines. Eventually, however,
his enthusiasm died out; for, as Lot
! himself expressed it, "rhe darn thing
: was e'en-a-most gin eout."
AS have before stated. for some
reason best known to himself, Lot had
, considered it expedient to remain be.
hind, at the time his partners abandon
ed the claim. Our explanation Of this
was that, to his easy disposition, il
seemed less difficult to shear the ills
!. he had" than to subject himself to the
exertion Of seeking those he ''knex