The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-05-13
THE GREAT GOLD SECRET.
CHAPTER I.

I'm gold digger that's about what I
am. You wouldn't take me for an En-
glishman, would you now? No, nor yet
any one else that knows me but / am,
though.
How old, about, should you take me
for2 "Fifty-five, eh?' Well, they all
guess somewhere near that but I'm just
thirty -seven last month. dare say you
don't believe it and perhaps wouldn't
believe it, either, if I told you that all
this wrinklng and turning grey was done
In one week. Well, it was, and when I
think over it all now, and think that here
I am, alive after it all, I can hardly be-
ieve it myself. Would you like to hear
about it? Well, sit down and make your
self comfortable, and I'll tell you.
It's nine years ago last Valentines
day Ct remember all the dates well
enough, I warrant you) that was at
Frisco with a Yankee, name of Seth
Hickman. We'd met down in Denver,
and stood by each other in a row that
happened there, and of course that drew
us together bit and the end of it was,
we agreed to go prospecting together
and share and share alike"
Seth was sharp fellow and knew all
the ikeliest spots, and could do days
work with any man in those days, though
i amt much to brag on now; and the
end of it was we made pretty good haul.
When We got &c Frisco / thought of
nothing but banking some of the stuff
for rainy day and having a spree with
the rest, and then starting off again but
Seth didn't seem to see it all. noticed
that he looked serious-like, as if he had
something on his mind, for the first two
days after we got into the town and on
the second evening, as we were sitting
over our grog, he spoke out /:
Jim, old boss, I'm a-gwine to tell
yew something that nary soul In creation
knows about but myself for if yew
hadn't been some smart with your Der
ringer when them three skunks went for
me down In Denver they might ha' wrote
tGone up over this child and no man
ever did Seth Hickman good turn, nor
q bad turn neither, but what he got CO.
cOanut for you Tit for tit, yew bet yure
life on that
tsWhen I was In Africa last year I
went up country bit with my rifle, and
thar [ happened on an old Indian critter,
as old as George Washington's nurse,
Twin in hut all by himself among the
spurs O. the Andes, and camped In his
hut for the night. load m
wal, the aguardiente (whisky) In my
Aask war leetle few strong for him, and
he got regular slowed; and when his
tongue got loosened by the Ticker he kim
out wi stitch q yarn as whippud every
thing In Prescott all to fits. He said
TINT when the Peruvian chiefs stampeded
from Cuzco alter Pizarro took it, a lot on
'em got up among the mountains, carry
ing their gold with 'em, till they kim out
on the plateau of Lake Utica and thar,
findin' the Spaniards close on their tTail,
they chucked all the gold into the lake
aud skedaddIed nobody knows where.
And he said that If anybody took the
trail from his hut, north and by east, till
they hit the southern end of the lake,
and then looked out for big three-cor-
nered rock like a pyramid upside down,
they'd jest got to scoop in the mud OF
tine lake whar that rocks shadow fell on
it.at sunrise, and they'd find huff gold
to buy up all Wall street. Now, we've
got money enough to put that job
through, and if yew feel like tryin' it,
I'm In.
I said sdone" at once, and we got our
money together, and slipped down the
coast to Africa as fast as the Pacific
steamer could carry us. The minute we
got there, Seth went off into the hills to
try and get hold Of his old Indian for a