Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-03-29
"CHlSPA."
CHAPTER I.
THE MYSTERIOUS NOTE

In 1865 ! was working on the south
fork OF the north fork OF the Iuba, at
point two or three miles below Sierra
City. was at work alone in a ravine
making down into the river. Half
dozen other miners had cabins not far
from n.ine and were at work in gulches
or on bars in the rivers. All of our
cabins were on the south side Of the river,
and mine was at least half mile further
south than any ofthe others, which carried
il well up toward the main ridge or range
Of hills waling in the stream.
One day at noon | went home to get my
dinner, and on opening the door of my
cabin saw III the middle of the floor
small scrap OF white paper folded in the
form OF a note. thought this not little
curious, a. my door was secured with
paddock of peculiar construction, and no
man could have entered unless through
the :" cat hole" at the bottom Of the door.
As took up the note saw that there
were two or three spots of blood on it,
The note alone was sufficient TO startlc me,
but when ! saw the blood a chill ran
through my veins, and said: Here is
some villiany aioot! Somebody has been
murdered, perhapsl" My next thought was
that some of the boys might be playing
trick on me. Instead of Mt once opening
the note to read it began looking into all
corners OF the room; even stopped and
pccped under my bed.
No one was TO be seen My cat, old
80 Cbispa," was the only living thing in
the place. He came puIring about my
legs as was his habit when | came home;
though often he was out on his own hook,
humming and prospecting about, for he was
Mt l., 4
ot cats.
After speaking kind word or two to
old " Chispa" | opened the note, and as
rca1 began 10 open my eyes. The little
note merely the folded leaf of an ordi
nary memorandum book read rs follows
Juney, 1863.
ns 70 ,,o,m 'ns p',soh ah ,,y "Np sd nans
chat By the hreaking of ladder fell TO The
bottom OF the shan about three days ago. am
a,""e. starved. FOR "oaS saks some 70 my "s
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