The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-04-20
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day that RlitteriBg orc which was the
irst Of 600 90, 900 slnoe taken from the
great veln then hit upon.
Before going TO work on slI.mile can
yon, ST the head Of which the great Ill
yer discovery was made, Peter O'Rielly
mined on Gold canyon, long and large
ravine heading on the opposite side Of
Mount Davidson, q mile south Of the
canyon first named. There be wrought
\ with pan and rocker At washing placer
gold from the sAnd and gravel Of the bed
snd bars Of the canyon.
Pete was fond Of rambling away alone,
along the meAnderings OF the stream, in
search Of rich spots, where be could be
by himself and mine in his own way. .--
Provided be could find a few 'oolors'
I (sman specks Of gold, be would dig and
pan away for days, quite confident that
/ his luck would at last lead him to the
right spot, and that in the end bis labors
would be richly rewarded.
Pete was not only = spiritualist, but
also a firm believer In luck and in all
manner Of signs and omens. The last
mining be ever did on Gold canyon was
when he started in to prospect bar on
which he found already located squat
ter In the person Of a frog, which frog
began in short time to give him great
deal oftrouble.
He constructed small dam or reser.
voir to turn the small rill running in the
rayine into a little ditch leading to his
panning. hole near the bar. The reservoir
held but about a dozen hogsheads of
water, and 1t was soon after this was
completed and filed, that Pete first had
notice of the presence on his claim Of the
frog. lie had sunk a pit almost down to
the bedrock, and had washed out two or
three pans OF dirt that yielded well. He
was down in his prospect hole, digging
up and filling his pan with some partic-
uarly fine looking gravel when be heard
small, squeaky voice sing out: Struck
/ it?
Pete was at that moment deeply alb
sorbed In the work in which he was en-
gagged, and the shriIl, squeaking voice
ringing out so near at hand, and asking
question that so exactly chimed in with
the train of the thought running through
his head, so startled him that his pick
almost fell from his hands. He picked
up his ears and looked about in all direc-
tious to see whence proceeded the CHEEKY
little voice. He half expected to see a
little red-mantled fairy standing in some
neighboring clump of willows, or peer
ing out at him through tuit Of rank
grass growing along the margin OF the
rill.
AS be thus stood gazing about In open
mouthed amazement, the little voice
again piped out: Struck it7 Struck it3
Struck it2
Turning his eyes In the direction
whence proceeded the inqniring voice,
Pete presently deserted small green
frog, mounted upon stick that projected
an inch or two above the surface of the
water In his reservoir. The frog was
but rod or two away, and seemed, as
Pete thought, to be looking inquiringly
iuto bis eyes.
Struck 1t? Struck it2 again said the
frog.
1t is good omen, said Pete. The
little fellow says have struck 1t. Though
he is no countrymAn Of mine, believe !
have struck It In this very hole.
So saying, Pete carried the pan Of dirt
he had dug to his panning place, panned
it ont, aud did not get color. lie was
not little astonished at this result, and
had notion TO call the frog a liar; but
on turning TO look for him the little fel-
low was gone. Pete went back to his
pit aud dug another pan of dirt-listen-
ing all the time to hear what the frog had
TO say about 1t. Not word did the frog
| Say hoNNNSi'
Pete washed out the pan Of dirt and
got nearly dollar. Ahal cried he,
where are ye now? Ye hadn't word to
say this time!
Well pleased with his luck, Pete be-
gan digging another pan OF dirt from the
place where he had got the last, expect
/ ing rich haul. He had been at work
but half q minute, when the voice rang
out, sharp and clear; Struck it5 Struck
liz?
Oh, yes; it's aisy for ye to say, Struck
iii Struck i'll after seeing what got In
me last PAM
Struck ity Struck it7 Struck 1t?
cried the frog, In what to Pete seemed q
triumphant tone.
All right, me byel cheerily assenied
Pete, noddiug his head toward the little
fellow that sat winking and blinking on
the end Of the stick. All right, me bye
-Ay course I've struck III
lie carried the pan TO bis water hole,
washed II out, and didn't get a color
Hes the wArst liar | ever sawl cried
Pete, rising up from his work aud shsk-
ing bis fist in the direction Of the frog.
Not sign OF the frog did be see, how
ever, The little fellow having very pru-
IDENTIFY retired TO the bottom OF the reser-
yoir.
Pete grumbled for time, and then
went and dug another pan Of gravel. -
The frog again stuck bis bead above the
wAier aud said Struck III aud sgsin
the dirt Yielded no gold when washed
out Thus It went on; when the frog