The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-03-30

Stand stili and let " conscience guide;
Thank God, it can't lead much anissi
90, ieazin' God, but lovin' morel
:, I've tried 70 b IN honest guide.
You find the grave has got door,.
And soruethin' for you tother aide.
=. r. s.
~ h. PETE AND THE FROG. -;
!. Dan de Guile in the Virginia (Nev.) Enter
~ Z 's'-"., Al prise.)
=, Peter O'Reilly Was one of the pioneer
miners of Washoe and ono of tho discov.
orers Of the Comstock silver mines--one
'ofthe men who turned up to tho light Of
day that differing Gre which was the
first OF over $500, 0O0, 900 since taken
from tho great vein then hit upon.
> Before going to work on Six.mile can.
yon; 1T the head Of which tho great dis.
covery Was made, Peter O'Reilly mined
on Gold canyon, long and large ravine
heading on the opposite side of Mount
Davidson, mile south Of the canyon
first named. There he wrong t with pan
and rocker at washing placer gold from
the sand and gravel Of tho bed and bars Of
the canyon.
"Pete'' was fond of rambling away
alone along the meanderings of the stream
in search Of rich spots, where he could be
by himself and mine in his own way.
Provided he could find = few 'colors''
(small pieces gold) he would dig and
pan away for days, quito confident that
his luck would ut length lead him to Z
rich spot and in the end his lakors would
be richly rewarded.
Pete was not only spiritulist, but \
alm believer in luck and all manner Of
signs and omcns. Tho last mining he
ever did on Gold canyon was when he
started in to prospect bar on which he
found already located . ''squatter' in
the person Of frog, which frog in a
short time began to give him great deal
Of trouble.
He constructed small dam or rcscr-
voir to turn The small rill running into
the ravine into little Glitch leading to
; bis panning hole near the bar. The rossr-
voir held but about dozen hogsheads Of
water, and it was soon after this was COM
pletcd and filled that Pete first had notice
Of the presence on his claim of the frog.
He had sunk pit almost down to the
bedrock and had washed out two or three
pans of dirt that yielded we'll. He was
down in his prospect hole digging up and
filling his pun with some par ticularly
fne.looking gravel, when he heard a
small squeaky voice sing out, ''Struck
it I"
Pete was At the time deeply absorbed
in the work in which he WAS engaged, and
the shrlll, squeaking voice ringing out so
near at hand and asking question which
SO exactly chimed in with the chain of
thoughts running through his mind so
started him that his pick almost fell from
his hands. He pricked up his ears and
ooked about him in oil directions to see
whence proceeded the CHEEKY little voice.
lie half expected to see little red.man.
tied fairy standing in some neighbor,ng
clump Of willows, or peering out 1T him
througha tutt Of rank grass growing
along the margin Of the rill:
AS he thus stood gazing about in
open.mouthed amazemcnt the little voice
again piped out "Struck it? Struck it
Struck it p
Turning his eyes in the direction whence
proceeded the inquiring voice. Pete pres.
emily deserted small green frog, mount.
ed on stick which projected IN inch or
two above the surface Of tho water in his
reservoir. The frog was but rod or too
away and seemed, ~ Pete thought, to be
looking inquiringly into his eyes.
''Struck it :" again said the frog.
1T is good omen,'' said Pete. 1.-THE
little fellow said l have sthruck it.
Though he IS no countryman Of mine,
behave in me soul have sthruck it in
this very hole"
So saying, Pete carried the pan Of dirt
he had dug to his panning place, panned
it out, and did not get color. He was
not little astonished ut this result and
had notion to call the frog liar, but
on turning to look for him the little fel.
low was gone: Pete went back. to his
pit and dug another pan Of dirt-listen.
ing oil the time to hear what tho frog
would have to say about it, Not word
did the frog say, however.
Pete washed out the pan Of dirt and got
nearly \ dollar. AHA ye little divil -
cried he, "where arc ye now! I'VE han't
word to say this time T.
Well pleased with his luck, Pete began
digging another pan Of dirt from the
place where he had got the last expecting
rich haul. He had been at work but
half . minute when the voice rang out
sharp and clear: "Struck it Struck it !
Struck it,
i 20, Yes, 70 little fool it. aisy for ye ia
say 'Sthruck it! S,hruck it, afther
seein' what got in my last pan!'
"Struck it! Struck it.! Struck it!
Struck it," cried the frog in what to Pete
Il seemed triumphant tone.
8, IAN right, me bye!' cheerfully assen.