The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1879-12-06

disappeared then he toux his pack and
other things, ana made hiscamp under
great pine tree that stood ;gainst tall.
steep rock that would give ,im shelter
gathered some dry wood for lis eyenino
meal, and took look about hin. The
place was Slight depression OF about
twenty acres, where during the We sea-
son the water had trlckled down and
formed a little rivulet running throu,b
the grass until it had lett visible line e
worn pebbles to mark its meandering
course for some ninety yards Ii was
on top Of the ridge, and many hundreds
of miners had passed it daily without
supposing gold could be found in such a
place. Eut Whisky Bob was a believer
in luck, destiny, or whatever we may
choose to call ii, and more particularly,
he had strong belief III his own good
luck, especially in his relations to the
talr sex.
He took his rocker and pat il in work
ing order down the ridge by a little pool
OF water, ted by a small stream, where
he could bring his dirt and wash out for
half an hour, and then packing down
more while the pool was filing with wa
Ter again.
Next he went and rolled away the rock
where Nell had been sitting and singing
by the dry pebbles of the riyulet, and
taking his pick, commenced digging out
d ditch in the grass, about two feet deep
and "oiect wide, down stream, and took
the dirt to bis rocker. lie worked until
sunset, only 1inuing about s:N bits 81
coarse gold, but in his last bucket, when
washed out, he found 4 good solid piece
ot gold weighing three ounces. This
encouraged him, and frightened his
hopes for the future. There ,oas gold
there, lie had now found 10 be a fact.
Under the very roots Of TIC grass he
found bIac'., volcanic, pevdcry dirt &C
casionaIIy, and this seemed 10 he the
strata that held the gold Bob slept the
sleep of the righteous and sober that
night and dreamed of pretty Nell and
big pieces OF gold.
In the morning he rose Dy daylight,
and after his breakfast of fiicd pork and
coffee, ending with his usual snokc Of
his pipe, he went 10 work agaln, deter
tcrniincd to work the place out for Nell's
sake, ii he did not make q fortune.
He worked hard and steady through
the day, only stopping ut noon for some
coffee and asmokc beneath his Linetree
camp. Tie sun was very hot. Mt lie
didn't mlnel it At night when he washed
out the result Of the day 81 hard toll. he
only had dollars worth 81 coarse gold: :
but he found little piece Of blue ribbon
Neil bad lost from her han. This CON
soled him amply, as hekissed II and said
to himself: .'Bob, better luck, ,to morrow. :"
lis claim was what miners call every
spotted, for the gold was scattered IL
spots here and there The next day and
the next labor brought the same results,
about enough TO pay expenses, 81 as the
miners call il, grub money
The fourth day, Just before me washed
out, in his rocker Of dirt, at sunset, he
found two pieces Of gold one worth n
hundred and tii'. dollars, the other, full
two hundred. Bob was happy That night,
and tied tie blue ribbon with a leather
string about his neck. 50 that X could
resi- on his heart The next two Gays
brought no big pieces, but the seventh
ne took pieces Of gold from the clay like
cement Weighing about seven hundred
dollars. 1t WAS cafk.colored GOLD, pref
tY solid, and twisted INTO strange shapes,
with ko!cs IN il, but moi appearing much
Worn, 81, III mining pallance, washed. y
When tie miners pissed him daily on
their way over the divide they stopped
toasll what his luck Wds, and when they
saw Il Very little coalse gold iii lis pan
they laughed II him. But Bob sept his
umrso ot oollin his pocket, W buried
them beside tie rock i'll his camp In
tins way he worked on, taking sometimes
large pieces OF gold out, halt IL iarge al
Nell's little fist, and then for days very
httlc
Wien he went down to tie nearest
trading tent for his supplies, It was some
temptation 70 see and smell the whisky,
as the miners were drinking ana carry
ing It oil II bottles slowed away in their
pockets and under their shirt bosoms
But Bob could feel the bow OF blue rib
bon over his heart, and resisted all temp
tatlon; and as lie went up his steep path
on the mountain side. beneath the pine
trees Witha heavy sack on his shoulders,
he could look down, and see altar III the
break Of the forest where NelI's home
was; and telt that he had kept his prom
ise to her. And, besides, was he not
proving he could be IA man again? But
he determined he would not seek Nell
for some time yet.
The days and weeks passed by. bnt
Bob toiled on, determined to work out
his clam thoroughly. He dug down
stream, until over the edge Of the flat it
became 50 steep no show Of gold could
be found, and then dug holes and cross
bitches to see il the little depression OF
the mountain bad any more chunks OF