The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-03
EN- MAsQUE.


she Cas,,cmainc gold.neld, was riddled With
holes, each shaft employing two men, VINO
worked from sunrise 10 sunset, In the nope
Of coming upon a rich pocket. As RUE
they had Htile to grumbie at, When me
rush sjrst set in, the haif-dozen gold-niners
working on the fat had succeeded In un.
cArthing some tolerably large nuggets, ana
were making El00 a week man. Az were
not so fortunate, but there was scarcely u
claim on the fiat in which fair wages were
moi being made, sufficient 10 pay TOT meat
three times a day, drink, tobacco. and Tor
on indulyeucc in the newest fashions
IN wa,er.,icbt boots, fine flannel guern-
COWS. and cabbage.tree hats. The sink'
inc was shallow and easy; there was
NO rock or tough formation to get through.
and the COLDER gutter was generally reached
al A depth OF from twelve to twenty !ee'
from The surface. II occupied but few
hours 10 peg your claim, dig your snait,
erect your windlass, and lay bare the pre-
cjous gutter In which the gold was found.
Some OF the wssh-dlrt yielded Two penny
weights 10 the tub, some TWO ounces. On
Jack Fiat there were many prizes and few
blanks.
As consequence, therefore, everybody
was In the best spirits, and men sang over
their work. The finest singer on the Fiat
was Shad Ryley, whose top G would nave
made professional tenors mouth water.
Shad did not know the value OF that {, as he
had 10, been brought up to The stage, but
there Is no doubt that, had his voice been
cultivated, he would have made sensation
In fashionable circles. He bad everything
in his fayor-yoice, figure. face. He stood
six feet i'm bis stockings, was broad In the
shoulder, bad an eye as bright as sunlight,
and laughing mouth that women that way
inclined could scarcely resist. Between
him and his brother Pat there was won
tierful resemblance. but Pat was built on
smaller scale. He stood not more than five
feet three; he was simmer In limb, aud his
features were more delicaiely cut. il was
true that there was an important gap In the
ages OF the brothers. Shad confessed to thir-
ty, and Pat to not more than twenty, though
the young fellow was rather shy about his
age; boys like to be considered men before
they have arrived at that estate, and that
may have been the case with Pat. He did
not look twenty, and it was plain there was
plenty OF time before him for his whiskers
TO grow. Shad had fine pair OF them,
and could have grown a noble moustache.
Perhaps ii was vanity that prevented him;
il would have hidden his laughing mouth.
The brothers were among the fortunate
ones on Jack Flat. Their claim paid them
at the rate OF twenty ounces per week, and
their hearts were light and merry. The
fret fifty ounces OF gold they made went
flying away across the water in the shape
Of draft, payable 10 the order Of certain
Matthew Brady; aud its mission was 10
bring ont a whole family OF Bradys, blind
mother, lame father, their son Matt,
and not fewer than seven young Irish lasses.
every mothers daughter Of them. With
tears and smiles they babe adieu to their
native land and turned their faces to the
gold-fields, where they were to make their
fortunes, and live happy ever afterward.
There were no greater favorltes on Jack
Flat than the Ryleys, and 1t was pleasant to
see the care the man took OF the lad, giving
him all the light work to do. although Pat
was not bebindbsDd in Willingness. With
everybody who knew them il was Pat and
Shad TO their faces, and behind their backs
they were spoken OF rs the Ryley boys.
Sbad, OF course, stood for Sbadrach, and
Pat for Patrick, but 10 have called either
of them by their full Christian name would
have been like giving them a slap in the
face; which would lead to shindy. They
had Irish spirit with their Irish blood,
although, singularly enough, they hadn't
much OF the brogue. Just the slightest
touch OF il, 10 render it captivating to the
ear.
The favoriie resort of the gold-diggers
after shutdown, when their work was done,
was the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle, a
wooden hotel, the master OF which was
woman. This was as it should be, as most
OF her customers were Irish. She herself,
Rachel Cary by name, was woman OF
Devon; comely creature, not more than
twenty-five years Of age. Her brother had
built ibe hotel in the township adjoining
Jack Flat, and, catching colonial fever, died
Of it, He left the hotel TO his sister, who
proved herself capable woman, and con-
ducled the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle
With spirit. She was not exactly Boadice1,
for she was tender hearted and had fallen
victim TO the snares OF Cupid. She pinned
10 change her name. Cary was good enough
in its way, but not 10 be compared to Ryley.
In YOU have an idea that she fell in love with
The proper man OF the two. the one who was
suited 10 her in years and strength, you are
mistaken. She fell In love with the wrong
man--too often the case with wiful women
Over head and ears with Pat Ryley she fell,
the foolish creature, swapping her fingers
at the circumstance OF his being mere
stripping, while she was full-grown
woman, at least five years his senior. IL
was somew hat reversing the order OF things,
but what are five years, or fifty, for that
matter, or 500, II you please, when Cupid
Is playing pranks with you! 1t IS game,
however, that TWO must play at, II 1t Is TO
lead to agreeable and satisfactory results.
Rachel Cary made hot love to Pat, ana
Pat blushed and twidded his fingers and
bap oH- SnmQti
not always. happens with raw lads-and
absolutely had scarcely word to say for
himself. What made the matter worse was
that il might have led to collision between
the brothers, for Shad Ryley was rs much In
love with Rachel Cary as that headstrong
woman was in love with Pat. 1t was in
every body's mouth, and no man on Jack
Flat could see how 1t was going to end.
Sbad Ryley told Rachel so.
every body's talking about IT," he said
TO her.
"Let them talk" she replied, With toss
OF the head.
"They say they don't see how 1t is to
end" said sbad Ryley.
81 know how 1t is to end" she said
softly, and turned away with a sigh-not
an unhappy one by any means, for she had
made up ber mind to be Mrs. Ryley and,
despite Pats sbyness, she was confident 1t
would all come right.
"In matrimoDy, suppose" said Shad
Ryley.
at shau't be my fault II it DOESN'T" she
retorted as bold as brass.
They had grown into the habit OF talking
to each other in this fashion. She knew
well enough that Shad Ryley loved the
very ground she walked upon, and that she