Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-04-08
A MONTANA MINER.

A MONTANA MINER.
Ed Van Thusen!'' As I write the
name, happy days spent in the Rocky
Mountains come back to me in very
leap-tide of easantrecollections.
l was alone in the mountains, in the
service of the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company as mining engineer. I had
been fishing in nameless mountain
brooks, fishing lazily. When I landed
a big trout l generally stretched myself
under the evergreens and admired the
fish; or I celebrated my success by a
smoke. Lazy as my fishing was, it kept
me supplied with food. One bright Oc-
tober day resolved to fix the limits of
the little coal field in the Mullen Pass.
Mounting my horse, rode into the for
est. Soon finding an open space covered
with bunch grass, decided to camp
there, and from that point study the field
on foot. So, throwing my blanket un-
der tree, I unsaddled my horse and
picketed him on the grass with long
rope. tested its length, and, finding
that he could get water, I knew he would
not suffer if / did not return for several
days. Swapping full cartridge belt
around me, fastening my rifle on my
back, | picked up my trout pole and
walked off. A little after noon I had
finished my investigation of the north
ern edge of the coal field. Being hum
cry, l filed pipe and sat under bush
while debated what I should have for
dinner. had a choice between trout,
as yet uncaught, and grouse, as
yet unshot. had forty cartridges
they were worth four cents each; I
could get no more; might need them
when went North. So 1 decided to
have trout. They cost nothing. Find
ing deep pool l soon landed three
fine fish. Then starting fire, coated
the fish with thich layer of clay, and
when the fire burned low placed them
in the Goals. Scarcely had I done so
when [ heard light footsteps, the snap
ping of dry twigs, From out of a dense
growth of young evergreens came
man. Looking at him, 1 summed him
up Fundamentally checking him off
as though 1 were entering recruit on
a descriptive roll-tawny yellow hair,
large brown eyes, long straight nose,
full red lips, square chin, wide smiling
mouth, full of strong white teeth, COM
plexion of milk and roses under a
brownish hue; six feet four inches high,
slender, erect, weight about 100 pounds,
about % years DID, Sharps rifle in his
hand, belt full of cartridges; wonder
who he is; nice locking chap in his new
suit of buckskin. These observations
were made inaudibly and instantly.
Standing motionless he looked at my
fire; then, seeing me, walked at once
toward me. l rose up, looked him in
the face. Our eyes met. Each had
read the other at glance. Holding out
his hand he said, g How! My name
is Ed Van Thusen." I grasped his
hand and said, s. How! Mine is Frank
.Wilkeson. I liked him from the in
slant our hands clasped. Looking into
my fire with curious eyes, he indicated
with index finger the three wedge-shaped
clays and asked, What are those
thingsp' "Those objects that you
speak unexpectedly of as things are
three trout wrapped in clay. They are
our dinner" I replied. Ed looked
amused, and then said, g It is new
way of cooking to me. If it is good
for trout, it should be good for grouse.
Delay the operation. l saw some fool
hens few yards back in theforest. I'll
get coup1e.' He walked back into
the thicket, and soon heard two reports
of his rifle, and in a minute after Ed
came walking to the fire with two head
less fOol-hens in his hands. We rubbed
the clay into the feathers and rolled
more about them until the coating was
of the proper thickness; then the birds
were placed in the center of the fire,
and Ed and lay under the trees talk
ing. He was miner, but, having tired
of the work, had gone hunting and fish
ing in the mountains for q week or two.
His blankets were further up the stream,
in little glen where there was good
grass. "Would 60 up and camp with
him?" I would. So, leaving him to
watch the fire and our dinner, walked
down the stream to my horse, saddled
him, and, throwing my blankets on
the saddle, walked back, the horse
following like a dog. Ed, seeing me
coming, poked the clays out of the Goals
with stick and cracked them open
with a stone, and our dinner lay on the
half shell by the brook when | reached
the fire. We ate, and while eating
planned an elk hunt. We smoked after
our meal, and talked until the sun was
low in the West. Then, shouldering our
rifles, we walked up the valley, the horse
following. Ed had pitched his camp
that is, his blankets-in clump of pines
by the bank of q brook. Across the
water was q little meadow of ten or
twelve acres. His horse was picketed
there. Unsaddling, turned my animal
loose, knowing he would not leave me.
We were high up in the mountains and
in an unfrequented place. Game was
plenty. The trout bit well. The air
was frosty o'nights. One night as we
l.y in our blankets, discussing won,
derial shot had made tibet day q had
missed an elk at twenty yards), the talk
became biographical, then grew conf
Dental. Ed was telling me OF valley
he knew, where he believed there was
plenty of placer gold. when l broke in
an his mining speculations with :~'1