The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-08

How q Dependent NEIner AZ s.ast
FILLED His sack with Gold.

Some time last spring the owners OF
the Emerson topk up an extension of
that lode, naming It the Concord.
When only FIVE feet down they sold
out-one-third interest to 8. r Suth-
erland, and the other two-thiris to q.
F. Geer, of Boulder, and brother Of
his who lives in ogdensbnrg, New
York. Mr.. Sutherland wss poor
man, but a practical miner. His labor
was put up against that of two men
furnished by the Messrs. Geers, who are
capitalists, and the work Of deve'op-
ment went on. For the first ten or &C.
teen feet good pay Was taken ont
in the form of rusty and free gold.
Then the 'stresk" was either lost OF
played out. Confident that be was on
q true extenson OF the Emerson crevice,
Mr.. Sutherland continued his work
ell summer and fall without faltering,
though the toilsome days yielded moth
ing but barren rock. Week after
week and month after month wore
away, each more weary than the last,
and still no returns. He was getting
in debt and had TO borrow money 10
pay taxes on his little house. Still the
plucky miner picked away at the OBJ
durstely worthless granite, breaking
aud blasting q road in the direction
where he felt sure the treasure iay.
Christmas and New Years came, and
he hadn't money enough to buy the
wife 8 new dress or the baby new
rattle. HIS friends advised him &c
give 1t up. "Kuowing onesf de-
clared 1t WAS only q elbow out"
and he had exhausted the pay
the first fifteen feet-would never get
another cent, etc. All through Janua-
~ he worked on with unabated energy,
but with heart growing heavier as
each day made it seem more likely that
he would at last be forced 10 abandon
his undertaking and yield his hopes OF
fortune. February came. A mort
gage was coming due on the little home.
Creditors grew impatient. The wife.
grown nervous aud despondent on
hope deferred which 'smaketh the
heart sick" spent days in weeping. and
every night pleaded with her husband
to quit and 90 TO work where he could
earn something. At last he began him
self to he discouraged, and made up
his mind to give up the Concord, but
would work the week out. On Tues
day he stood in the bottom OF the shalt
looking disconsolately at the pile oi
worthless "gsng rock" and rubbish
tha, must be hoisted to the surface be
fore he could go down any further
He picked up drill, drew a sigh ana
said to himself ''While the boys are
cleaning out I'll put in shot here just
for luck" By the time the boys had
the bottom cleared the SHOT was in, ard
when it went oil he pat the rock In
the bucket and told those above 70
dump that on ono side till he should
up. This was on Tuesday, bus he nev.
er thought to look after the product oi
his ''shot for luck" until Thursday.
Carelessly examining it then, his prac-
ticed eye discovered email piece
which bore the indispntahle marks
that made his heart leap with new
hope. He hurried down the shaft, got
things in shape, aud by Saturday put
in blast where he now felt sure the
long-lost streak lay hid. When the
shot went off he gathered up sackful
of glittering specimens that, to look
at, would make old Midas himself
smile again. We saw few pieces q
Mr.. Geer's rooms, and could not rest
until we had looked at the whole bag
full. So, in company with friend to
introduce US, we called on Mrs. South
erland, and were kindly permitted to
overhaul the lot-about q hall, lf,bushei--
OF pieces, ranging in weight from an
ounce or two up to seventeen pounds,
aud not piece that does not show free
| gold or the still richer vein of teller
ide Of gold. Experts estimate the value
Of the sacks ct not less than 81 900.
And now Mr.. Southerland is sure tfst
he can work right back toward the
surface, as well as downward and lar
orally along the lode, and find the rich
streak all the way.-BOalder (col.)
| Mans and Courier.