The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-02-17
mined to work the gold out for Nelps
sake, If he did not make q fortune

hcn mind 1t. AT night, when he washed
out the result Of the days hard toll, he
onl y had dollars worth of coarse gold
but he found little piece of blue ribbon
Nell had lost from her hair. This con-
soled him amply, as he kissed 1t and said
to himself, Bob, better luck to-mor-
row. His claim was what miners call
every spotted" for the gold was scat
tered in spots hero and there. The next
day and the next, his labors brought him
the same result-about enough to paw
expenses, or as the miners call it, grub
| money"
The fourth day, just before he washed
out, In his last rocker of dirt, at sunset,
he found two pieces of gold, one worth
$3.50, the other full 5000. Bob was
happy that night, and tied the blue rib
bon with leather string round his neck,
30 that it could rest on his heart Th5
next two days brought no big piece, but
tho seventh he took pieces Of gold from
the clay-like cement weighing about
500. II was dark colored gold, pretty
solid, and twisted into strange shapes.
with holes in it, but not appearing much
worn, or, in mining parlance, "washed,"
When the miners passed him daily on
their way to the divide, they stopped to
ask what bis luck was. and when they
saw O very little coarse gold in his pan,
they laughed at him. But Bob kept his
Jumps of gold in his pocket, or buried
them beside the rock in his camp. In
this way he worked on, taking sometimes
large pieces of gold out, half as large as
Nell's little fist, and then for days very
little.
He now examined and weighed his
nd k1,ol l. l. L.
mostly in heavy pieces. This was a pretty
good fortune for seven weeks dieoin4
and Bob felt an unconquerable longing to
go and tell Nell all about it. The next
morning by daylight he cleared up.
packed up his things and started down
the ridge to the nearest trading tents.
But in his blankets, carefully strapped
out of sight, was heavy bag of gold in
place of a whisky bottle.
1t was early in the day yet, and Bob
set out to find the ranch of Nelly's peo-
pie, leaving his pack, except the blanket
containing the gold, which was slung
over his shoulders on his pick handle.
In a little over q miles walking he
found a pretty valley at the mouth of
the creek, where some new log houses,
fences and clearings indicated Nelrs
home.
In back room, with her white. strong.
beautiful arms bare to the shoulder
stood pretty Nell at the washtub, very
busy IN stream of soapsuds and Ken
lucky jeans, singing free as a bird.
Bob put down his pack and walked in.
but Nells quick ear heard, and she
flushed and her eyes sparkled.
SWb6tt Rob ic Shok <,o,.
last? in store clothes, too?" said she
glancing with bright eyes at the Young
man, and with poorly disguised pleusure
Certain, sure, Nell; you said might
come"
eyes, Bob! but how about the
whisky?"
"Nell, I haven't touched drop Stree
you saw me; if L have they may shoot
me. And what's more, I don't mean to
If you say So" replied he.
can Bob, did I bring luck to yer?
Was there gold up thar?"
"Nell, thars six thousand dollars and
moro, rolled in them blankets thar, I
owe to your pretty self. or Ina nigger.
And, Nell, just look here" and Bob took
from the breast of his shirt q package
carefully wrapped in paper, which had
rested on the bow of Nell's blue ribbon
he had found, and which she plainly
saw. Unwrapping it, there was piece
OF gold, in the shape of O spread eagle,
almost exact in every part, weighing
over six ounces.
"Nell, you said might bring yer
specimen from my pile, and here it's"
eyes, Bob, but what gals bit of rib
bon is that yer 30 keerful about?" said
Nell, with O loving look, but turning her
face from him mischievously, and stirring
the soap-suds.
''That ere," replied he, "broke loose
from the har of an angel that met me ON
the mountains, yonder, and said some
gave him new life, and what's moro,
brought good luck, the thing as charm
to tighten his thoughts when he felt
downheartened.
eyes, Bob" said she, "but amt that
talk kind of airy? Angels don't fit
round these diggins, as I ever heerd ov. {"
eyes, Nell, that's so; but any woman's
an angel to man that's going wrong,
who, in the loving kindness of her heart,
encourages him to do right, and that's
what ye've done for me. That ere gold
came to me by luck from you, and If ye'd
only take it with something else" -
"With what, Bob?" but Nell still
kept her face turned away, while he was
edging still closer to her.
"Well, Nell, if must make the rifle,
just take Bob with the dust and make
him happy man for the rest Of his life.
He loves yer, and would die for yer any
time" and Bob stole his arm around her
slender waist.
Nell at lest turned her blushing face,
aud looking roguishly at Rob, said:
Don't you think, Bob, it would be bet
ter sense 10 say you'd live for Nell than