The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-05-07

TO- BOURBON, cnulnK Win the cneeIlui Icmurk
4 shall take this out Of some Of you, II thi'
here Amt squared up
THAT didn't make nice dessert, for Bill wal
ia wonderful clever fellow and would think
nothing of plugging man; 30 we kinder
sneaked outer that store feeling uncomfortable
"'It's all right says Zeph, laughing. Come
on, boys, and get our tools
I'VE took our tools then and went Oft up the
gulch TO where strong company OF Chinese
was at work. ana they watched Us curiOusly as
we began prospectin' about washin' bit OF
dirt here and u bit there and always going of
dlsconted and sour like, till We came to one
place close up to the rocks, where it ran sheer
up 400 or 500 feet; and after working with
our pickI bit we began to wash the soil In a
pan, galhcrin round II afterwards and know
in all the time that one or other of the teapots
had an eye on US.
Then We washed a bit more earth-gravel.
ly, Quartzy stuff 1t was-and collected again
and then we grew excited, ana begin to dig
| faster, and to wash more, and examine what
we had done each time arter pickin' over the
pan, throwing out the rubbish; and when this
fell yew could see u few specks Of gold glitter
In in the sun, while what we got went into
the leather bag rs Tom Paggin held.
"'We marks out this here claim rs Our'D =
says Zeph, out loud; and taking shovel, he
chops out bit of rough trench Just to show
the extent we meant 10 hev; and as he did so,
watch ua, and saw them look at the specSs
OF gold IN amongst the refuse we had thrown
over the side beyond our claim.
"No goodeG, washee, washee, Mclean man, '
SEE one round-faced smilin' cuss. No golee,
no golce"
"Oh, no; none at all, Mister Teapot SEE
Zeph. 'iew keep little further off. Or
ale touched a six.shooter, and the China.
man scurried back n little ways while one Of
US fetched some water, and We began TO wash
another shoveliul of earth.
"'It pans out finer sez Tom Paggins, as we
gathered round once more, and the top refuse,
with specks o gold IN, was thrown away again
I'VE kept on at that rate for two hours, and
with Zcph to manage, We washed out what
little o. gold We had borrowed about four
times; but 1t was Ia good deal less at the last
than when we started, for some ON it was
sprinkleu IN each hole We made, and half
teaspooniul of dust was lynn TO waste in the
refuse.
"All this time the Chinese were comm up
from their bit OF a camp about a hundred
yards away. Xeph was awfuly jealous, and
kept divin 'em away--nOt as we were skeart
o. 'em. for they're q quiet, sleepish lot but to
keep up the play.
Then half on US went down below and got
our tents and ODDS and ends, and set up "a If
VIC meant to stay; while the others went on
washn' and pckin' steadily, gettin' four Chi
nees to fetch water, and to do few rough
Jobs In moving quartz blocks outer the way
"Somehow or other. there were few specks
of gold dust under each o these blocks, that
tho Chimes carried Off and when that was
done Zeph gave the smilin' chaps bit OF gold
each, and sent one on 'em with some dust to
buy tobacco
ats workln'n SEE Zeph to me.
"Think SOP seq.
await bit, old boss, and yew'll sect
"That night, after we'd been bit nasty and
threatenin' to the tearots, who kept leavln'
their work, we could hear deal o chatter!n'
goiA' on; and blmcby kinder deportation
of Six on en- comes up, headed by bmllin'
cuss, who looked like big fat boy.
Meow, then seq Zeph, tell you what, i'll
you don't make yewreselves skeerce, thcr'll
be holes threw some on ycw'
Poor Chinamenn and all halt smiled their
heads Off
"'Don't want any today sez Zeph Hook
it,
I'VE all sat smokin and ookin' on, and
every man with his hand on revolver and bowie,
n, y; ;s we were suspicious,
hooi tnlnalnenE Wnlneu tue Dig 'uD
again.
"'Don't want any, tell yew againr roars
Zeph, savagely; and the deportation only
holds their heads one side and smiles.
"'Alr yew gwine to cutr SEE Zeph, seizin'
number one by the tail, when he goes down.
on his knees, the others the same, ruJ Join
their chests, and Vaughn their hes!,s from
side 10 side
"'Why don't you speak OUT SCI Zeph.
"'Me'ican man let poor Chnaman washec,
washeer SCI the fat fellow, p'intin' to the heap
Of rubbish,
rev want to wash that dirt over sgainr
SEE Zeph.
"Thcn the whole party began to moi their
heads fast
"'Oh, no 7 SEE Zeph, we don't want yew here
-ch, ladsr
"No, nor We all grOwled.
"'Scnd 'em off, SEE Tom Paggns.
"Bu, they wouldn't go, only smiled, and at
last Zcph seemed to be struck with a notion;
and the long and short Of 1t was, that If we'd
allow 'cm to wash our refuse over agen the
Chinees'd make q bit Of stream to lead water
to our claim.
"Wcll, that's no good Zeph,' SEE, rs soon
as they were gone.
"Ha,ta bit, lad, and You'll see sez he, with
a wink and we sat there IN the pleasant even
ing smoking, while there was evidently a
mighty commotion in the Chimes camp, and
befor long the deportation came back.
"'Poor Chinamen' SEE the fat chap again.
"Oh, yes; We know abeout THAR scz Zeph.
Now, what Ii it"
"Melican man, scllee claim two hundred
dolcer SEE tho fatheadcd chap, and all the
others nodded their heads
"'WIll we sell you this clam for two hun
dred dollarsr SEE Zcph.
"'rhey all nodded TIL you'd have thought
their head'd come of.
"'Cutr SEE Zeph, catchin' hold of the one
by his tail and kickIn' him.
"Yew maynt believe it, gcnts, but them
same chaps came back twice before dark, and
made fresh offers, advancin' a hundred dol.
lars each time and we swore at 'em and SAID
we wouldn't sell, and If they warn't up to time
r., tAn ,,,arninsx ahaut tho yxainr ihlx