The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-02-18


out the result of the days hard toll, he
only 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 it and said
to himself, Bob, better luck to-mor-
row." His claim was what miners call
very spotted" for the gold was scat
tered in spots here and there. The next
day and the next, his labors brought him
the same result-about enough to pay
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,
so that it could rest on his heart. The
next two days brought no big piece, but
the seventh he took pieces Of gold from
the clny-like cement weighing about
800. II was dark eolored gold, pretty
solid, and twisted into strange shapes
with holes in il, 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 his luck was, and when they
saw a very little coarse gold in his pan,
they laughed at him. But Bob kept his
humps Of gold in his pocket, OF 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
Nelrs little fist, and then FOR days very
little.
He now examined and weighed his
gold, and found that he had about S9, 900
mostly i'll heavy pieces. This wasa pretty
good fortune for seven weeks digging
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 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 little over miles walking he
found a pretty valley at the mouth Of
the creek, where some new log houses,
fences and cleaIings indicated Nells
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 aud Ken
lucky jeans, singing free as a bird.
Bob put down his pack and walked in,
but Nells quick ear heard, and she
turned and saw him, and her cheeks
flushed and her eyes sparkled.
"Whatl Bob, is that you come at
last? in store clothes, too? said she,
glancing with bright eyes at the young
man, and with poorly disguised pleasure,
Certain, sure, Nell; you said ! might
come,
eyes, Bobl but how about the
whisky?'
'Nell, I haven't touched a drop Stree
you saw me; if / have they may SHOOT
me. And what's more, don't mean ia
If you say 50, replied he.
can Bob, did / bring luck to yerf
Was there gold up thar"
'sNell, thar's six thousand dollars and
more, rolled in them blankets thar,
owe TO your pretty self, or I'm nigger.
| And, Nell, Just look here, and Bob took
from the breast OF his shirt a package
carefully wrapped in paper, which hac
| rested on the bow Of Nell's blue ribbon
he had found, and which she plainly
saw. Unwrapping it, there was piece
4 of gold, in the shape Of spread eagle
almost exact in every part, weighing
over six ounces.
''Nell, you said might bring yer
specimen from my pile, and here 'tis.
eyes, Bob, but what gals bit Of RIB
bon is that yer SO keerful aboutg sait
Nell, with a loving look, but turning he
face from him mischievously, and stirring
the soap-suds.
"That ere, " replied he, "broke loos
from the har Of an angel that met me O.
the mountains, yonder, and said som
kind words to dead-broke man, tina
gave him new life, and what's more
brought good luck, the thing as . char1
to tighten his thoughts when he fel
downheartened."
eyes, Bob, " said she, 'but amt tha
talk kind Of airy? Angels don't IL
round these diggins, as | ever heerd ov.
.'Yes, Nell, that's so; but any woman
an angel to man that's going wrong
who, in the loving kindness of her hear
encourages him to do right, and that
what ye've done for me. That ere gol
came to me by luck from you, and if ye'
only take it with something else" =
with what, Bob?" but Nell sti
kept her face turned away, while he We
edging still closer to her.
s'Well, Nell, if I must make the riff,
Just take Bob with the dust and MAX
him happy man for the rest of his lif
He loves yer, and would die for yer an
time, and Bob stole his arm around h'
slender waist.
Nell at lest turned her blushing fac
and looking roguishly at Rob, SAT-
Don't you think, Bob, it would be be
ter sense to say you'd live for Nell tbs
to die for her?a
Bob did not speak, but drew Nell