The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-06-02
Marx Twain.

MARX Twain's narrow escape from be
coming pocket miner has never been told
1t is worth recording, as it gave him thu
story of the jumping Frog" and sent
him off along the lime of the literary lode
and set him to searching therein fol
"pockets" OF fun. In 1865, Mark, weary
Of Bohemian life in San Francisco, went up
into the mining regions of Tuolume county
to rusticate with some old friends-Steve
Jim and Billy Gillis. Jim Gillis was and
is one of the most expert pocket miners OF
California
Although educated with view TO even.
tually fighting the battle of life as a ply
sician, and though still finding solace in
his leisure moments in the works of Latin
and Greek authors that repose on their
shelves in his cabin, he is booked for life
as n pocket miner. The business has
charms that bind him to it in chains of
gold-chains that bind more firmly than
those OF iron or steel Show him par
tcle of quartz gold on the side Of a noun
tain, and il it came to where it was found
through the processes or accidents Of ma
ture, undisturbed in any way by the inter-
ference of man, he will as unerringly trace
it to its golden source as the bee-hunter
will follow the bee to its hoard OF sweets
Ma.l, T,ya,, ha paka,,, at,,la
Of mining practiced by the Gillis Broth
ers to be very attractive. He and Jim Gill
lis took to the hills in search of golden
pockets, and spent some days in hunting
for the undisturbed trail of an undiseov-
cred deposit. Finally they struck a golden
bee line. They were two or three days in
following it up, as it was necessary to car
ry each sample of dirt considerable dis
tance to small stream in the bed of a
canon in order to pan it out. Each step
made sure by golden grains, they at last
came to the pocket 1t was q cold, dreary
drizzling day when the home deposit was
found. The first samples carried to the
stream and washed yielded but few cents.
Although the right vein had been discov
cred, they had as yet found but the tail
end Of the pocket Returng to the vein
they dug sample from new place, and
were about to carry it down to the ravine
and test it, when the rain began to pour
down haevily, and Mark, with chattering
teeth. declared he would remain no longer. |
he said there was no sense in freezing to
death, as in q day or two, when it was
bright and warm, they could return and
pursue their Investigations in comfort
Yielding to Marks entreaties, backed as
they were by his blue nose, bumped back,
and generally miserable and detected ap-
pearance, Jim empited the sack Of dirt
upon the ground, first having written and
posted up notice Of their claim to GER
tain number OF feet on the vein, which
notice would be good for thirty days.
Angels Camp being at no great distance,
while their cabin was some miles away.
Mark and Jim struck out for that place.
The only hotel in the little mining camp
was kept by Coon Drayton, nm old Mississ-
ippi river pilot, and at his house the half
drowned pocket miners found shelter.
Mark having for some years followed the
business Of pilot on the Mississippi, he and
Coon were soon great friends, and snapped
scores OF yarns. II continued to rain 70
shrec days, and until the weather cleared
ip Mark and Jim remained at Coon's hotel
Among the yarns told Mark by Coon was
hat Of the jumping Frog, and it struck
lim a. being 80 comical that he determ- l
ned to write it up in good shape; and 4
he returned to the Gillis cabin, Mark |
et to work upon it. He also wrote some
ketches OF life in the mines for the San 0
francisco Morning call Mark did not {
hink MS much Of the frog story after it had
eceived the finishing touches as he did t
when he first heard it. He gave some |
'ther sketches the preference, and sent
hem 10 the Cal and other papers. Steve 7
Hills, however, declared il was the best v
hing he had ever written, and advised b
i'm to save and publish il in book of b
ketches that was talked Of A literary
urn having thus been given to the u
houghts OF the inmates Of the Gillis cabin, Il
month passed without a return to the Z
usiness Of pocket mining. y
While the days we're passed by Mark J.
nd his friends in discussing the merits OF
he Jumping Frog" other prospectors
Iere not idle. A trio Of Austrian miners il
Tho were out in search Of gold-bearing d
uartz happened upon the spot where a
iark and Jim had dug into their ledge. il
was but few days after they had re- "
reated from the spot in the pouring rain. 81
he Austrian prospectors were not little II
s.onished at seeing the ground literally II
littering with gold. Where the dirt i
npted from the sack had been dissolved u
nd washed away Ly the rain lay some Il
lree ounces Of bright quartz gold The o.
ns,rians we're not long in gathering this h
u, the speedy discovery Of the notice for b
ade their delying into the deposi. whence rt
came. u