The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1881-01-30
The Concealed Treasure and How
Became Rich.

BY PRENTICE MuLFoED.
Tom Denim had been out all day, prospect.
ing around Bald Mountain.
Bald Mountain is plentifully streaked with
veins of quartz, and many are the pockets
of fabulous richness which have there re-
warded tho miner's seareh.
But Tom Denim was breaking YEARLY
through the close-bound chapparal, on a
wet, fogy, disagreeable December evening,
and a New Years eve at that.
He had been out all day, engaged in that
most wearisome, most discouraging of all oc-
equations, prospecting for quartz. There
are but few men who can go out con the
prospect and stick to it all day. Tom
Denim was one, however. With crust of
bread in his pocket he would travel through
one of the hottest days of midsummer, over
hills and into gulches-water scarce, and
that which was accessible, warm-after that
mine of wealth which was TO send him back
to Erin's green isle, the home of his nativ-
ity.
We were partners, and had been for sew
eral years. Our luck had been "honest
miners" luck; that is, we found ourselves
trifie worse off every year, without saying
anything of our lost time.
Tom Denim came YEARLY into the cabin,
and sat down, as was getting supper.
we'll, 5hlu WudL LUCK
"Oh, as usual" said he, 81 haven't
made my fortune, this day. l found a grave
on the mountain
"a grave on the mountain! Well, that's
queer place for grave"
"Well, won't swear 1t was grave" re-
piled Tom. But where one finds tomb
stones, one generally expects to find some
one or something buried.''
"Of course, it had an inscription on it,,
remarked.
"Humph come to think of it, it didn't.
There was no marks on it, save hole
through the CENTRE"
"Where was it," asked
"On the north side of Bald Mountain,
about two-thirds of the way to the top" he
replied. i, ,,,. ,,,, g.,
my reply.
We sat down to supper. Night had
closed in. The rain beat heavily on our
roof, and the creek, near by, roared and
fretted among the rocks with increased in.
tensity.
New Years eve! thought of the many
happy New Years evenings I had enjoyed
at home years ago; of the circle of friends
and acqaintances had left, now broken NJ
and dispersed and of the thousand and -ons
memories of home which such an occasion
always brings to the mind of the Californis
exile.
The supper finished, the dishes washed
up, the inevitable pipes were lit, and we
took our seats by the Preside.
Neither of us exchanged word for some
time.
Suddenly, Tom exclaimed, "By George
| l believe I've struck it,
Struck il Well, that's curious. Tel
| us all about it,"
81 will" said Tom. "No, won't
either. You'll call me fool"
Not bit of it. / give you my promis,
| ] will not"
| ~ don't care whether you do or not. III
tell you what / think, anyway. So her,
goes There has always been story, which
originated no one knows where, that com
pany Of Mexicans, a long time before thu
Americans ever got in these parts, discovered
the existence of gold here ; that they dui
and washed an immense quantity of it, an'
buried II on yonder mountain. The who'll
story seems wild and improbable, and hav
always deemed IL SO but that stone has Sc
me to thinking, and the result of my think
ing is that, be it folly or not, | intend, to
morrow, rain or shine, to see what's unde
that piece of rock
Here was something new indeed. though
the matter at first hardly worthy of notice
In few minutes II seemed plausible in
few more, mystery commenced to throw it
charms around 1t (; and in few more, to IN,
mental vision was apparent large ches
under the mysterious store, full of nugget
and gold bars.
"It's worth looking into,' said !.
Most of US do not like TO compromise our
selves, or be won over to any side too quickly
"Pll 60 with you tomorrow, and help yo
put a hols down there, anyhow"
We slept poorly that night. Neither of u
cared to acknowledge to the other that viz
ions Of speedy wealth had anything to
with keeping us awake. But II was so.
We were ready to start the next mornin
at a very early hour. Some of our acquaint
ances hailed US as We went, pick and shov,
in hand, along the street Of the small cam
on - creek, through which it was necei
sary TO pass, and expressed considerable sui
prise thatwe should set out thus aeooutre
on holiday. We resorted to little ibbin
to explain our unusual appearance, telling
wicked story of a broken ditch which II wa
! absolutely necessary to repair that YER