Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-03-30
BOB DAYTON'S MINE.

BOB DAYTON'S MINE.
The familiar sight OF two young asses
or Jacks" as the miners call them,
loaded with mining tools and provis-
ions, snd driven along by two miners,
who walked behind them, would have
attracted but little attention among the
loungers in front OF the Grand Hotel at
Cdsr Gulch, had it not been for two or
three peculiar circumstances which
Col" Brown proceeded to narrate to
the bystanders.
Since coming to Colorado three years
before, the colonel had succeeded, with
cut any visible means of support, in
maintaining an existence as free from
toll as that OF the lilies, and by his
abundant leisure, his skillful disposal
OF tobacco j'lice AMI his success at the
faro table had fairly won his title. The
talker and his audience leaned against
the rough logs of the one-storied Grand
Hotel. Aiming brownish food at q
dusty stone some feet away, the colonel
began:
Queer pards, those. There's Bob
Dayton-he amt much more than a
tenderfoot, but he's white man right
through. But as for Sandy Joe, I
wouldn't trust him as fur as I could see.
Ifhe didn't jump that claim of Cap.
Perry's last winter, I'm Coyote. How
Dayton ever happened to strike in with
Joe.I I can't see. except that Bob's rather
fresh in this country. You ought to
Nave heard him last night tell me in
confidence all about his girl out in Ohio.
Lizzie. think, he called her. He was
poor, aud she was poor; and he didn't
see much hope Of getting married un-
less they wanted to live on little less
than nothing I $50 he came out here to
fad his fortune. Hope he'll get 1t. He
deserves tc, anyway, gong out pros
pecting on the mountains in Colorado
in October. Like as not there may be
three feet OF snow on the mountains to-
morrow. Joe ought to know better, at
any rate; but he's reckless enough to
do anything. By the way, Bill, what
about hat roam horse that Powers lost
upon Mount Shavano? Hasn't found it
Yet. eh? He better be looking around
lively, if he expects to get it down be-
fore the snow comes?"
And then the conversation of the
group in front of the hotel at Cedar
Gulch drifted off on to other topics,
while the two men OF whom the colonel
had spoken proceeded on up the gulch,
and turning to the right struck the trail
leading up the sides of Mount Shavano.
A great contrast was apparent in the
looks and manners of the two men
working together in the close compan-
ionship which is implied in mining
regions by the term "partners."
Robert Dayton was tall, fair haired
young man with frank, open counte-
nance that made him friends even
among the rough class OF men among
whom his lot was cast in Colorado
mining camp. He had been well edu-
Gated by father who had left him only
his education as an inheritance. He
had become engaged to pretty and
1ieh girl, but her father lost in a grain
speculation most of the wealth that he
had acquired, and Robert was unwilling
to urge her to speedy marriage un-
less he could provide for her q home
with at least some of the comforts to
which she had been accustomed. Ac-
cordingly he had sought the silver land
Of the West, in the hope Of there
obtaining more speedily sufficient
means to justify him in making her
whom he loved his own. But his san
guine expectations had been disappoint-
ed, and for several months he had
wandered from one mining camp to
another, till at last he arrived at Cedar
Gulch, weary and disheartened. he was
just in the mood to listen to q reckless
proposal which he heard made in the
hotel one day BY Sandy Joe, TO 60 on q
prospecting tour in spite of the near
approach OF snow. Robert did moi
know. and did not care much. who his
partner was If he could have another
chance to labor for tho treasure which
he was seeking. No one knew the real
name of Sandy Joe, as be was called,
with the frequent inappropriateness Of
Western nicknames. He was q short
dark-complexioned and dark-haired
man, with an unenviable notoriety fol
quarrelsomeness. This ill-assorted
couple proceeded on their expedition
without much incident the first day,
driving their ssJacksn up the stony trsi
toward the summit Of Mount Shayano.
that towers high above the surround
ing mountains.