The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-07-12

d IL naQ yet Deen unearth6Q. 81
The men made their very positive
because of the existence Of
certain s'indications" denoting silver
veins some place in the vicinity. One
or two veins had been found, but as the
miners expressed it, they "petered OUT
in a few weeks.
"But some of us'n light on the right
vein yit," they declared, and so they
staid on week after week and month
after month in Camp Fancy, hoping
and striving to strike that hidden vein.
The courage and hope of the bravese
began to wane, however, when, at the
end of the third eason of prospecting,
but few discoveries of any magnitude
had been made, and the big vein still
defied the most jealous searchers to
find it. -
Few of the men had ever brought
their families to dreary old Camp
Fancy. Three or four women COM.
posed the female population of the
camp ; the laugh of a child had never
been heard within the narrow limits of
the place a. child's face had never
been seen IN window OIL door or on the
rocky street. How could old Fancy be
other than . desolate camp?A2
Its no place for young ms" the
men said. NrThey Amt no schools
nor no nothin' here fer wimmen an
young ias. They're a sight better off
in the States. A man'd be crazy to
fetch a young in here"
Nevertheless, a ''young in" came to
Camp Fancy one cold, dreary March
day, when all the mountain-peaks were
white with snow, and all the long, dark
gulches were filled with moaning,
scornful winds, that caught up the fall
ing flakes and whirled them into drifts
in the street and against the doors of
the cabins,
The little hamlet lay half buried, and
looked more desolate than ever.
But itwould have taken a worse storm
than that to have kept the men away
from the big Lighthouse in which was the
store, hotel, post-ofice, saloon, butcher.
shop, bakery and rea1-estAta ofice-all
Kept BY busting, graff, homely Dan
ruptoy through having sold out nearly
all his stock 'son tick" in spite of a
voice and name that would impress
the casual observer With1the conviction
that Dan was a regular old 'skin-fint. "
Men in mining camps are ineFerito be
judged by appearances. dffGlTA
On this particular March night nearly
every man in Camp Fancy had fought
his way through the drifts that he might
sit around theEbig, rusty stove in Dams
store. In spite Of the raging storm and
the grievousIy hard times i IcampAhe
men were in tho most hilariouslmood.
They sang their songs, joked, and were
as merry as though the ''big VEIN had
fbeensfound. 2NG G3H& - EGHGE
T. sold Kentuek'' Nas thelast toarrive.
He lived half l. mile distant, and looked
as though he, had just emerged from q
winters sojourn under a snow-drifb. 80
l. well, Keptuck," cried Dan, swhat
brung -yelout .ona neight like this?"dr
r. SDidn'tknow but what rd-git a letter
from my gal back in old Kaintuck, he
~1aconically replied, amidst a roar OF
laughter, for poor old Kentuck was
such an uncouth, awkward, disjointed
mortal, and withal such an avowed
woman-hater, that his affected love af.
fair vas irresistibly comioal to the
miners.
In the midst of the general laugh that
followed his remark, aloud ''Hi, you in
there!' was heard outside, and a gen,
eral rush was made for the cabin door.
The stage had managed to work its way
over the fearful mountain-pass, and
stood at the door, so snow-covered thai
it looked like a monstrous snow-drift. 9
Mary a passenger tonight" cried
the driver, 'san' not more'n q million
pounds of mail" and he flung down
very fiat-looking mailbag.
The men were turning to re-entel
the cabin, when Old Kentuck cried out
"Ho, no, no! Well, if this amt {
go. "Lookee there, gentlemen!"
The men turned. The stage had gon,
on to the stable, and there in the middle
of the road stood a forlorn, shivering
ragged and frightened boy not NOR,
more than twelve or thirteen years old
small for his age, pale and trembling
with traces of tears on his pitifully ole
and haggard face.
T. He had evidently been concealed il
the boot of the stage and must have hat
a fearful ride over the mountain-pass
His feeble strength had been exhauste,
and while the men were gazing III
amazement on him, the boy grew
shade paler and suddenly fell f~aintin,
in the snow.
A dozen men sprang forward; bu
Fold Kentuck was ahead of them all
and in an instant had the frail it'll
soul in his arms and was carrying hin
into the cabin.
A spoonful of brandy, brisk rubin,
and the warmth of the room had tn,
reflect of bringing the lad back t
consciousness. He opened a pair @
big, so~lemn-looking gray eyes, bu
closed them again as the men crowde,
around.
"Stand back there, will yeesP" erie
Dan. 'tLave the bye have a sniff Q
fresh air, an don't be afther fright'nir
him wild all yer big, uglyfac over hir
at oncet."
Dan stood high in authority, and a
his sharp words the men withdrew
respectful distance; but Old Kentuc
still knelt and chafed a hand that SCENE
frozen.
Mrs. Dan Lannigan was one of th
few women in camp. She reigned owe
two coy little rooms in the rear of tn
store. She knew that something ur
usual was transpiring and made he
appearance. At sight of the boy sh
gave a perfect Irish howl and darte
toward the PROSTATE form.
Have done wild yer Mise" erie,
Dan, in a shrill whisper as he held up
warning finger, for the boys face wa
growing whittier and he seemed gasp
ing for breath.
"Have yees the sinse yees was Dor
wild, Dan LanniganP" cried Molly. 90
yees have, man, ye'n carry that poe
lad into me Don and git him betwan
the skates of me bed in a jiffy."
In five minutes the boy was sleepin
soundly between the warm estates,
with Molly sitting by him, dolefull
shaking her head, and wiping her teal
dimmed eyes on a corner of a big Gallo
apron.
eye poor little white-faced soul,
she said, softly, ..it's hard knocks ye'v
had in the wurruld, I'm thinking; ar
it's. a sorry place we've found now-of
a sorry place indade hat I wish me al
Dan yUas wa11 ont w TIE no fl p1ao