The Labor enquirer., 1883-01-13

nothing pleased the Colonel better than
firing tobacco juice at the thousand little
lizards that darted up and down the
shining white powders that strewed the
bar ] forgot to say chat Colonel Lasses
was not his name. Lazarus, in a burst
of confidence toward the boy, had in
formed him that they at first had called
the colonel "Molasses Jug mot because
he was so sweet, but because be looked
it. But they had found it Il little. too
long; and finally pushed it down to
'Iasses." -
Therenow remained only few feet
between the energetic miners and the
abrupt bed rock wall before them. Yet
no man for moment entertained a
shadow of a.d0ubt that his fortune lay
there, in virgin gold. Or if any man for
an instant had doubt, he kept it to
himself True, only few feet remained.
But even few inches would be enough
to hide a vein of incalculable wealth.
Who should dare to doubt, after all they
endured and dared? No, there was no
possib BILE show for fortune to escape them.
The gold must be there. For was not
winter nipping at their heels? Was not
the last bit of rusty old bacon in the
campkettles with the last handful Of
Chill beans? They had not tasted bread
since the Sunday before the last time
they had all gone down to the Flat, and
then they had pawned the last six
shooter of the crowd for a square meal.
Bread Their bread was hope. And
of that they had plenty.
But now the boy fell ill-suddenly and
seriously ill., He had never quite pulled
up, and now all at once, just as they
were about to strike it, Just on the eve
of the next to the last day, he broke
quite down. and lay, half delirious with
a fever, as the men came up from the
mine by moonlight and quietly gathered
about him. They had somehow learned
to love him in spite Of themselves.
He was indeed very ILL., But what
could they do? There was no doctor at
the Flat There was not even drug
store And if there had been, what
then? Every available article had been
pawned-"put up" as they called ito
carry on the work.
"Boys," at last cried Timothy the
impulsive young fellew who had first
welcomed him, "boys I have an idea ;
yes, boys, ! have. Let's make the kid a
partner"
"Jst as we're striking it?' murmured
voice with a southern accent, out on
the edge of the dark Then, ,aftera pause,
long enough to turn quid, the voice
answered, "Wa'al yes, Timothy.'
Nut Crackers was not talkative. His
lips quivered little and he went out
side in the dark.
There was deep silence. The propo-
sition seemed absurd to nearly every
man there. The river surged on, now
louder, now softer, the fire leaped and
licked its red tongue, as if about to
break the stiffness, and that was all.
But Timothy was in" dead earnest, and
hearing a voice out in the dark breaking
the awkward silence never 50 family,
was on his feet.
"He may die, boys. He may not live
till morning"
"In that case-in this case, guess we
can do it," Clipped in the man from
Maine.
"Iook here boys, if we strike it, there
is enough for US all. And if-if-"
Here Timothy's two forefngers hooked
themselves angrily together, as if they
were ready to strangle each other at the
thought. eff we don't. strike it"
Several of the men were on their feet
and glancing at each other, The speaker
went on
"But of course we will. Boys, it's
there. OF course it's there. It's got to
be there. | never doubted, boys. But
I am "a bit superstitious, and as | sat
there, looking in that boys face, says
to myself, says 1, boys, God wouldn't,
couldn't disappoint that face, Now, II
he was in with us, boys, we couldn't pos
sibly miss it Tomorrow"
No man answered, but several crossed
over to the other side of the fire to the
boy, and Lazarus put out his hand to the
sufferer, and said tenderly, as he took