Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-12
A MINING STORY.

"'Eureka gold mining company Don't
it look important on paper? I tell you
boys, we've got a good thing but we must
workn' said Tim Flynn, glancing at the
piece ofpaper in his hand.
EYES," replied Joe Bagly with a sleepy
yawn, "but let's 60 to roost now. Wecan't
do anything more to night"
The men, eight in number, had been sit.
ting around a camp fire discussing their
prospects. The Eureka mine originally be.
Ionged to a party of Eastern capitalists, who
having worked it for short time and find
ing it did not "pan out" according to eX.
pectations sold their interests to the men
who had Just taken possession Of the prop
erty, which they firmly believed would
prove an Eldorado. They were poor in
purse, for they had invested their all in the
new venture, but were rich in hope and
courage.
"It is well-known fact" Flynn would as.
sert twenty times day, ''that the Eureka
is on range with the famous Empire
which yields as high as thirty thousand pei
Some day we will wake up to lind our
selves millionares. 1t is only question OF
time"
The next morning seven Of the men, who
were the actual owners, began to work,
leaving ST Reed, whom they termed silent
partner, to do the chores about the camp.
Reed was pale and thin and had an anxious,
expectant look upon his face. He seldom
spoke to anyone, which fact had gained him
the soubriquet of Silent or ST Reed. He
was devotedly attached to Flynn, who had
befriended him while in Sacramento, and
exhibited such sincere grief when he heard
of his intended departure for the mines, that
Flynn invited him to join the party.
The miners worked like beavers, delving
down in the earth that each felt certain
held in her virgin bosom the gold which
would enrich them. They began their Ia
bors at the first streak of dawn, toiling un-
ceasingly through the entire day, each
ness. Weeks sped by pan after pan was
washed, the contents examined, then thrown
aside. But they were not disheartened.
The gold was there. The next blow'of the
pick might reveal it.
One evening, after supper, Joe Bagly said
elbows the fodder, 81? Last another
week, eh?"
"No, hardly enough for another week."
"You must put us on low rations then.
What dye say, boys?"
agreed, they answered in chorus. >
The next day, when ST gave each man his
portion, they laughingly declared that
Flynn had received the lions share-Which
was true; for Reed had robbed himself in
order that his friend should have his usual
supply, albeit no one suspected the bit OF
seff-sacrifice. The week was stealing away
and they had not "struck it," The hearts
of the miners were growing heavy with
dread. Yet they dared not give vent to
their fears. Each felt that success depend
ed upon his individual courage, and no
one was willing to dampen the ardor Of the
others by expressing doubt of their ulti-
mate triumph.
One day, while seated on the ground eat
ing their midday meal, a little girl appear
ed before them.
"Hello !" cried Flynn, springing to his
feet, "where did you come from?
"Please, sir, I've bin walking ever SO far.
Ma saw yer campfire las night, and told
me how to get here. She couldn't come
herself, cause Freddie's sick. May | sit
down? Pm awful tired"
She glanced timidly at the men, then at
the empty pot in which the dinner of beans
and bacon had been cooked.
"Where does your ma live?" inquired
Bagly.
"She doesn't live nowhere. We're a
hunting for pa"
Did you expect to find i'm here ?"
"No, sir; but we're hungry, and ma
thought you'd give us somethin' to eat"
The men roared with laughter. Some.
thing to eat, when they had just devOured
their last cut Of bacon.
"Not another mouthful, boys. We must
give the chick what's left" said Bagly,
scraping the remains of each dinnerint his
own tin plate. "Here, little Jun, eat this,
and when you've satisfied the cravin's, ye
can tell us where ye come FROM"
"Please I'd rather take it to Freddie,
pleaded the child, "cause he's little an
sick"
"Ye amt bigger'n pint of cider yer.
SELF" laughed Bagly. "Eat it, an we'll
give We some for the Others"
The promise satisfied the child, who
quickly devoured the contents of the dish.
"Been on low ratiOns, too, / reckon,
chuckled one of the men.
"Now tell us about your mother. Where
is she, and whose trail is she on ?" said
Flynn.
"She's way down there in an old log
house where nobody lives. We was going
to Kiwanna camp, cause we heard pa was
there, but Freddie took sick, and mas
some wittles III go back, cause e'salone."
"What'll we do, boys ?" asked Eagly.
eve can't leave the critters there some of
us must 60 with the chick and bring them
here"
Creed can be spared" suggested one of
the men.
"Bah % interrupted Ben Skinner, a sury,
ill-natured fellow-"Reed, with his white
face, that grows winter every day! If the
woman saw him she'd think death had
come for the youngster, sure"
The men glanced toward ST, who was
leaning against tree, apparently oblivious
~ ,l,n4 n,,n ph
dently did not hear the unfeeling remark.
"Look here, remarked Flynn, gravely,
"Our larder is about empty, and we must
replenish it. Let's draw lots to decide who
will ride into town for provender. We are
out of funds, but this" taking a valuable
watch from his pocket, "can be left as secu-
rity."
"And this can keep it company" said
Bagly, producing a handsome pistol.
Skinner drew the slip of paper upon
which the word ego" was written.
"The little gal can sit before ye and We can
stop at the cabling and give this, the last of
our hard tack, to the woman" said Bagly.
Fleetwood, their only horse, was quickly
saddled, and Skinner started on his errand.
"Tell yer ma to fight her luck a few hours
longer, and when supplies come We'll give
We rousing SUPPER" shouted Bagly, as
they rode away.
When some distance from the hut, Skin
ner put the girl down; gave her the bis
cult and resumed his journey.
In the evening Flynn and Bagly went
over to the hut, intending to bring tie wo-
man and her children up to camp.
"Sl-inner will get backabout eight O'Clock.
| guess the sick boy only wants Il little feed
ing up to make him all right" remarked
Flynn as they approached the hut:
They found the woman seated on the