Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-04-21
A NEW YEARS GIFT.
BY GEN. A. N. WYNN.

BY GEN. A. n. WYNN.
In the fall of 1849, three youns
men were sitting in their cabin
after eating hearty supper ant
smoking their pipes. They haC
worked hard during the day, anC
had taken out eighteen ounces o
gold dust, giving to each six ounces
or nearly one hundred dollars
Dust was then worth $40 per ounce
in Sacramento City.
The raVine where was located the
opening scence of this sketch, is in
the State of California, not far from
the city of Nevada. 1t was first
prospected by these young men
and proved to be very rich. Up tC
this time, they had taken out nearly
5000 which they kept in black bot
ties, corked up and concealed in the
ground not far from the cabin.
On the evening of their first days
digging, one of them shot a wild.
cat, so they named the ravine
wildcat gulch !" and it was known
for long time as "Wild-cat dig.
gings." They built a cabin at the
head of the ravine, where there was
a beautiful grove of straight, tall
pine timber. They were from diff
ferent States and accidently became
acquainted in Sacramento, where
they pooled their small means and
bought their outfits.
Being elated over their success,
thoughts developed into free
hOme-like conversation which
brought some very interesting facts.
Samuel and William were both
blessed with father, mother and
sisters, and were talking over their
many virtues. A good boy seldom
sees a mothers faults and a sisters
love is always dearest when the
brother is away from home. So it
was with these two young men.
For full hour they talked of home
and its many pleasant attractions,
while James was only silent lis
tener to all that was said. This fact
was observed by Samuel and Will
liam, who did their best to draw
him out and get him enlisted in
conversation which was affording
them so much pleasure. AT last
James was induced to speak. With
deep sigh, he said:
"Gentlemen, have neither father,
mother, brother or sister, and, there
fore, can not enjoy the thoughts,
or express the pleasure you exhibit
in talking about yours. l am truly
ar orphan. My father and mother
were married in an Eastern State
and moved west. When they
reached a point on the Arkansas
river, not far from Little Rock, my
father took sick and died /; and my
mother died in giving me birth.
They were strangers and left no
information as to their relatives.
A young man, with wife and
three children lived in the neigh
bOrhOOd. She had a young child,
and took me to her breast until q
home could be found for me. One
day a man stopped at the house
and these facts were related to
him. The kind young wife and
mother said:
Il am at loss to know what to do
with these two babies, indeed l
may say four, for my other two
children are but babies still. This
~ little boy and l would like to
AdAoG AlAl1l1 NllC A4Otd
will enable me to do so. My hUs-
band and those two little children
love the little fellow dearly but we
are very poor
The one to whom this was told,
John Gibson, was a young man and
well-tO-d0 farmer. His wife had
just lost little baby only a few
weeks old. After hearing this
good woman tell her story he re-
piled:
MADAM, give me that baby and
my wife will raise it; we have just
buried our youngest child and it
will be company for u.s."
"And, Sir, it will be great bless
ing to the child. Will you take it
now?
"Yes, Madam, 1 will take it now.
] have only about ten miles to ride |
just put it in box, and l will be
very careful with it,"
So he took me home to his wife.
She was delighted, and took the
place of her lost child. She has
been good mother, and he good
father, to me. When | was about
ten years of age | fell and broke my
leg. | lay sick a long time, and it |
took nearly all my father could |
make to pay the doctors bill, and |
for my education. They have four |
other children the third is a beau |
tiful and well-educated young Wom- |
an, the other three are fine young |
men, we only know each other as
brothers and sisters"
flames, how old are you now 20
aGI fnur in
don't know what day"
William was anxious to know
more, but James was not inclined
to talk, so the conversation closed
for that night, and all slept sound.
1t was James turn to get breakfast,
and by daylight he had it ready.
Each took regular miners meal,
of a piece of bacon, slap
jacks, and strong coffee. They then
went TO work in the gulch.
When night came, they found
their claim increasing in value;
they cleaned up with over twenty
while prospects were fiat
tering. Thus they continued for
several months.
At that time, men could not be in
duced to continue work in diggings
where they realized less than an
ounce day, particularly if they
had been taking out from two to
six ounces. The time came when
these young men had worked their
claim down to less than half
ounce a day.
So one night they consulted the
Of closing up and leaving
q Wild Cat Gulch." First OF all
they determined 10 dig up and di-
vide all the dust they had bottled
and cached. They had lived in
common each taking what money
ne wanted without keeping any
account of the amount. This was
heir agreement when they com
nenced, and each spent as little as
ne could get along with. They
Kept bag Of gold dust ia the cab
n, out of which each took what lac