Milford chronicle., 1883-06-01


always chopped from two to three cords
per day Three dollars a cord he paid |
Billy the boatman for hauling it, which
of course considerably diminished his
earnings; still, there was good margin
left. Howit came to pass that he should |
always be poor, could never be satsfac-
torily explained. His condition being
what he termed 'Aat broke" was patent
to all. and was considered another Of the |
mysteries of his peculiar life that no one
cared to solve, and accepted unquesiion-
ingly.
Norway Flat since the time of its dis
covery in 80 has continued to be pros
porous mining camp. The fabulous
yield Of many of its claims had been re-
ported in many Of the leading newspapers
of the civilized world. Numerous op- |
portunities had been offered to Shakes
to become the possessor of ground OF a
promising character, subsequently prov
ing rich. Mining, however, possessed
no attractions for him. There existed
no affinity between his nature and the
excitement of the average gold-miner's
life. He never owned a foot of mining
ground. 'and didn't intend to, +" he was
accustomed to say; 81 go fur the sure
thing" Even when the Wake-up Jake
Company struck a two-ounces-to-the pan
prospect Shakes declined taking off the
adjoining ground, then vacant, and upon
which he was at the time chopping |
wood. That same piece of ground after
ward proved the richest spot on the |
whole Flat, nearly 1900 ounces baing |
obtained from it as the proceeds Of one
days washing. This lack of enterprise
this disinclination to ventWe--was |
supposed to be the morbid offspring of
his dissipated career. The only things
for which be appeared to have any care
were his ak, cross-cut-saw, and frower.
These constituted his entire stock in
trade, and for them he cherished some
thing bordering on affection.
Shakes was viewed as one of Norway |
Flats fixtures. 1t had been settled long
ago in the minds of its inhabitants that
his bones would decay in the little ceme-
tary on the knoll overlooking the Flat.
The idea Of his removing was never for
a moment entertained by anyone in that
secluded community. Shakes and Nor
way Flat had grown up with one another.
Norway Flat was Shakes's home. If he
possessed a home elsewhere, he had
never been heard to speak of it.
The winter of SO had set in. Tt was
about the middle of November The
ground was covered with several inches |
of snow The tinkling of sleigh-bells |
was heard in the distance, and the little |
town of the Flat was instantly thrown |
into commotion. It was all occasioned |
by the arrival of Barnard's Monthly Ex-
press. The arrival of the express was
an important event in the otherwise |
monotonous routine of every day life at |
Norway Flats for be it remembered that |
the era of wagon-roads and railways had |
not then been inaugurated, and COM
munication between that mountain re-
treat and civilization was at best infre-
ouent and uncertain. Among the |
anxious faces awaiting the opening of
the little wicket at the post Office and the !
distribution of letters appeared that of |
Shakes. Shortly afterward he was OBJ
served intently perusing letter.
"Hanged if I don't make tracks fur
hum" he suddenly exclaimed, and as
suddenly bade farewell to Norway Flat
and it's surroundings.
That evening Shakes was missed from
his usual haunts, and it soon became |
generally known that he had left the
Flat. This was an unprecedented cpl
sodo in Norway Flats history. Nothing |
had ever occurred before to disturb its
uniform equanimity, excepting theshoot-
ing of Red Alick by Russian Bill in
moment of frenzied excitement produced
in the heat of a discussion as to the
merits of the parties then engaged in
the Crimean War. His departure was
the universal topic of conversation around
every fireside and in every barroom in
the camp. The speculations as to the
cause we're as varied as they were I'M
probable.
The thermometer at Browns that
evening indicated Is degrees below zero;
but no fears were harbored in the mind
of any one as to the safety of the one
who had 50 uneeremoniously left the
camp. 'ehomeward bound"
Weeks passed on and nothing had been
seen or heard of Shakes since his depar-
ture. Norway Flat had almost forgotten
him. Brown, the landlord of the
Occidental, was standing in his door
way gazing abstractedly at the distant
winding Of the "down county" trail. 1t
was only the previous day that a pros
pecting party had passed along it from
the Flat. bound for the deserted mining
camp of Diggers' Delight, situated about
ten miles distant His thoughts naturally
required to their departure and prospects
Suddenly, his quick eye detected in the
distance group of men, slowly trudg-
ing toward the Flat and was somewhat
surprised to recognize in them the pros
pectors of Diggers' Delight returning,
bearing with them heavy burden. The
news soon spread that Shakes had been
found dead at Diggera' Delight. It
was evident that night had overtaken
him there, and that he had determined