Little Falls transcript., 1884-10-10
An Old Prcspscsors 3 Tdfs.

DEI{NGF
afr. Curtis CL1arnbsrfasa Of sIse Dem
yer University has . picture IN ths SIT
department of the E.xposiefon OF an old
prospsctor. simpEy IN It's teeFsnis, Il is
a good piece of work In higher and
better way, II Is s aBs wors OF art Il -
one OF the rare pictures sliat appeals 10
The feelings and awaEens ussmaFy into
vivid ife The picture is OF . gr3zzlsd
and graz miner, with battered hst.
unkept hair and rs-brownea faces. In
one hand he holds maguifying glass
aud In the other piece Of oar.
The look Ii his eyes aud shs
smile on his faces say as plainly as words
could say, I've struck IL
Instinctively the one VINO sees It
thinks of the sfrangs life Is Representa-
How often he hes Watched shs same
look on the face OF pr6spectors, and
how often in day or two the look has
changed back TO the ordinary, fadi1fer-
emit or conteuted cne that fates hard
est buffstings never destroys. One
wonders if the old prospeoter will go to
bed as rich in week ss he seems 20 be
and thinks he ii row. Long long
ears ago the old man Leaned that
''DGt expectation fails sutE faoss
Where utasf it frrssfise5-"
-tnd ii to- morrow che good ore N hrs
discovery hole play oHt lfs viii not
be surprised or disappointed, The resG.E-
cation Of his hopes, ttat for q daT seau1-
ed to take form as a tangible EAs5 Eaav
have taken It's place in she long Ens q
others ike it That have gone before
The life and character Of the old
prospectors are things that ara best IN
derstood. Most every one knows the
life ia one of exposure tojl and dagger:
but few know that i hs8 igs conBpeusss-
sions. There is freedoTn aB0TIJ It ttsat
only mis- type Of men c.gH ever enjoy.
We never saw an InveteTats prospsgtor
who was not by nature p pact aud bo-
henlian, though hs did D1t knew It
bimselt There Is something IL the
w1ldGess OF his TurrouTiTu1s that finds
responsive chord n Gis naJure. As
he Climbs no the mount.sin gi4a these
sururner days, and up ahor., .,iB1 against
The biae sky there lies bank Of snow.
he sees ii touched with changing EGues
af violet and pearl that firsh and ta.se
atcng the horizon, and feels a jog and
happiness that he can. not perhaps AZ
alive: ha only knows that he enjoys the
lifa
rhe proprietor is necessarily IA
optionlst. He cannot appreciate me
gloom probabilities Of s}1e future: "oDa
always paints it in the rosiesE cG.,sr9
II he were of 5hs uatrIre Sil8s eooiIY
stopped TO think os the host 5f blanks
and the few prizes there are IN this
great lottery of chances, he would cease
to be prospecsor. He is r4yIet Of s
Colonel Sellars, aud he is only acting
natural when he puts a fabulous price
on his prospect hole. HIS can sae nil
hons in it" and wonders sby Others
cannot see the same. No one 50 well
as he mas had the opportunity tn learn
'sHow quickly natare fsils into raToEs
When goid becomes her abJect
Yet no one is so sure that IN his pres
eut and particular case nature IS on MS
side. His representations are ao5 dis
honest; they are simply the voice Of an
ovsr-hopful nature. He lives Al ideal
life. His residence il grand castle
IN Spain. He lies on the hard ground
with ragged bl8nket for bed, and
looks up through the pine boughs ana
leaves in the shining stssrs- TIad fancy
weaves Der web aud be is on bed OF
down, drawn round with silken ribbons.
He Is in his castle in Sgail
He eats his bacon &ud bread from =
tin plate and drinks his maddv coffee
from tin cup. In MS castle ars tables
set with shining glass AMI frosted stI-
yer, and bul,EIng champagne I1vIta~ MS
thirst. Homeless, wiEeIpzs. cEiiIless.
he dreams Of an earthly heaven shat VIII
some day be his when his ship cones
in, +" and en- JOYS the dream Tbss more
than most men can enjoy the reality
Sometimes, perhaps, coli and fever mav
lay their hands upon him, AMI MS lone
II life pass away, while only angels sra
present to close bis ewes No vile or
child viii mourn his loss. srd when hU
whitened bones and grTa1inr skTfll are
found men Will wonder whose remains
they are, and over them VII place Gh,s
simple inscription: Unknown.