Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-02-29

the first time in its existence expert
enced a remarkable boom.
TOWN LOTS WERE LAID OUT
for long distances up and down the
gulch, and population poured in at an
unprecedented rate. Whenever Jessie
made her appearance, which she fire.
quently did, on the main street of the
camp, invariably accompanied by the
dog Juno, she was always hailed with
feelings of delight and almost rever-
ence, and became the pet of the whole
camp. An event occurred one day that
astonished the camp more than any
thing that had ever happened, and
which went further to establish its
permanent prosperity than any of the
previous finds which it dwarfed into
insigniticance.
One morning the same inevitable
loungers saw Jessie coming down the
gulch as fast as her little feet could
carry her, with her golden hair stream
ing in the wind, and, of course, fol
lowed by the dog. He face wore such
an air of distress and excitement that
quite crowd quickly gathered round
her AS soon as size could recover
sufficient breath to speak, she said:
"Oh, come with me quick!
GRANDPA IS VERY SICK. HE WILL DIE. "
Without asking further questions a
stalwart miner picked her up in his
arms and started off at a rapid pace
for the old mans cabin, closely fol
lowed by perhaps dozen of the 9TH
ers. Arriving there Uncle Jimmy
was found in pitiable state; he had
suffered from a stroke of paralysis
and was even ROW in the throes of
dissolution. AS soon as he caught the
eyes of the first corners by superhu-
man effort he raised himself, and
pointing with his finger he gasped:
1.-The chest, and fell back dead. AT
ter a short consultation it was deemed
best to examine the old chest, which
seemed to hold the solution of the old
mans secrets, before making arrange
ments for the funeral. Accordlngl y
it was at once opened, and found to
be nearly filled with the richest speci-
mems of gold quartz that even those
experienced miners mad ever seen. In
fact, an immense fortune was spread
out before their eyes.
A MORE WONDERFUL REVELATION,
however, than this mass of precious
metal awaited them in document,
which they found securely tied up
and deposited in small drawer. In
side it was addressed ITO whom it
may concern" and was as follows:
''But one thing induces me to break a
silence I had intended to keep, as to
my own affairs, that is the future of
the only being on earth whom | claim
as kin to me. | mean little Jessie.
Providence has been kind to me, and,
Us will be found, she is heiress to an
estate of no mean proportions. Years
ago was living in my native city of
st. Louis, surrounded by wife and
children, nor dreamed that any thing
could occur to destroy my happiness.
Alas, the destroyer came. A young
man whom | employed in my bust
ness, and IN whom | reposed every
confidence, betrayed my trust by forg
my financial ruin. Had his villainy
stopped here l might have been made
less wretched, and my life not have
been made a wreck, but his flight,
which quickly followed the discovery
of his crime,
DEVELOPED HIS COMPLETE BASENESS,
for | discovered when too late that
my only daughter, upon whom | had
lavished all that wealth could bestow,
had fled with him. The double blow
killed my wife, and | consumed the
small pittance left of my fortune III
the vain effort to track the destroyer
of my home and happiness. After
exhausting my last dollar, and having
nothing to return home for, wander
ed through the mountains of Colora-
do, pursuing the uncertain calling OF
a prospector. Early one summer
reached the gulch, and, being thor,
oughly disheartened and disguised
with the whole world, fixed up this
old cabin and resolved to die here,
away from every one who could by
any possibility have known me. Some
years ago, as some of you may re-
member, | fell into a natural cave,
pain was too intense at the time to
note clearly my surroundings while
in the cavern, but there was enough
to cause me, as soon as | had sufficient
ly recovered, to return to the cave and
make a thorough examination, the
result of which exceeded my greatest
expectations. | had found the true
mother vein
WHENCE CAME ALL THE GOLD
that was being washed out of the
gravel in the diggings below. In fact,
the ledge was of quartz of an immense
thickness and of incredible richness.
That guarded my discovery well you
all know. Shortly after my big find,
one stormy evening, there came a
knock at my cabin door. Upon open
ing it at first could discover nothing.
After my eyes became slightly aecus-
toned to the darkness | discover
ed bundle lying near the en-
trance, which, upon close inspection,
| found was child of something over
year. Imagine my surprise upon
unwrapping its folds to find therein a
note addressed to me, and informing
me that this was the child of the
daughter who had Sc cruelty betrayed
my affections, but who had dearly
paid for the misery she had caused by
her death in poverty and neglect
How the child came to my cabin or
whence
WAS AND Is A MYSTERY.
But of its identity as my granddaugh-
ter / have no doubt, aud as she is my
only living relative, l give her all the
gold have saved, and the claim from
which it was taken. [ appeal to the
we'll known honesty and chivalry of
the miners. that my wishes may be
carried out. After my funeral q de-
sire to be buried near my cabin l
would have Jessie sent east to school,
and the estate placed in the hands of
legal guardians" During the reading
of the document the miners stood with
uncovered heads, and every man men
tally resolved that the wishes of the
writer should be carried out to the let
ter. After the funeral, which took
place the next day, legal steps were
taken to secure the property for the
child, and she was sent east, accord
ing to her grandfather's request. The
golden ledge was sold for an enormous
sum to an eastern company, and the
fauna Af tho Damn hos S,,ra.1 far and