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

-mysterious Appearance of it's
Guardian AngeI-Ehe Wonderful
Discovery Of it's wealth of Gold
Astonishing Revelations Of "A queer
Character.
Denver News.
Old Uncle Jimmy was one of the
first TO stake a claim IN Poverty
Galch-at least there was no one IN
the scattered population who could
remember time when he was not
prominent character of the camp. Or
his previous history nothing was
known. though they were, had ceased
to be the topic OF conversation. A
score Of years ago several adventur-
Gus prospectors had penetrated the
hitherto unknowu country beyond
the range. and had discovered some
good placer d'ggings i'll the gulch.
One morning while at work, pannlng
out the glitteriug particulars from the
dirt. which always showed paying
colors, they were astonished by the
appearance Of large Newfoundland
dog. The intelligent brute, by It's
actions, indicated that it was IN some
distress, and, humoriug his plainly
evident desire, two of them dropped
their pans and followed him to ascer-
tain, if possible, the cause OF his inn
p0rtunity, and also the explanation
of his presence 50 far from clvlllzd-
ton. After walking some distance
up the guIch the dog turned in
through
a DENSE GROWTH or SCRUB OAK,
near the side Of small creek which
was one of the feeders of the stream
on which they were working. There
they discovered a plainly defined trail,
following which they shortly arrived
. at Labtation, which, built in the
side of The hill, partook more of the
nature oi dugOut than 1t did of a
cabin. ObeyiEg the faithful brute's
mute invitation they entered and dis
covered lying on rude bunk, man
somewhat past the prime of life, who,
though dressed III the garb Of a MINER
had all the appearance of an educated
and thoroughly Intelligent man. Ills
hair and long whisElers, which had
once been black, were now plentiful
ly besprinltled with gray; the eyes,
however, black as coal, still retained
a wonderful briIliancy, although up
ON the somewhat haggard features
there was ut that time
AN EXPRESSION OF PAIN AND SUFFER
ING,
the cause Of which was soon appar-
ent. To the inquiries of the strangers
he dropped his eyes toward his right
arm, and they ut once discovered that
it was badly shattered. Ohe Of the
strangers, who fortunately had at one
time been a student of Il medical col
lcge in Philadelphia, ut once proceed
ed To rip oil the sleeve of the suffer
er's coat, and in y comparatively short
time, with the aid of some improviSed
spllnts had set the injured member in
Il manner that would have done credit
to a more prartlccd surgeon.
THE SrlFFENED LINES AROUND THE
MOUTH
of the wounded man slowly relaxed
and his whole look expressed more
strongly than words the relief he ex-
perienced from the. grateful opera
ton. To the question which the
strangers had delicately, forbore to put
until now as to the cause of the acct
dent, the man said: "My story is n
long and to me very disagreoable
one; suffice il To say have lived alone
i'm this gulch for the past six months,
my solitude shared only by my faith
fal dog. am a voluntary exile from
the haunts of men and have devoted
my time almost entirely to prospect
ing, except such us was necessary to
provide food, of which there is toll
cradle abundance III this neighbor
hood in thc shape of game. | have
not seen Il human face during all the
time | have been here, nor indeed was
| aware of the proximity of any of my
kind until my faithful companion
with a knowledge almost human,
realized something of my injuries
and sought for aid. This morning
| started out earlier than usual and
had
PROCEEDED uP THE GULCH
for perhaps a mile, when discovered
an arroyo running into it at right an
giles, and the popularity Of the for
nation attracting my attention, |
climbed its steep sides 10 ledge, on
uudcrbrush; making misstep, | fell
perhaps some twenty feet into nat
ural cave, the mouth of which had
been concealed by the vegetation; 70"
a time | lay there completely stunned,
and was walGned To consciousness by
feeling the tongue Of my dog licking
my face. Upon regalnlng my feet,
and attempting to lift my arm, found
II was broken With considerable
difficulty | Clambercd the steep sides
OF my temporary prison and made
my way painfully to the cabin.
Such was the story told the two Stran-
gers, story whose true significance
was not realized fora number of years
aGterwari
THE POVERTY GULCu DlGGINGS
continued to pauj out moderately
we'll, and newcomers were gradually
attracted until quite camp grew up.
with all of its accessories of saloons,
gambling tents and a dance hall.
Occasionally the old man, who was
known, who no one could tell, as
Uncle Jimmie, visited the store for
tho purchase of necessary supplies,
but of his past or present life nothing
was known save that he was working
patiently nj some claim few miles
from camp. 1t was noticed BY a few
that the payments he made for the
Scanty supplies he purchased We're in
small nuggets or PARTICLES of native
gold, and it began to be shrewdly
suspected that he had a rich piece Of
ground somewhere near, but all at
tempts To discover its locality failed.
Time passed on and nothing remark
able had occurred to disturb the
serenity of the inhabitants of Orc
Camp, for such the settlement had
been named, until one beautiful
morning in the early summer the few
loungerS around
THE ACE OF DIAMONDS SALOON
We're electrified by strange sight.
There, coming down the gulch was
Uncle Jimmie, accompanied, as usual,
by hls dog-wonder of wondersl