The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-17
An OLD rreapector's life.

SA&S - W. fSSS AAISs
Denver Tribune.
Mr.. Curtis Chamberlain. OF the Den
yer University has a picture in tho art
department OF the Exposition of IN old
prospsctor. Simply in its teclnic. it is
a good piece Of work. In q higher and
better way, it is a ine work Of art; it is
n of the rare pictures that appeals to
the feelings and awakens memory into
vivid life. The picture is Of q grizzled
and gray miner, with a battered hat,
unkept hair and s~un-browned face. In
one hand he holds a magnifying glass,
and in the other a piece of oar.
The look i'll his eyes and the
smile on his face say as plainly as words
could say, "I've struck it.
Instinctively the one who sees it
thinks of the strange life it represents.
How often he has watched the same
look on the face of prospectors, and
how often in a day or two the look has
changed back to the ordinary, indifer-
ent or contented one that fate's hard
est buffetings never destroys. One
wonders if the old prospector will go to
bed as rich in a week as heeseems to be
and thinks he is now. Long. long
years ago the old man learned that
soft expectation fails and most
Where most it promises"
And if tomorrow the good ore in his
discovery hole plays out" he will not
be surprised or disappointed. The reali-
zation of his hopes, that for q day SEEM
ed to take form as q tangible fact may
have taken its place in the long line OF
Others like it that have gone before.
The life and character of the old
rrospectors are things that are best I'M
dcrstood. Most every II knows the
but few know that it has its compensa-
lions. There is 81 freedom about it tha.
only his type of men can Y e enjoy.
We never saw an inveterate prospector
who was not by nature q poet and bo-
hemian, though he did not know ii
himself. There is something in the
witness of his surroundings that finds
a responsive chord IN his nature. AS
he climbs up the mountain side these
summer days, and up above him against
the blue sky there lies a bank of snow,
he sees it touched with changing hues
of violet and pearl that flush and fade
along the horizon, and feels a Joy and
happiness that he can not, perhaps m
alyze; he only knows that he enjoys the
life.
The prospector is necessarily M
optionist. He cannot appreciate the
gloomy probabilities of the future; hope
always paints it in the rosiest colors
il he were of the nature that coolly
stopped to think of the host of blanks
and the few prizes there are in this
great lottery of chances, he would CEASE
to be q prosptctor. He is much of 6
Colonel Sellars, and he is only acting
natural when he puts a fabulous price
on his prospect hole. H. a see "mil
lions in it," and wonders Why other.
cannot see the same. No one so vel
as he has had the opportunity to learn
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object"
Yet no one is SO sure that in his pres
ent and particular case nature is on his
side. His representations are not dis.
honest; they are simply the voice Of al
over-hopful nature. He lives an idea
life. His residence is a grand castle
in SPAIN He lies on the hard ground
with a ragged blanket for a bed, an6
looks up through the pine boughs anc
leaves in the shining stars. Then fame,
weaves her web and he is on q bed O
down, drawn round with silken ribbons
He is in his castle in Spain.
He eats his bacon and bread from
tin plate and drinks his muddy COTE,
from a tin cup. In his castle are table:
set with shining glass and frosted sll
yer, and building champagne invites his
thirst. Homeless. wifeless, childless
he dreams of an earthly heaven that vii
some day be bis when his 'ship come.
in" and enjoys the dream maybe NOR.
than most men can enjoy the reality
Sometimes, perhaps, cold and fever MAJ
lay their hands upon him, and his lone
ly life pass away, while only angels ar
present to close his eyes. No wife or
child will mourn his loss, and when hi
whitened bones and grinning skull ar,
found men will wonder whose remains
they are, and over them will place tn,
simple inscription: Unknown.