Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-10-07

- rHr RrCKEsT MINES
81 oSn ,,' ~ WAS POUND.

sger 80. wsch minerals,
i lorg ~ ~ borsemen, were climbing
.sad % ~, the san Joan mountains.
es9 va, ii Frank Smith, the drivers
asisSi s"n = Inc train, were brothers.
d oane ~ :, oder although yet Q young
FiIlis,ia'i ~ hsea IN the country long enough
SO hAa ';5ered pioneer. Frank, the
i b eo'lsh.a ID only arrived from the East
ssse', ~ months before. lie was a
s1i w Male college. also Of an east
f'a .as .ehooI. and had come to Coiora-
n - y. , soloe idca Of engaging in the
h SIN sglsw Finding, however, upon
gsfsless I j. the little town. which was
Sliss, scat that the field was Gov
te e0ah.d y and that the lawyers who
q aa .es him had little or no bust
~ Iss' .ecepied his brothers invitation
ss . lie venture and become Q
...To pancher .d .,;,, hov;sh
AisnosS considerably bronzed by ex-
s1 s - the sun and rain, yet there was
faH' ne signs of unusual intelligence
disposition that was always
~ " Tndeed. this was manifested by
npP{ o,rd songs with which he con-
q si,s enliyensd the somewhat monoto-
sals' M tedious trip. On the morning
seA -. the train had reached the
DANGEROUS portion of the trail,
~ !, wound around bluff on the
~ .dae Of canon whose jaggedsand
~ alton, rT sides and rocky bottom
Fs.1'f,aned instant death to the luckless
slsr who would make one misstep.
liar s'a,;arity with the trail and its dangers
n made the young man somewhat care
and il so happened that just as he
4, esrolnp q sparkling air from Pin
~ and while the echoes of his must
\ sdice we're still ringing through the
ann his usually sure-footed horse
ssnopd upon a loose stone and instantly
ssi.p and rider were hurled over the
rsepice.
,nm point a short distance in advance
n i he was about turning the bluff.
I..,snty he ran to the edge, and on the
...kv he'd Of the canon, where the little
contain stream boiled and Kissed with
\ tinv white spray, he saw the manglcd
lOiy Of the horse lying a crushed and
,Imost shapcIess mass. Making detour,
En- infinite difficulty he climbed down
as sides of the canon and reached the
nayof the horse, but, strange to say,
Aa Of his brother was nowhere TO be
sen 10th to leave without having dis
esepd his brothers. remains, he spent
n whole afternoon in the search, but
vfhout having discovered trace of the
rheabouts OF the body until the length
ming shadows warned him to resume his
bufney to the camp, still some miles dis
uBt Reluctantly he resumed his jour
rv and upon reaching camp told his
roadeful story to the crowd of eager
ssirners who soon gathered around the
mnepal cabin. The next morning a
InU was organized, who spent the
Whole day in an unavaiIing search for
hemissng man.
The mystery deepened, and in the
minds Of the superstitious miners savored
strongly of the supernatural. Toward
heclose Of the second day a group of
men, sitting at the door of the largest
tabin which did duty as a store and
cstofhce, discussing young Smiths
strange disappearance, were suddenly
Startled by seeing the figure of a man
lolng painfully up the steep trail and
aFer the trail bridge that crossed the tor
Rut which ran through the centre of the
Little settlement. Upon his approaching
Healcr what was their surprise to dis
s0ver in him the missing man, but so
covered with bruises and so haggard
boxing as to be hardly recognizable. A
luvd Of vii ing hands assisted him to
DC door Of the store, and after his wants
were attended to. the chief one Of which
ts hunger, their intense curiosity was
gasned by the relation OF the following
aareous story:
1 must have been several hours af-
g ny tall before regained conscious
aes and found myself lying on the floor
sacavern, terribly bruised and hungry.
lae walls, on either side were steep and
u asa and upon cropping around found
~ TIE cave extended into the mountain
,sa, I, perfect labyrinth of passages.
,aSag one of them at random ! wan
sssa Tor hours, dragging my weary
sae slowly and painfully over the
pssl ground. Finally overcome Dy
nasuc, lay upon the ground, and slept
saa0W not how long. Upon awakening
! ~ other pains was added the keener
Y q hunger. / still pushed on, how
VS. ~, showing that to remain would be
NJ. w yet without any idea Of d differ
!. 'a | should | continue, uncertain us I
- y ' s., | was not getting farther away
~ hgnt ana liberty. Suddenly saw
, ssan Of blessed sunlight coming from
N not tell where, but heightened
y nagniied by the object mon which
.. ~ shining. This found upon ex.
~ was mass Of glittcrinu ore.
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