Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-03-30
A Lucky Shot.

have had my share OF it during my
thirty miles ride to-day"
Mine host conducted me to room
with a CHEEKY fire burning in the
CRATE, and, having served me with
good hot supper and my favorite glass
of good hot brandy, | began to feel
more comfortable. | drew my chair
up to the fire, encased my feet in a
pair of easy slippers, and filled my
pipe preparatory to quiet smoke,
when / was disturbed by the entrance
of my host.
'sWon't you join the company in
the hext room, sir? We have social
club held here twice week, and per-
haps they may amuse you during the
evening"
"With pleasure | replied. So,
taking my glass and pipe | followed
my landlord into the next room,
which was almost filled with a num-
erous company. At the moment of
my entrance they were listening with
evident satisfaction to a story told by
one of their number. My host briefly
introduced me, and I took chair
close to the story-teller and prepared
to enjoy my smoke.
"Now, Mr.. White you must begin
your story again in honor of the gen
tleman." SO Mr.. White re-commenc-
ed.
''You must know, gentlemen, that
the scene of my tale lies in Australia,
Just about the time of the gold fever
there
The tones oe the speakers voice
seemed familiar to me, and | gave
him a searching look. What did |
see? the lobe of his left ear was MISS
ing. 1 half started from my seat,
upsetting the glass of brandy at my
elbow and startling the company gen.
orally.
II beg pardon, gentlemen a sud-
den spasm-that is all" | stammered
out.
''It is the same man. l soliloquiz-
ed.
/ was supplied with fresh glass
of brandy, and Mr.. White resumed {:
"Well, was only young fellow
at the time, and got bitten by the
gold fever like many people beside.
Every paper contained an account of
the riches to be found there, so at
last I made up my mind to 60 and
try my luck. When l told Mary, she
cried, and tired to dissuade me, but
, it was of no use; I was determined,
and soon after left home for London,
l where / entered my name on the
q book as steerage passenger on
board the clipper-built liner, Austria
: lasia.''
'Mary was his sweetheart, inter
. rupted my left-hand neighbor.
$ II well remember the day we sail
: ed The scene at the dock was very
affecting. Husbands were parting
| CT,
n ters, fathers from children, young
fellows from their sweethearts, and
was not sorry when the tug towed
y out to sea. We were motley com
: pany. There were representative
of all classes-laborers, mechanics
a broken-down lawyers, students
k clerks, and a good sprinkling, too, Of
: the hangers-on about town, and ever
a couple of Methodist ministers. AL
Il were going to try their fortunes in the
new Eldorado. We had very gooC
i weather during our voyage, and
suffered but little from sea-sickness
: l made many acquaintances, bu
n there was one man | took an aver
sion to. He was called Mapping
Bill. He was tall, hroad-shoulder.
ed man, with great shock of rec
hair, and close-cropped beard
+ a pair of small ferret-like eyes thai
h seemed to vanish beneath his shaggy
eyebrows when any one addressed
e him, and an expression that showed
him to be the reverse of a quiet ano
:, respectable man.
In due time we arrived at Mel
x bourne. 1t was then a mere collec.
# tion of wooden houses and hastily
S thrown up shanties, ahd was peoplec
by representatives from all civilized
nations on the face of the earth.
: Twenty of us formed party
! bought some tools, and proceeded to
$ the diggings on foot. Arriving here
: we bought claims and set to work te
unearth the long-talked-of gold. My
. chum was steady-going fellow call.
|. ed Sandy, Scotchman. We dug g
:, shaft, hauled up the gold-bearine
: earth and washed it in a large box.
with plates full of holes. The water
washed away the earth, leaving the
gold in the form of nuggets and dust
= on the plates. For the first week OF
: so we found little or nothing, and
/. my golden dreams began to wane.
a Then one morning Sandy gave 6
IL shout of joy, and hastily ascending
= the shaft, / saw in the cradle severa
nuggets of pure gold. I was mao
with delight, and for the rest of the
I. day | worked with the energy of two
re men. Before night-fall we had more
ot than twenty ounces of small nuggets
and dust. We stitched it up in small
canvas bags and hid it for safety il
fha Aaop nf fba font W. xro,,+ ~