Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-03-19

called IL. why, no one knew. apart
from its surroundings and under an ordi-
nary sky it would have shown few attrac-
tions, but this morning the short grass,
the Out-CrOppng rocks, the shabby cabin,
had distracted "a subtle form of color
and softened outline from the overcharg-
ed atmosphere. The old man saw nothing
of this, for he was "down on his luck :"
and to one in this condition it is kind of
personal affront that the sun shines and
the birds sing. He was brooding-had
been brooding as long as he could re-
member. He had prosecuted until his old
bones ached, without making the ghost of
strike" Once he had been well and
happy; but luck was against him, and at
90 he was lonely, poor and rheumatic, and
lining in Il mean log house in Hungry
Gulch. TO be sure he had himself partly
to blame for his present discomforts 1t
has been the fashion of late years to
idealze the Western miner and he is far
from being an ideal being. He has many
faults, but he has one shining virtue he
is as kind to his needy companion as heart
could desire. The prosperous mountain
dweller may care for himself the bust
ed' man will never lack II helping hand
as long as there is Il blanket or piece of
salt pork in the camp.
Uncle Eph shouldered his pick and limp
ed across the hills until he reached the
point where he had been working the day
before. After resting awhile he began
plying the pick and continued his labor at
intervals for some time. At last he sat
down and leaned against the rock tired
and discouraged. AS he did 50 two men
came quickly toward him and stopped
Il little way off. They watched him as he
reclned listlessly, pick in hand. Ere long
he began chopping at Il small boulder. a
chance blew petached piece of shell
from its surface. He picked it up and eX.
amined it, carefully but languidly. 1t was
some time before he rose drove couple
of stakes in the ground, and walked slow
ly toward the town.
The two men advanced they were
Cheyenne Joe and his friend from Den
erv.
poor old chap" said the former, 81
wonder if he allows he's made a strike
Thar amt IA man in the camp ez would
grudge it to him but the chances is agin
him in this yere place. | heerd one of
them scientific sharps from New York
tibet come here year ago say thar ought
to be Il show for what he called "chlo-
rides" round here. But | don't take
much stock in them fellers, an !. ID "A good
sight sooner trust an old miner than the
best of 'em, with their book-larnin. Let's
see whar he's gOin'
Around the hills and across the gulches.
always with faltering steps, the old man
wendell his way to a small implanted
building, wherein dwelt an important
characterin the mining camp, the assayer.
He was there but Il few moments; then
the two men who had kept him in view,
saw him come come out and YEARLY plod
toward his home. They entered the rude
building, where the expert was busy with
his crucibles.
say, Professor" CALCULATED Joe, 81
want to introduce you to my friend, Mr..
Williams of Denver" The men shook
hands. Him an mes been "a lookin at
Uncle Eph unbeknown to him while he
IL N n ~ ut .lnp
Did he bring you specimen ?"
Yes said the assayer, "he brought Il
piece of ore and said he'd leave it here
until he could raise the money to pay for
the assay. He's so queer; he wouldn't
wait for me to tell him I'd gladly make
pretty hard work trying to help him."
Williams drew his wallet from his pOck-
ct and laid Il bank note on the table.
you are very good" said he, "but
have an interest in the told man and !
shall gladly pay. your bill, We will call
for the assay this afternoon.
At about the time the old man came in
the morning to his door, as just narrated,
Williams and Joe were approaching the
ranch house in the valley. They had
driven down the steep road through the
pine trees, crossed IA creek on Il rude
bridge and followed the wheel-tracks on
the crisp grass. There came to meet them
youth, and the pretty little blue-eyed
creature" Pretty, indeed, was she, and
would have been in far more critical eyes
than those of the old prospector. With
true native politeness he dotted his rusty
hat and took her little white hand in the
friendly and respectful clasp of his brown
and rough one. To this day old Joe talks
of her.
'I'm 63 years old" he once told friend
'an' I've tramped from the Wind River
Mountains to the Rio Grande, an I've
been in Frisco, an st. Louis, an Denver {;
an allow | never see such pretty sight
in all my life. 1t jest broke me all up, an
don't yer forgit it. Why, allow eff | was
young fellow an she'd look at me with
them eyes O. hern ez blue eZ the the sky
over the range tn October an ez clear ez
the mountain streams up to timber live
an beckon with tibet little white hand,
I'd foller her to the end of the airth SEE
Ito myself, yer know, Little Daisy,
yerve got a young Teller tibet loves We an
is ez good eZ gold an ez true eZ steel an
perhaps yer amt got no need of the sar-
vices of old Joe Cannon but eff yer have,
why count him in, every time. He's old
an stiff, an what with hard WORK, an
bad grub an mountain fever, he amt
what he wuz; but thar's life in the old
man ylt, an he couldn't make no better
use of it than in dom his level best to help
yer"
The blue eyes grew brighter as Miss
SUSIE tulktu 10 tne Olu man. lnere cOulu
be no doubt the description tailed per-
fectly; Uncle Eph was her father. 1t was
arranged that the party should 90 to the
camp at once and the girl and her broth
er remain at the hotel while William and
Joe decided on favorable opportunity of
breaking the good news to the hermit.
They learned that he had gone prospect
ing, and they had resolved, on sudden
impulse, to await the result of the assay
before speaking to him.
AS they left the Office they met an i'll
looking fellow, who passed them without
recognition. Joe looked sharply at him.
Tibet thar fellow looks sort o. familiar
to me-" said he, Hes n stranger in the
camp, but allow I've seen him before"
The sun had nearly run his daily course
and was descending on the SUBMITS OF
the western mountains when the old man
again crossed the threshold of his cabin,
and again shaded his eyes with his hand
and looked down the rude path. This
| time he saw a man approaching but too
far away to distinguish his face. He re
turned to his cabin, mt the door of which
he soon heard knock. 4 stranger enter
ada uprson of fOrbiddinO nnnpurnnpp