Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-02

Skkh Eu.
by ten o'ClnCk | was on guard agarn
watching Pratt The enemy was gradually
dNancIng and Cnnverging on our works
lie was already one hundred feet higher III
and 80 much nearer the Bank His prnS
pct hOleS now covered only an AREA of thrt,
hundred feet.
BY noon he had left off the drudging ascent,
and desCents of the mountain 10 the river Il
wash his prospects. He WAS occupied en-
trcly with the float quartz" here thickly
scattered about as it had rulled from the
VEN, knocking the fragments 10 pieces lie
had found gold. Uttering joyous "Whoop
er! be put chunk Of the quartz in hi
Tag, and then another and another. Iii,
feelings and mine at that time were certainly
N strong contrast I" each other.
He crawlepi up gradually toward the shelf
on which lay the Bank Ii inclined ~nme-
what toward the river and then jumped of
abruptly, making a perpendicular face four
or five leet in height Pratt could now ~,
that the quartz had rolled from this shelf,
ami that the vein must be somewhere at OF
near Its top.
Its up there" heard him mutter. and
mighty rich. too"
heard him s'ramhling up the wall Of rnrk
assisting himself 10y roots and bushes growing
IN the creviceS- heard him pant. All b,-
side WAS stIll-the stiffness of the California
summer noon day-nothing of life in sight
save black buzzard wheeling above his
shadow floating along the ground.
Pratt had gained the top of the shelf He
made his way directly toward the face of the
preripice. He burst through the chapparal.
and was disclosed to him, seated on "a rock,
about ten feet from the vein
"Hollna," :" was his voluntary exclamation;
You here
Yes, I'm here, replied
We'll we'll" He WAS evidently at a los
what next To say or do. ITS IA hot day.
isn't it0
Pretty hot" remarked thought it was
or would be spun in every sense and the
shadow of laugh came over me aS | thought
of talking weather" at such juncture
Mr.. Pratt sat himself also down upon
rncK, drew a rusty red handana mopyzd
with it his face and partly bald head. ami
said "Whew!" Then he poked the ground
tefore him with the end Of his hammer. and
] pOked Mother Earth before me with a stick.
Ii was clear to me that Mr. Pratt intended
to stay here and wait for nv going. 1t was
clear 10 me that | should remain-tbnugh |
did not like 80 Ia do The situation was
somewhat akin 70 that in which two gentle
men calling on the same lady sometimes tini
themselves and of all work sitting your mau
out ranks among the hardest Both of us
reCOCnlZSl silence as the factor most eff
CaCiouS for the removal of his adversary
only while Mr. Pratt hoped that the dull
neSS of his company might remove me. haG,
no hope that my taciturniuy would remOv"
Mr. Pratt from the vicinity Of the golden
mistress he knew was near
So sat one full hour and the longest
hour Of my life Pratt made the first move
He commenced examining the rock near ths
solid mountain formation Nearer he al
vanned toward the place where Broener had
screened the worked portion Of the vein with
a laVer "f cut brush. He was in the at Of
removing this when | called out: Don't
touch that brush, please
why not" said Pratt. looking hack
Never mind why not Don't touch it" ]
said. advancing toward him, feeling as if on
nv way e. the scaffold
'!"eil young man, do you own this noun
tain he said
Il own that brush that's ALL was my
reply.
The hruSh WAS ranged against the white
streak of rock for not more than ten or
twelve feet Pratt passed it His eve fell
on one end Of the vein-untnuchei there by
the pick. He commenced chipping it with
his hammer
You must let that rock alone" | said
going toward him
Pratt was now up and doing. The war
had commenced
'Oh, Gomez he exclaimed. don't you
fool around me any more VOC must be of
your head This mountains a, much mine
a. yours
That's my claim, said Let it alone
Momentary wonder showed itself in Pratts
eyes that any one else should know of gold
in this form.
Your claim" said he rip here What
sort of diggings do YOU call tleSe anyways.
Perhaps you know as well aS l. But
that's my claim by right of discovery"
Where's your noticesf"
The written notice on the ground was then |
Indispensable to hold a claim We had none
Broener had put none up, knowing i; would |
attract attention
Where's your toolsf" hr continued
Tools left on a claim We're regarded a.
most important proofs Of possession. BroeneT |
had hidden away those he used-Where |
knew not.
No notices, no tools and no work done, |
and you call this claim!" said Pratt deris- |
lively
Clearly as to the mining rights Of the ne
riod Pratt had the hest Of me | felt the |
moral weakness Of the situation Pratt |
seemed also to know his own strength and |
my weakness in this respect Meantime he
had taken out his six shooter and cooked it
He stood facing me. and had the drop" on
me. was powerleSs.. Now, young man"
said he, Il give you while | count ten TO get
off this ground. and if you don't I'll put Il
ball through YOU Dye hear! Get! NaInos
One-two-t three" As he spoke he made Il
step backward 1t was all a jumble Of rocks