The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-13
MAcK.s NUGGET.


 He was an old Forty miner. When gold was discovered in California he took passage on ship at Charleston. S C., and in ten months afterward-it often took nine months to make the voyage iu those days, by way of Cape Horn or the Straits of Magellan-he was washing dirt in the new Fl Dorado.
 But he found much more dirt than gold, and after the civil war ended he walked across the continent to Arkansaw
 When a man becomes a miner for the precious metals he is miner ever after. ward. He may make his living otherwise, but the passion never leaves him. He hopes to strike rich ind" somewhere, some time, and he keeps on hoping, till he strikes that last if not richest of all finds "-death.
 Mack found silver indications near Lit tie Rock There he stopped. built a shanty worked with the means at his command and proved to his own satis. fiction, if not to those whose pecuniary assistance he solicited, that a reasonable outlay of money would disclose wealth almost beyond the capability of man to compute.
 A long, thin man he was his hair was gray and scraggy, his beard coarse and sparse, his cqpplexion brown, his face 'urrowed all over with deep lines running m every direction. The tones of his voice had kindly sound. He spoke lit. tle, but always pleasantly-eve deferen- tially. His laugh was more a laugh of the face and eyes than of noise, for i, was not loud, and often not audible. His eyes were deep blue, and a dimple in each cheek made him look almost hand some when he smiled.
 l often thought he must have favore d his mother Those dimples put the idea into my head, and one day told him SO
 They ussd to tell me at home did" he said; but don't suppose do now
 One ightin December, when the moon was young, the weather warm, and soft southwest wind was blowing, was awak- ened frsm an early sleep by a knock at my door. OpeLing it, boy handed me note. It read:
 Come down. must see you tonight. [ am at my old boarding house on -th street.
 MACK.
 "How's this p asked. "He didn't write this"
 "! guess not, for Pm afeerd he's past writin'. The doctor done it. He asked him to dc it."
 went.
 found him in his old room, where T. had sat with him for hours, neither of us speaking word, while he played old. time airs on an old violin. But he was in bed, and his fdlle was mute; and, as he looked at me several moments without breaking silence, 1 feared l would never hear his voice again.
 "Take seat Charlie" His voice was firm and clear. Turning to the physician, he said: Doctor, feel better. Could you not let me talk with Charlie a little, and alone2 have some business with him."
 "Yes, certainly" Saying which the doctor passed out, whispering to me, as he did so, "It will soon be all up with him"
 My dear fellow, what is it2 hope you are not seriously ill.,"
 "Yes, am and that's why sent for you. ] am dying-I know it. am worn out. You remember you once said to me favored my mother. have been thinking of her tonight. When 1 left home was only twenty year, old. She didn't want me to leave but knew best. Yes, we all know better than our mothers. and 1 went. The first gold found in Cal fornia was small nugget. swore when picked it up l would never go back till carried a fortune with it. was never gambler or drunkard, yet 1 never prospered. She died twenty years age, but have kept my oath before me ever since, for hoped to make fortune and spend it all for monument over her grave. My father died when was baby, but she made a man and a fair scholar of me; but thought more of gold than l did of her happiness, and here am to- night. But am not afraid to die. When | a man pursues a phantom until he is thoroughly tired he feels like lying down | and sleeping forever" Here he asked me for drink of water. | But he did not falter in his speech, nor did he seem worried.
 "Will you let me give you the old 6d- | dle3' he said, with his familiar smile.
 "Of coarse," l answered, "l would | prize it above all things" He rose from | the bed before l could interfere, and | walked firmly to where an old trunk sat in corner. Opening it, he secured small packageto which string was fixed He tied this around his neck, walked | saek to the bed, and laid himself leis- urely down.
 This" he spoke, as with suppressed | breath, holding up the package, "con tains that gold nugget. l ask you, Charlie, to see that am buried with 1t around | my neck"
 He reached out his hand, grasped mine, closed his eyes and. when thought him only sleeping, he was dead.
 Wrapped around the nugget was a braid of brown hair. If he had ever loved any other woman than his mother he kept his secret well. was never able to discover it.
 executed his will. Mack, the nugget of gold and the braid of brown hair are all three sleeping together.