Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-13

Francisco, and had a close call for his life; and
| he had time 70 think over his ways and what
he'd struck 1t rich out there, and he sent them
| All nee carried of, and document clearing
so1
| their father, and nothing would satisfy the
girl. but to start out and look for him. They
and hey came am so out to Denver the they made
| iIlends wherever they went, and they've been
OF one thing siTa snd ay and that's to nd
| the old gentleman. The boy had got what he
thought a clue, which took him TO Hillerton
! that time met him, but he didn't come to any,
thing. I went to Denver with him, and he
introduced me to his sister and then"-a blush
time I've been just as anxious as they to find
their father. To tell you the truth, I've just
little hope that If should come across him
alive and well, susie--that's her name, bless
her little heart-would marry me. Pm in a
good business and getting ahead, and I'd be
| the happiest man in the world if could win
her brother are not far Off, They're down in a
ranch in the valley, and I'd like to have you
you drive down with me after breakfast, and
| they III be delighted to meet YOU"
lady's man, but will go with yer ez sure e. ez
you're alive. I'd like to see the little gall an eff
] she ii give me some p'ints about her dad, kin
ne amt" = - -
THAT'S a capital idea" said William "Some-
how feel 1t in my bones that it's he, and that
we're going to be successful and that III be the
happiest man this side Of the range"
I'm with yer, pard, thar" said Joe, "an'
good luck, it would sort o. lap over on the camp,
| an you bet we need it bad enough. Yer see,
yer think it's come to stay, it'll desart yer
| Quicker'n a wink; an when ye're pretty nigh
| played out, some little thing'n bring it right
| back. When yer come In that saloon tonight
with yer jolly face among all them felers that's
been awaftin' an a hopin till they hedn't no
| heart left, it come to me straight tibet suthin'
apOin' haDDon-an vor,y oil
among the , busted crowd in this yere camp
The rays OF the next mornings sun, cleaning
over the smooth eastern hills, had torn the veil
peaks, when an old man pushed open the
clumsy, creaking door of q log cabin and, with
halting steps, crossed the threshold. 1t should
here be said that no one has known the full joy
of living until he has done Just this simple
thing-opened the door Of q Colorado house on
perfect Colorado morning. This is not the as
lands, secure from contradiction for you can
try it for yourself in three days time, and the
the ornate portal Of q Denver hotel, with an
omnibus standing before 1t. All the modern
improvements in the world cannot affect the
rare quality of the air, and certain sober md
dle-aged scribe, whom chance sent thither some
years ago, has told his friends at the club at
least fifty times that, emerging from Denver
hostery in the first stages of the depression fol-
lowing breakfast made wretched by salaratus
bread and infamous coffee he has found him.
that he has conceived an insane desire to ira
verse Larimer street with hop, skip and jump.
have felt, he made no sign The sun lit up his
thin gray hair, his sombre face, his bent figure
The lfe-giving breeze waved the ends of the
seedy silk handkerchief tied loosely round his
neck. He shaded his eyes with his hand and
looked down the narrow valley in which his
log cabin stood. "Hungry GuIch," they called
roundings and under ordinary skyit would
have shown few attractions but this morning
4 1ha mt
shabby cabin, had distracted a subtle form of
color and sOftencd outline from the Overcharged
atmosphere. The Old man saw nothing of this,
this condition it is q kind of personal affront
that the sun shines and the birds sing. He was
broodlng-had been brooding as long as he
could remember. He had prospected until his
old bones ached, without making the ghost of a
strike" Once he had been well and happy;
but luck was against him, and at Us he was
lonely, poor and rheumatic, and living in a
mean log house in Hungry Gulch. To be
present discomforts. 1t has been the fashion Of
late years TO ideaiiZe the western miner: and
he is far from an ideal being. He has many
faults, but he has one shining virtue; he is as
kind to his needy companions as heart could
desire. The prosperous mountain dweller may
care ior himself: the busted" man will never
ket or piece OF salt pork in the camp.
Uncle Eph shouldered his pick and limped
across the hills until he reached the point
where he had been working the day before
After resting awhile he began plying the pick
ana contlnueo Ms labor at intervals for some
time. At last he sat down and leaned against
the rock, tired and discouraged AS he did so
two men came quickly toward him and
stopped a little way off. They watched him as
he reclned listlessly, pick in hand. Ere long me
began chipping at small boulder. A chance
blow detached piece of she'll from its surface
tie picked 1t up and examined IL, carefully but
languidly. 1t was sometime before he rose
drove couple Of stakes in the ground, and
walked slowly towards the town.
The two men advanced; they were CHEYENNE
Joe and bis friend from Denver.
poor old chap" said the former, al wonder
If he allows he's made a strike. Thar amt a
man in the camp ez would grudge it to him:
but to chances is asin him in this yere place.
heerd one of them scientific sharps from New
York tibet come here a year ago say thar oueht
TO be snow for what he called "chlorides''
round here. But don't take much stock in
an old miner than the best of EN-, with their
book-larnin'. Lets see whar he goin'"
ways with faitering steps, the old man Wen,ded
his way to a small implanted building, where
In dwelt an important character In the mining
camp, the assayer. He was there but a few mo,
ments; then the two men, who had kept him
in view, saw him come out and YEARLY plod
towards his home. They entered the rude
building, where the expert was busy with his
crucibles.
'':;ay, Professor" calculated Joe, 81 want
of Denver" The men shook hands. "Him
an mes been lOOkin' at Uncle Eph unbe-
known to him while he wuz chippin' away at
them boulders. Did he bring yer a speci-
men:'
Yes" said the assayer, che brought a piece
OF ore, and said he'd leave it here until he
could raise the money to pay for the assay.
be soqueerhe wouldn't wait for me to tell him
I'd gladly make it and let him pay when he
was able. Its pretty hard work trying to help
him."
Williams drew his wallet from his pocket and
laid a bank note on the table.
ny on are very good, i" said he "but have an
interest IL the old man and shall gladly pay
your biz. We will call for the assay this after
noon"
At about the time the old man came in the
morning TO his door, as just narrated, Williams
the valley. They had driven down the steep
road through the pine trees, crossed a creek on
rude bridge and followed the wheel tracks on
the crisp grass. There came to meet them a
youth, and the "pretty little biue-eyed crea-
ture-" Pretty, indeed, was she, and would
have been in far more critical eyes than those
OF the old prospector.. With true native polite
white hand in the friendly and respectful clasp
Of his brown and rough one. To this day old
Joe talks of her.
I'm SO 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 1 allow l never see
such a pretty sight in all my life. 1t jest broke
me all up, an don't yer forgit it. Why, allow
ef was young teller an she d look at me with
them eyes o. hern, ez blue as the sky over the
range in October an ez clear eZ the mountain
streams up To timber line-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 young teller tibet loves We an
Is ez good eZ gold an true ez steel; an per-
haps yer amt got no need of the sarvices Of old
Joe Cannon; but eff yer have, why count him in
! lime Hos nj nv.S Ell