The Grenada gazette., 1886-07-24
TRUE FRIENDSHIP.
A California story That seems Almost Too
Good to lie True,

A California Story That seems Almost Too
Good to lie True.
A double house was recently moved
from Powell street, San Francisco, con-
cerning which an old settler tells an
interesting story. He says that two
young men from New York State who
had been to school together, arrived in
San Francisco early in the 'iifties."
Black went to the mines, and Gray re-
maincd in the city. and. with a small
sum, fitted out little store. He pros
pered, married, had children. Then
came a big reverse He found himself
in tight place, from which nothing
but fifteen thousand dollars would ex-
tricate him. He went among his friends
to raise the money. but they had none
to give him. And then, as he turned
street corner sharply, he ran into
Blacks arms. He told him his trouble
and gave him all his history during the
ten years they had been separated.
Il have the money" said Black;
"but fifteen thousand dollars just sizes
my pile. am tired of mining, and
hoped to settle down here and get into
some business, but YOU can have it, my
dear fellow, and I'll take whack at
pick and rocker again"
Gray took the money, and Black re-
turned to the mountain. In the course
of that year the merchant made a
lucky turn and sent the miner his
money with ample interest. Then they
ceased to correspond, and the last the
merchant heard of his friend was that
he was about to marry and move into
a new mining district
Five years afterward the miner and
his family returned to San Francisco.
Black was dead broke. Every thing
had gone wrong with him. His mining
speculations had failed, the mines he
had discovered petered out, the men
he had trusted deceived him, and he
had about fifty dollars remaining of a
once ample fortune. He hunted up his
friend Gray. who was, of course, de-
lighted to see HIM "And don see any
thing for NE to do, old man," said the
respondent miner, except to get a
job shovelling sand, if you can help
me to one"
a have Just moved into a handsome
house on Powell street." said Black,
land want you to come down and
dine with me tomorrow evening. 1t
is double house, finished about a
week ago.
The miner was on time, with his
shabbily dressed wife and little ones.
"You did well sticking to the town."
he remarked to his old school-fellow
''Hcre you are way up as merchant,
living in fine house, all your own,
and having bank account as long as
my arm, | suppose.
Before dinner they visited the adioin-
ing house, which was furnished in pre-
cisely the same style as the merchants S
dwelling. Then they sat down, chat
ted over old times until the lateness of
the hour warned the miner and his
wife that it was time to return to their
lodging-house.
"All right, my boy" said Gray, "but
just step next door; there is something
| wish to show you which | neglected
on our first visit" When they entered
the hall Black halted. Here" he
said. "that looks like my trunk"
"Nonsense,' said Gray; "come up
stairs to this bedroom
"Why,' said the miner, looking
about him, 'confound you. you have
moved all my traps up here from that
Iodging-house.'
Aye, have l, my friend?' shouted
the other, sIapping him on the shoulder
"Where should man keep his things
but in his own house and in what part
of the house better than his own bed
room?' Black was bewildered. and
began to have doubts of his friends
sanity. but when his friend thrust a
deed Of this very house into his hand,
and followed with deed of copartner-
ship in his business, he broke down and
cried like a child
And now we ar moving away this
old house. sir, to another quarter
said the narrator of this remarkable
tale Of gratitude and friendship, "but l
would not take a hundred thousand
dollars for it. 1t was Black himself
who told the story now a moot suo