Omaha daily bee., 1888-08-13
A MINERS STRANGE HOBBY
The Rise and Fall of John Finney Of
the Grub State.
MUST HAVE THEM AT ANY 'PRlct
He Buys Title for All Who We're
Kind TO Him When He was
Poor - Adventure With
the Dutch Grocer.

San Francisco Examiner: II was if-
teen years ago at Burro Pcrdido that
first met Finney.
He came into Dutch Pcte's general
merchandise store when the proprietor
was out and after cautiously looking
around, brskly ordered twenty pounds
of flour, half as many pounds OF beans,
five of bacon, three Of plug tobacco,
half gallon of whisky aud box of
rifle cartridges.
While the prcprietor's bushy-haired
nephew was putting up the goods Fin
ney came over and engaged me in con-
versation. He was anxious to know my
business. and particularly seemed
afraid that | WAS following him. Point
ing out OF the open door away off TO the
west to a rocky canyon deep between
the distant blue mountains, he indi-
Gated where the summer before be had
struck good pay dirt, but had been com
PEELED to leave it as the creek had dried
up. He was going of now, he said, to
look for the quartz from which the gold
| dust had come.
Presently the scoop and scales had
| done their work aud the boy laid the
| sacks and parcels on the counter.
The prospector gathered them up and
| made rather hastily for the door.
Charge 'em to me. John tlnney. he
called back; you'll find my name on
! the books"
While the German boy, in deep dis
trcss aud doubt. looked helplcasly
around, the customer gained the door
| with his purchases.
~ There. however, he met the fat pro-
| prietor himself just coming in.
Flnney's face took an expression of
despair us the proprietor barred the way
out, and asked:
| You pait for dose goods. Mr.. Finncy.
eh?'
81 hain't 'zactly paid for EN-, Pete" :"
replied the prospector. pulling at his
| straw-colored chin whskers, but got
big thing up in the arroyo where |
| went las week. an I'll square up the
! whole count. | struck the place Whar
the ledge breaks out. an now all | need
is grub enough to las me till git down
ten feet more an III have it"
Don tolc you more as drce times
dot don't git you noding more ven you
ter?" exclaimed the relentless Dutch
man, taking the parcels one by one from
FinnCy arms.
Finuev pleaded and eXpostuated and
explained how he had followed up the
creek with his pan until he had exactly
located the quart, bat IL was no use. the
Dutchman had heard the many stories
of new bonanzas to risk his goods on this
one.
lie went behind the counter with "a
tremendous German expression OF con
tempt directed at the boy, while poor
Finncy sncaked out with his hands
| nI,,,ty followed nv
overlook him at the steep place on
the trail where year ago Mexican :
iackass had toppled over Haa thus given
a name to the camp.
After u little talking he nonfded tC
me that he had been IN har0 luck for
some time and had run up a bill OF Sli
at the store. His inability to pay this
precludcd his getting further credit
In addition to this be declared that he
had located claim in an altogether
different locality than that he had
pointed out to me. This could not he
other than fabulously rich, aud now he
could not get grub enough to keeI
him until he could sink shaft deel
enough TO tap the ledge.
The outcome of our conversation was
that we returned to the store together
and paid fhe $4.75 that his groceries
| cost.
He left me overwhelmed with his ex
pres5ions of gratitude.
The next day left Mexico.
did not hear of Finney for some
time.
Finally some one from the distric
told me he had sunk a shaft on his claim
| and sent samples of his ore to San Fran
cisco to be assayed.
The result of the assay showed that
though the Grub stake mine had only
very little gold in it, there was II yer,
rich deposit of silver, on which FinneA
had not reckoned in the least.
An eastern company worked the mine
for the largest part of it, and made Fin
hey rich and themselves ten time
richer.
He never communicated with me.
One day II natty young Frenchmal
knocked at my door, and when | invited
him in he handed me IL handsome card
This card bore noble crest, orrathe
a number Of them curiously inter
twined, and the inscription "Compte d.
Faenais, Marquis de Callaye,' with
number of other titles in smaller letter
beneath.
had no acquaintance with titles, bu
surprising that some distinguished
,, stranger desired to be interviewed,
l. welcomed the young man, and. moving
|. the dictionary from my other chair, in
i vited him to sit down,
a ''Milor ees below" exclaimed tn
2 young man with rather a disguste
i look. Il will tell heem to come up"
c He returned with no other than Fin
r ney.
= And such Finney.
Dressed in handsome suit OF black
and spangled with diamonds, he still
' wore his ragged beard, and / could Sc
. he had not yet discarded the use {
t chewing tobacco.
J. He was very glad to see me, an
greatly enjoyed my surprise at his gor
geous appearance.
He was particularly delighted when
q excused myself and asked the youn
Frenchman who kept III the rear for
B compte.
, I'm the count" exclaimed Finuey
''and the markey, too. Didn't y
o. never hear about it?'
: "You know when you give me tn
Il grub down in chihuahua | went out az
/. Just struck silver all around. Neve
q hear of the Grub Stake Silver Minin
n company. I'm one of the directors
4 Coin to get Lord Duluth to go in wit
me on another bio thing | cot down i