Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-05
The Sturp Tellet.
LUCK TO SILVER CAMP.

Silver Camp was not given to romance:
For all that it's inhabitants were composed
of men who had lived wild, adventurous
lives on land and sea, the place was as
quiet and peaceful as though it had 6een
settled by community OF Friends, Where
the ties of brotherly love had usurped tne
glory. The rough miners were an intense
" practical set Of men, and it seemed as II
thew had all come to Silver Camp for the
same purpose-to redeem partly the wild
ness of their early career by devoting
time and attention to the art Of money
making. But the earth yielded up her
boarded treasures of gold reluctantly, and
the stern discipline that she required from
those who would dig into her bowels OF
wealth, nipped in the bud the sangulne
anticipations of many youthful dreamer
of the frontier districts. In the character
istic words of Sandy Tip: "She amt got
more gold in her than she wants herself,
I guess. an she's bound to make US fight
fur every mite.thet we can squeeze out o.
her. HoWsomever, we amt greenhorns
bout sich work; we've been thar afore."
The unlettered sage prophesied rightly.
The grim, silent miners took up their
morning where they had left it the night
before, and stubbornly swung pick and
spade through all sorts of weather from
morning until night, even though the re-
turn for their work often amounted 10
less than half dollar a day. AT night
time they smoked their pipes with as
much satisfaction as though they were the
owners of unlimited wealth. over ana
above the discouraging fact that they were
faring poorly, every miner had vague,
.-a.G.:xo fool;,or hot hic cfrnak Of i'll lucE
would pass away in time and PALMER
days would come. This hope was adroit-
ly disguised in Sandy Tips favorite re-
mark.
When the millennium Of Silver Camp
did come it was first announced by a
stranger. A beardless miner had entered
the camp one bright May day, and, after
purchasing a supposed out
mine for a mere song, he set resolutely to
work, repairing the damages done 10 the
mine by the last owner, and then making
preparations to 60 on with furtner eXca-
vations. The eolderinhabitants OF the place
shrugged their shoulders at the Innocence
of the ''young 'un," but no word OF aavlce
was spoken to him, except the laconlc re-
mark of one Of the miners, VINO one day
met the stranger on his way to his hut:
aye don't find much dust thar, d'ye-young
'un? 'Tain't likely that you will nuther."
The stranger merely smiled softly at
this suggestion, which was intended as
kindly act; but apparently he considered
his wisdom of more value than the OLD
miners. for instead of changing his posi-
ton, he seemed to work all the harder IN
his mine. From the first he was very re-
served in his actions and words, and ne
seldom associated with the other memDers
of the camp unless business demanded II.
No one objected to this particularly, for
the motto of the place seemed to be,
'Leave alone, and to be let alone" Aoout
two weeks after the strangers advent: the
first excitement for years was created by
the announcement. that gold had been
struck, The news ran from mine to mine
like wild fire, and in half an hour all the
men were surrounding the lucky finder.
1t was the youthful looking, beardless
stranger, who stood in the center OF the
group, and explained how he had made
the lucky stroke A few doubted the gen.
uineness of the gold at first, but several
nuggets were handed to them to examine,
the stranger showing delightful Ignorance
as to its quality and value, which caused
more than one grizzly miner to smile pity
ingly at the flushed, handsome face OF the
owner of the gold.
CPS the real stuff" muttered one burly,
red flanneled individual, slowly weighing
the nuggets in his hand. "An' ye can de-
pend on it, stranger, thar's plenty more
where this cum from. These yellow mug
gets never 60 alone"
"Au' thet mine O. yers ought ter be
wurth anywhere from fifty ter one hundred
thousand clean cash." interposed second
representative of Silver Camp.
''What? Fifty thousand dollars" ex-
claimed the beardless youth, his eyes
showing his surprise as much as MS WORDS.
"Then all my misery and waiting are re-
warded at last. Thank God! But 1T IS too
good news to believe. Where can L get
half that price for it?-who would give me
thirty thousand dollars for it?''
The stranger looked around upon the
proup of faces about him, and seemed to
wait for the answer.
'Well, stranger" remarked the hrst
speaker, after little pause, II don't want
ter take advantage of yer ignorance.
'Tain't my matter to be adoin' sich under
handed work. But if $4,000 is yer price,
I reckon my pard an me will buy that
claim of ye. I'll tell ya beforehand,
though, thet We can get double thet price
efye wait long enough; but eft cash is any
object ter We, ye can hev it ter-night in as
good gold as thet We dug out of yer mine:
IF it's 60, jes' say the word, an we'll
walk up ter CIle CdDlu, oil Settle IL dloio
nightfall."
The face of the stranger still wore a
doubtful expression; but it soon cleared
up as he turned to the bidder, for his gold
mine, and said:
"Men, don't know much about these
matters, for have never followed the bu-
siness for any length of time; but this
gentlemans offer is fair one, and think
| will take it. l came here to make for
tune so that could marry-could 60 into
business in the east"
The face of the stranger flushed up
quickly, as he unwittingly revealed his
secret, and knowing look passed across
the countenanceo of the miners. One or two
whispers could be heard about "a sweet
heart in the case" erich father-in-law,
an a poor son-in-law." Although not
intended to reach the ears of the speaker,
these remarks were plainly audible, and
they merely served to confuse the young
man more than ever. But moment
later he recovered himself, and, turning
to the miner who had offered to buy his
claim, he said:
II will accept your offer. I need the
cash, and l want to start for the east as
soon as possible. Keep out enough from
the thirty thousand to pay for your best
horse. l can then start for home at once,
where such welcome will meet me as
YOU men never dream Of"
"The young 'un is half intoxicated with
ioy," laughed one of the miners, as the
stranger and the buyer of his mine slowly
sauntered away from the group toward
the latter's hut. The sight of such inno-
cent happiness on the part of the beardless
youth pleased the hardened miners, and
they returned to their work! again in
happier mood.
Ali that evening "the new find" was dis