The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-25
|. MlNER.s cHRIsTMAs sroKY.


gentleman relates this and vouehes for
its strict accuracy: Many years ago /
was living in q prosperous mining town in
q neighboring state. My ventures had
been moderately successful, but l was not
rich. Along in the fall, a man past the
meridian OF life, rather the worse for rough
ing it In q mining region. called at my
house to make my acquaintance, having
been induced by hearing the name to in
quire into my connections IL transpired
that many years before, when ! was but a
small boy, he had been an esteemed and
trusted book-keeper for my father. The
recognition was delightful on both sides,
and / insisted that he should make my
house his home while he remained In the
nelghborhood. But be was high-spirited,
sensitive. and being entirely out Of money
would not hear to the proposition, except
as a strict business arrangement. As |
had some repute for mining Judgment, all
he asked was my advice about locating
claim, or work in some OF those in which
| was interested. / had q very good
bank claim in the neighborhood. and
suggested TO him 70 taka piece
adjoining it, which he did, and / loaned
him an outfit for working II. And how
that man did work No eight hours for a
days work would satisfy him. His whole
soul was in his endeavor, aud as soon and
as late as there was light enough he was
hard at it. But luck was against him.
Only nov and then did he even get few
'oolors' to the pan. And so 1t went along
until the approach OF the holidays. The
old fellow was becoming very worn aud de-
jected. The night before Christmas a
thought fitted to the occasion struck me-
/ took my douhie-harTel shotgun, loaded
something over an ounce OF gulch gold dust
into each barrel. slipped down 10 the old
mans claim, picked out good spot, fred
away and gave il good dose OF salt As
we sat around the tire that night, talking
about claims and prospects, mentioned
having seen bright gravel and good indica-
lions on bench be was veering away from,
and suggested that he should prospect in
that corner when he went to work again the
day after Christmas. Bat, az had expected
he secuted the idea Of waiting unbi the day
after Christmas, and declafed shat he
would lie at II bright and early the next
morning. And so be waS. But be didn /
STAY long. In about two hours he came
rushing up to the bank, his gold pan in his
hand, bis ewes protruding. his every
feature 'beaming with dslirious JOY. To
my wife he said he had been hail crazsd
with the thought Of hss inability 10 buy
any Christmas presents for Der or the
Children. and insisted that she should take
the dust aud rush right away and invest il
a. she woald best know hos. II required
40 little tact and persuasion to elect a
compromise by which he retained tue bulk
OF his newly acquired fortune. And whea.
on going down 70 the claim, with an air
Of oraealAT wisdom insisted that his pros.
rect bad probably exhausted ''pockes. .
aad that Is would De a waste Of tine 10
fogIow further in that direction. he was
ohdufaie, and no argument could restrain
him fr0m keeping on And here Is where
the Joke comes In. fer he had enIy driven
q few fees unn be strask an ed
channel ca an apper bench, IN
which. after = few DAYS speut in
oyeaing Is out he and fonr hired men made
over twensy dollars per day 70 the hsna fer
tse ensuing siEAs months. And hls good
luck brought the sane II me. for besides
his forcing - 10 s&ks fGl par sor sd the
iine be bad bsea with as. hss discovery u
al GpFer bench lsG 70 n s.nliar discovery
IN me g4zAsss fstA 81 ssHseh Z .aas-.4 - 80.
than two shossAna doIlArs. That was the
only uuse ever salied = Missing claim.
/ sasnk e wss iustlhsa2e as 70 anossve. did
eooa 10 al concerned and harm 70 nobody.
And IN every say ia; CHRISTMAS shoaEht
wAs oae 81 tAe haPpsssi tAas ever tasted
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