Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-06-22

beastly cold. and between the rattle OF
the train and the incessant talking of the
tall man, had to re-read the first page
of my "Haggard" tale three times before
got the sense of il, and il wasn't very
deep reading either. Then l gave it up
in disgust, and leaning back, with the
stoical determination to grin and bear it,
pretended to go to sleep.
The tall man had just finished some
good story" with which he seemed
highly pleased, and its denouement was
evidently satisfactory to his listener, for
he of the ulster was giving vent to a Sc
ries of throaty chuckles. | Immediately
made up my mind To listen to the next
yarn that the loquacious tall man should
tell, and felt the more justified in doing
so because ii was largely his fault that my
reading had been interrupted
had not long to wait, for the effect Of
the last tale had not yet worn away
when the tall man began:
There's another good story that
know, and can youch for the truth Of
this one becal,se, you see. was one OF
the actors ia the affair myself; and then,
not pausing Tor any cOmments, he con
tinued ut was way back in the pros
porous DAYS OF the South Africa diamond
fields | landed in the colony when a
mere boy, and, after knocking around
Cape Town for "a year, came to the con
cusion that Id never make a fortune
there, and that had better strike for the
interior, where they said the kohinoors
were to be had for the picking up.
"Well, | reached the diamond district.
Just how il doesn' matter. and, of course,
soon discovered that the reports had
heard concerning the wealth Of the dis
trict were greatly exaggerated. How.
ever, / was there, and had to make the
best of il.
There were couple of fellows in the
camp whom | took fancy to, and 50 we
three pooled our issues. and. having To-
Gated claim, went 10 work.
lone Of my partners was from Lanca-
shire, and was Us true u friend as | ever
had, but quiet sort Of boy. Poor feel
low. lie sailed from Cape Town a few
years later in vessel that was never
heard Of after she left port. The third
member of our triumVirate was just the
opposite Of the Lancashire lad, as far AS
soberness of disposition goes. lie, like
myself, was Londouer. and was the
most iovial. whole souled fellow in the
district. Billy Thompson was his name,
but the bows had abbre, lated it into
'Tompy. lie was forever playing SOME
Joke or other on the miners. 50 that they
were always on the lookout when Tompy
was around.
There was am rrishman in camp b,
the name OF Mike McShane. He was
true son of the emerald Isle. light heart
ed and 'aisy goin'. and, as was natural
he and Tompy struck 10 warm friend
ship. He used to come down to GU
quarters almost every night, and man,
is the good yarn that he and Tompy use,
to spin to while away the evening. AL
that the rest of us needed to do was I,
lie around and laugh at the right time.
I'll think can hear Tompy now. as he
used to ask Mike. when the latter would
come up to our hut Of an evening;
"Well. Mike, have you found the bil
diamond that's been waiting for yot
these long years down in your pit:
".Faith. me bhoys. yez kin joke AZ
much az yez loikes, but, begorra! I'LL b
NOV tonne to joke whin olive found thu
level, as oi will some tonne. Whist! y,
spalpeens, don't oi tell yez olive seen !
IN me dhrames:' Mike was thorough
believer in dreams.
ellis pit was an old one that had beef
unsuccessfully worked for few week
by a delicate young fellow, whom no
body knew anything about. He had be