Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-01-23
said 1. s.You know we expect to find /.

said L "You know we expect to find =
BONANZA in the spring."
/ was not as cheerful at heart as
pretended to feel, and at the same mo-
ment would have given all my interest
in the lead to have been placed back in
my Michigan home as 1 had left it nine
months before.
"Jim. I'm going to get out of this in
the spring" declared Ned 81 don't be-
lieve there's gold enough in the Black
Hills to make dozen men rich, much
less the small army who have invaded
them"
And was ready to say amen to that.
Our stock of provisions did not last as
we expected There were too many
calls upon our charity. Tramp miners.
disappointed, half-starved prospectors.
with whom we were forced to divide, be-
fore half the winter was gone thinned
our larder to attenuation.
One morning in February, 1 shall
never forget the time, ragged. weary
looking, haggard man called at our
mountain cone, begging for crust of
bread and shelter. Ned and 1 were
there, Dice having set out for the vii
lage. two miles away, to procure few
needed groceries The man was bearded
and long haired. and far from prepos-
sessing. OF course we admitted him to
our retreat and listened to his story of
vain search for gold amid the hills
Il have been most unfortunate" he
concluded, in tremulous voice. 81
come among the first with three friends.
They are all dead, and 1 have been al
most mad from want of food and from
sore disappointment. Fool that 1 was
to leave the good farm that I had in
Kansas to seek my fortune in this &C
cursed region! My poor wife and child.
Shall ever see them again? No,
never"
He drew from a pocket in his ragged
coat pair of card photographs wrapped
| in oiled silk-his wife and child, both
progressing. As he kissed the pictured
faces tears rolled down his cheeks, and
he murmured:
Seventeen dollars would take me
to them, but might as we'll ask for the
| moon"
My heart was touched. I at once put
my hand in my pocket and drew out my
wallet. Money was becoming scarce
with us now, and our larder was low,
but could not see this poor man suf-
fer. I placed twenty dollars in his
hand and babe him return to Kansas and
to his wife and babe.
| Heaven bless you, sir!'' murmured
the man. "I'll repay you the moment 1
reach home. can get money there, ]
am sure"
AS he staggered from the cave he ran
upon Dice Braker, who had returned
sooner than we expected. The two men
looked into each others eyes. BrakeI
put out his hand and seized the shout.
der of the ragged tramp, shaking him
| furiously.
$50 we meet again, Kentucky snake!'
Kissed Dice, his face now white with
suppressed passion. "You hoored me
once, and l swore to get even. I am
glad now ter meet you, Jem Slaymore!'
! had suspected the identity of GU,
visitor all along. but did not mention it.
The change in the man was great, and
Ned Chandler was quite dumfounded
when he heard the words Of Dice. be-
lieve Braier would have throttled the
poor unfortunate had not Ned and in
terfered and dragged him off. Dice
foamed with rage, and threatened boil
Ned and myself as we held him, ani
permitted the man to go on his way.
''I'll foller and kill him yet" declared
Dice, some minutes later when we re
leased him. At the same time he mad,
move to do so, but 1 quickly sprans
before and pushed him back, having t,
would cool down.
Don't make fool of yourself, Die.
Braker,"I said, sternly. "The man is
ell L.
wife and child in Kansas, and a GOOD
farm. Would you deprive that wife ant
child of their stay, and brand yoursel
Cain just to crafty a mad whim? Fo
shame!"
help to us in the way 1 imagined, blu
only involved us in useless quarrels
did feel the force of my words, for b,
hung his head and shrank away.
He declared later. when he learned
impostor, and that 1 would never heal
Kentuckian, and never saw Kansas, wa,
the avowal of Dice that troubled me-
somewhat. If the tramp was an i'm
actor, and 1 resolved in any event no
to feel bad over my act.
Several weeks passed. Times became
more severe, and every thing in the pro
vision line rose in price to fabulous fig
ures. There was no game, and the
snow lay deep upon the ground. Oul
larder ran low indeed, and to add to oul
discomforts the money ran out and Dice
fell sick. He thought he was going t.
die, and more frightened and repent
ant man / never saw.
eff you'd only kept that twenty
dollars we neverd come to this,' de
clared Dice, weeping upon my arm ont
day. ''You see, now, that Slaymort
was an impostor. He spent the money
for whisky"
1 would not believe this, although
even Ned Chandler came to hold the
same opinion as Dice.
As the days passed came at length
to realize that starvation stared us il
the face. We had been liberal to others
only to find that liberality repaid BY
terrible suffering. Ned fell sick, too
and had my hands full 1 made tri
weekly trips to the village. Medicine
like every thing else, could only be hai
for money, and my last dollar had gone
| To nav for bit of hard-tack some day.