The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-01-31

Obliged to peg ourselves at night while
sleeping 10 prevent q like catastrophe.
It was q permanent and laborious exist.
ence Of an angle Of forty.fve. TO stand
erect for any length OF time was very
tiresome. More frequently, like Neb.
uchadnezzar, we lived on all foura.
'Crevicing" did not prove very protita.
BILE. BY day the bare rocks become
heated by tho sun to a blisteriug capa.
city. 'GTIT
With pick and sledgo and crowbar
and bent bits OF hoop iron We psied and
pounded and scraped, and scraped and
pounded aud pried all the hot day long,
or else were doubled up in all sorts OF
back aching, back breaking, body firing
positions, drawing up at arms length
from some deeper "pothole" or creyice
spoonful after spoonful OF yellow mold,
II did hold considerable gold, and heavy
gold too. But 1t took so long to yet the
mold. This was In the latter part Of
September. The termination Of the dry
season was renched. The first rain came.
It came at night. 1t drizzled through
our brush house. 1t sent tiny streams
down tho rocky mountains, and some OF
hese streams found their why under US.
We had lain and endured tho rain from
above dripping on our faces and wettipg
our clothes. III those times ones day
suit served for u nightgown. But when
the aqueous enemy undermined our
position we had to turn out.
II blew gale. How the wind howled
and tore up the canyon! We tried to
kindle fire. Match alter match was |
blown out. Finally a blaze was attained.
Then the rains descended heavier than
ever and put 1t out. The chief misery
was, we could not at night find our way
out OF the canyon to any place OF Bhel.
ter. Nor could We walk ut all to keep
warm. There was standing room only.h
all about US were the steeply inclined
rocks, nodded into every irregularity OF
shape. We were Obliged all through the
night to stand and take it" as It came,
shivering In our thin summer clothing.
With daylight We made our way to the
camp OF the Split Rockers. They gave
us some gin. 1t was common gin-very
common gin-but the comfortable and
soothing remembrance OF that gin after
such night exists for me oven unto
this day. Wore black cloth cap. The
rain had washed tho dye, aud this dye
had conrssd over my brow and cheek iu
tiny rivulets Of jet. l noticed TINT
| seemed to be more than Il usual
objsct OF interest to those about
ns, aud wondered, until friend I'D
vised mo to consulta mirror. did so,
and found my face marked like rail.
road route map. Such was my inau-
ruration in mining at Hawkins Bar,
What glorious old times thoy were
What Independence! What freedom
from the trammels and conventionalities
Of fashion! Who cared or commented
if wv did turn up the bottoms OF our
or wear, for coolness' sake,
our flannel shirts outside the trousers?
Who then was So much better than
anybody else, whom my man might
strike it rich tomorrow? Who would
beg for work or truckle, and iawn and
curry favor OF an employer for tho mere
sake Of retaining situation and help
that Same man to make money, when
he could shoulder pick, shovel and
rocker, so down to tho rivers edge and
make his 81 or - per day? Though even
At that time this reputed s. was oftenur !
$3.50. .5 a.E.77I I
Even then reports OF tho paying capa- 5
cities of claims were rs apt to be watered {
rs are stocks nowadays. {
PRENTICE MILFORD. I