The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-17
DRIVEN TO SIGN PAINTING.
a Peculiar Experience in the San Juan
Mining Regions, Col.

struck hlcO, a llJlIe mining camp IN the SOUTH
western corner of Colorado, in what is local
ity known as the San Juan country. was a
''tenderfootn at the time, and knew but
little about the men and customs of the
mining regions. [ nad gone out to Colorado
from the quiet city of PhIlad elphia, and had
obtained a D position as freight inspector for
work was to my liking and the
pay was liberal but, like all
young men in that country, | had got
bad touch of the mining fever, and wanted
70 go into the mountains and make for
tune had heard wonderful stories of the
rich strikes in the San Juan country, and
so | concluded 10 try my luck there. OF
course l knew nothing about mining, but
that trihing fact did not dampen my hopes
nor deter me from masking the new ven
ture. So one fiue day in April / resigned
my place and obtained a pass to Rockw God,
the nearest station to Rico, on the Denver
and Rio Grande railroad.
The trees were green in Denver, and
flowers we're in bloom when | left there
When l arrived in lockwood, however,
only two days later, l found the ground
covered deep with the accumulation of the
many winter snow storms, and the inhabit-
auts told me that it was much too early in
the year to think of prospecting They
said that the snow would not be gone for at
least six weeks. lockwood was little more
than supply station for Rico, and consisted
Of the railroad station, a storehouse. one
little store and three or four houses. l
could not stay there, as my funds were low,
and l would have to work to support my
self until | could go hunting for a silver
mine. decided to push on to Rico. They
told me that there was too much snow on
the trail to Rico to permit of the stage
using 1t, and that the only way TO reach the
inir 60, IL
lance was thirty miles. 1 slept in Rock
wood that night, and early the next
morning started for Rico l bought
some crackers and cheese to
eat on the road, and with these under
my arm, and solitary quarter of dollar
In my pocket, l started Oh the hardest
tramp had ever taken in my life. l wore
ordinary city walking shoes, which, before
l started, were rather the worse for wear.
| found the snow was quite hard and firm
in the early morning. but, as the day grew
older and the suns heat became more in
tene, the snow became soft, and made the
walking more laborious. l was always
good walker, however, and | managed to
cover mile after mile over the rough noun
tain trail without very much fatigue. l
reached Rico after dark, having covered the
thirty miles in very long day. The sole of
one of my shoes was half off, and the side
had burst out with the unusual strain put
on 1t. was as hungry as a man could
we'll be, and felt that l needed good
nights rest. But what to do to get meal
and a place to lay my head for the night
when all my available funds amounted to
% cents was a serious problem. As my
hunger bothered me most, | decided to in
vest my quarter in food and think over the
bed question on a full stomach. 1 went
into restaurant, and asked the proprietor
how much he charged for supper.
Fifty cents" he answered.
L went out again and hunted up another
restaurant. The same question and the
same answer there did not tend to brighten
my prospects for a supper. AS l was wan
dering slowly down the one long, Struggling
street of the camp, wondering what should
do, and thinking what big mistake l had
made TO come to the place in such an impe-
cunious condition and at such a season of
the year, l passed a saloon and gambling
room. | saw, through the half-open door,
a game of faro III full swing, and l
turned and entered. | sauntered carelessly
over to the table and glanced at the cases. :"
| saw that three kings had lost, and
l promptly placed my solitary quarter
on the king, with the idea that, having lost
three times, it would probably win the
fourth, and | would have enough money to
pay for my supper. The first turn out of
the box made the king lose again, aud the
de aler nonchalantly swept my last quarter
into the cash drawer. turned away, feel
ing more hopelessly hungry and desperate
than ever and took a seat by the stove in
the saloon. l hadn't been sitting there two
minutes when the proprietor of the place
came over to me and said:
Just get in, friends"
YES"
''Where'd you come fromP
Denver"
Say, you amt the sign painter we've
been looking for for a week, are you?n
L certainly was not, as 1 had never at
tempted to paint a sign or anything else in
my lie, but the question gave me an idea.
When a man is i'll desperate situation he
thinks quickly, and it was SO in my case.
do not believe that ! even hesitated before
| answered:
Yes, guess Pm the man you're looking
Tor. DO you want sign painted"
"Ge5, l do" he said. Il want The Silver
Brick painted on my windows. What
Will you charge me to put it ol?"
went over and examined the windows
more to collect my thoughts and think how
| should carry the thing out, than because
they would help me to determine price for
something That | knew absolutely nothing
about. lie waited by the stove for me, and
l soon returned to him.
What kind of a sign do you want on the
letters for you, but it will come pretty high
and besides, you will have to wait until nv
gold leaf gets here from Durango. Then /
can put you on a neat painted letter-say
black with red shading-for about SIS. I
can do that without waiting for materials ~
Amt that pretty stiff price," he asked
To tell the truth, | didn't know whether
it was or not, but l was not telling him the
strict truth, and then 1 felt that it would
not be professional to back down I put a
bold front on, and, looking him straight in
the eve, said:
ut might be a high price for Chicago. or
even for Denver, but Pm not out here for
my health, and | consider it a fair price for
Rico"
He studied moment Then he asked: :
"When will you do itn'
Tomorrow morning"
"All right. Go ahead. If you do a good
job TO. me, don't mind giving you Sl5 for
it."
He walked away then and left me sitting
by the fire. | did not sit there long. NV
standlag in the community had undergone
change. | was no longer an unknown
wanderer without means of support. Ihad
served In the last five minutes an appren-
tlceship to profitable trade, and had risen
to be master workman. They do things
rapidly IN the glorious west, particularly
when hunger is factor. | at once went to
the little hotel. which was known as the
Klco House, walked briskly into the office,
registered, called for supper and a good
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