The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-08-28
DRIVEN TO SION PAINTING.

II vas early 10 the sprine oi ~ ,hs,
lrsi struck Rico. little mining camp ID
the south western eorpsr Of Colorado, ia
aba, "a locally kaosn as the San Jaar
eopntry. vas . ''tebierfoo;" At thai
time. aud knew To, little sbou, the msn
snd ens,oms a the mining regions bad
sope out ,o Colorado from the quie, city
Of Philsielphis. aud had obisiued posi
lion ~ freight Inspector Tor the Colorado
Railroad pool q, Denver. The work wa'
70 my liking aud The pay was liberal. but
The all young men 10 tbs, country. bad
got bad touch OF the mining fever. aud
waited to go into the mountains aud make
big fortune. had heard wonderful
stories OF The rich strikes iu the San Juan
country. snd 30 ! concluded 10 try my
luck there. OF course l knew nothing
shout mining but that trliiing fact did DO,
dsmpen ny hopes nor deter me from max
ing the new venture. 30 ops doe day 10
April ! resigned my place. and obtsined =
pass 10 lockwood, the nearest station 10
Rico' on the Denver and Rio Grsud Rail
road.
| Tue trees were green in Denver. and
flowers wofe 10 bloom when len there.
When | arrived 10 lockwood, hoveyer,
only two days later, found the ground
covered drep with the accumulation Of the
many winter snow storms, aud the inhabi
tants told me that it was N uch too eirly 10
the year 10 think OF prospecting. They
Said that the snow would not be gone for
al least six weeks. Kockwooi was little
more than supply station for Rico. apd
consisted OF the railroad station, q store
house, one little store, and three or four
houses. ! could not stay there, AZ my
funds were low, and / would have to work
to support myself until ! conld go hunting
Tor silver mine. decided to push oo to
Rico, They told me that there was too
much snow on the trail TO Rico TO permit
Of the stage usipg it, and thstthe only way
TO reach the miuing camp was TO walk
there. The distance was thirty mi es. |
slept in Rockood that night, and early the
next morning started for Rico. bonght
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 ON the hardest tramp bad ever
taken in my life. wore ordinary city
walking shoes which before started we're
rather the worse for wear | found the
snoE was quite hard and firm in the early
morning. but as the day grew older and
the suns heat became more intense be
snow became soft and made the walking
much more lsborions l was always good
walker, however, and ] mansged to cover
mile after mile over the rough mountain
trail without very much fatigue. reach
ed Rico after dark. having covered thirty
miles 10 very long day. The sole Of one
OF my shoes was half of, and the side had
burst out with the unusnal strsin put on
II. was as hungry asa man could we'll
be. and felt that needed good nights
rest But what to do TO get meal and
place to lay my head for the night when
all my available funds amounted to twenty
five centy was serious problem. As my
hunger bothered me most decided to 10
vest my quarter 10 food, and think over the
bed question on full stomach. went
into restaurant and asked the proprietor
how much be charged for supper.
Fifty cents. be answered
went ont again and hunted up anoth.
,r restaurant. The same question and the
'sme answer did not tend to brighten my
prospect for . supper. And as l was wan
iering slowly down the one long. strag
cling street Of the camp, wondering what
should do. and thinking what big mis-
AXE had made to come TO tie place 10
such sn impecunious condition and at
,uch a season OF the year, / passed sa-
Don aud gambling room ] saw, through
be half open door, game OF faro in fall
wing, and turned aud entered ! saun
cred csrelessly over to the table and CLAN
'ed at The eases saw that three kings
lad lost, ani promptly placed my SOLE
ary quoiter 90 The k ng, with The idea that !
iasIng lott three times, it would probably
win the fourth. and | would PROBABLY have
noush money to pay for my supper. The
irst turn out Of the box made the king lose
gain, and the dealer nonchalently swept {
ny last quarter into the cash drawer.
urued away. feeling more hopelessly hun
yry snd desperate than ever. and took I
eat by the stove in the saloon. ] hadn't
'een sitting there two minutes when the :
Of the place came over to me O
nj said:
Just &C., 10, friend2
YES. !
where'd you come irom' I
Denver.
Say, yen AIN the Sign painter we've .
cen looking for Tor q week, are you2 Y
] certainly sss not. ss hal lever st. q
.npttd To paint sisn or anything else Q
J my life. but the question gsveen idea. II
'hen a tnsn is 10 desperate situation he L
links quickly. aud il Was 80 10 nv case l
do not believe that even hesitsted be {
IRE | anssered: :,
Aes. guess I'm the man yon'ie looking Il
T. Do you want si2n painted?
Y-s. do, be ssid. ! wsnt The Silver O
rick painted on ny ~indos. What will G
,u charge me to put u ogf h
/ w.nt ov,r aud eIsmioed the windows. .,
lore 10 collect my thoughts aud think .,