Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-17


was working with IN engineering
corps, who were making preliminary
survey of route for the Atlantic and
Pacific Il. Il.
Our camp was located at the foot of
n mountain. near the Little Colorado
River. We had been working hard all
day, trying TO find n suitable place to
cross the river, and ! was very tired,
and was the first man TO lie down TO
sleep. remember distinctly when my
bed-fellow came to he'd, and that was
the last | knew, until | was awakened
bv someone shaking me, and voice
saying:
Come ont here, Charley; want to
show you something"
The person who spoke to me was
holding up the edge Of the tent close to
my head.
The moon was shining brightly, and
as | crawled out from bed ! saw man
standing few feet from the tent. |
did not recognize him rs being any of
our boys. and as stood trying to make
out who he was. he said:
Come with me; want to show you
q silver mine
Il followed him up the side of the
mountain until we came to we'll
defined trail, when he stopped and
said:
Before we 20 any farther you must
promise me that YOU will not say or do
ANYTHING in regard to the mine until
YOU 20 to Laouna. where, by inquiry,
YOU will find man by the name of
Henry King. lie was once my part
ner, and while we were prospecting in
this country / found this mine. An
accident prevented me telling him at
the time. and have not had the OPP
portunity TO let him know of the find
since. He will inform You Of the ma
ture o: the accident that happened to
me. Tell him that Jack Long showed
you the find, and requested that it be
shared equally between you"
1t struck me as being n remarkable
story. and questioned him in regard
to it.
Why DO You not 20 TO LaGuna and
inform your partner? And why do yOu
give me. total stranger to you. half
iAtercst in your find? Why rot keep
it yomscf?"
For reasons you could not undcr-
stand. cannot speak with my part
ner. Bherc is more money in the mine
than one man should have, and think
you are deserving of more wealth; aud
to pay YOU for doing what ask of you
is the reason / offer it to you. To me
the mine amounts TO nothing. A man
in my position does not require any
mines, rs YOU will learn from King
l reluctantly made him the promise
he required, and he tarned aud led the
way up the trail. | followed him oycr
the mountain and down the opposite
side, until we came to whore thcm0un-
tain broke OF, and formed one side OF
deep canon.
Here he turned to the right and af-
ter going several rods. lie stopped and
picked up some pieces of rock, which
he gave TO me. saying:
Take these with YOU and examine
them by daylight. All this loose rock
is broken from the ledge, and this. "
pointing to large out-cropping of
rock, lis the ledge. 1t is silver, and
very rich. Now mark the place. SO
that YOU can bring King here. Show
him the rock, ami tell him that Jack
says there is plenty of it, Goodnight"
felt a queer sensation creep over
me Us though had seen u ghost. |
stood for some time, half expecting to
see him return; then l picked up sew
eral pieces of the rock. returned to
camp. and went TO bed.
In the morning it all seemed like
dream. but there was the ore. and
could SEQ that it was filed with some
kind of mineral.
showed piece of it to the engi-
neer. After looking ut it for a short
time. he said:
1T is wire-silver. Where did you
find it?"
told him person had given it to
me. and said it was wire silver.
did not attempt TO return TO the
ledge, for fear / would be followed.
When VIC reached the vicinity OF
Laguna, / left the corps and went to
hunt up my future partner. | had no
trouble in inding him. but wishing to
satisfy myself that he was the tight
man, | asked him if he ever know
man by the name of Jack Long.
Yes" he replied. Jack used to he
my partner. Were you acquainted
with him?"
Whereupon l related my story to
him. and gave him some Of the min
eral.
shall never forget the preston
of his face as he stood before me while
] was relating my experience to him.
He never removed his eyes from my
face until / was through; then he
quietly sat down and examined tho
mineral.
You say YOU never saw Jack until
the night he showed you This mineralg"
he asked.
mo" replied.
"Never heard Of him?"
Never"
'Wcll. you have told me queer
story. Jacl; and were prospecting
on the Little Colorado. at the point
you mention. On the tenth of August
Jack left our camp. saying he was go
ing over Tn the very mountain you
speak of to do little prospecting for
quartz. We were looking for placer
gold. and put in the day prospecting
bar oil small stream that enters
the Colorado rear the place you speak
of. He did not return that night, and