The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-10-17
SENATOR JONES' GRUB STAKE.
A Thousand Dollars He Loaned q Miner
Brought Him Millions.

Brought Him Millions.
Senator Jones, of Nevada, is one Of
your self made men. He commenced life
poor. But year old when his parents
came from Herefordshire, England, he
has made his way to the top by dint of
hard work and the exercise Of consider
able shrewdness. Like Senator Sanders,
of Montana, who made his first ten strike
out of claim he staked out in grave
yard, Senator Jones first streak of luck
was purely accidental, as nearly all
streaks of luck are.
The story goes that when Jones was in
California he stumbled across his pile in
the following remarkable manner: He
lived in certain county that Bret Harte
made famous-Tuolumne, the veracious
chroniclers assert during the gold
excitement kept small grocery store.
He did a thriving trade; prices were high
in those days in California, and after a
few years Jones had amassed few thou
sand dollars. Up the mountain piece
lived a solitary miner. He was poor, had
the reputation of being shiftless, but de-
spite the report was always busy.
One day he called on Jones.
"Say, Jones, think I've got bonanza
in that claim of mine" said the poor
miner.
Jones smiled. He had heard these
stories before. He knew how great ex-
pectations were frequently never real
lied. Time, labor and money were usu-
ally wasted on what looked like some
thing rich, but that developed into
snares; SO Jones merely smiled.
"It's big thing" persisted his visitor,
and he proceeded to explain what the
claim was and his reasons for being SO
sanguine. After several hours talk the
miner asked for an advance of $1,000
with which to buy tools and food. Jones
demurred. A thousand dollars was q
big enough sum, saved, as 1t had been,
with much trouble and labor. But after
all 81 900 cut no figure in comparison
with the profits of a good mine. Jones
finally told the miner he would see what
could be DONE
After nightfal1 and the Cinnamon en-
ployed in the neighborhood had taken
their departure Mr.. Jones allowed the
embers of his fire to die out. When
satisfied no one was about he scraped
away the ashes, raised the stone on
which the fire was built and weighed
out the necessary gold dust to make the
$1,000. These little precautions were al
ways taken in that region, where even
robbers were more plentiful than fort
unes.
The tools were bought, Jones lending
the money and the miner promising him
one-third Of the profits of the mine. For
months the solitary miner labored, but
he did not strike the lead. He grew
wan and hollow eyed, and occasionally
dropped in to see Jones. The latter had
by this time abandoned all hope of ever
seeing his money again.
"There's no gold up there" he would
inform the exhausted miner.
eyes, there is" insisted the latter, 'if
could only strike it."
Affairs were now becoming desperate
with the hopeful but penniless man.
One day he called on Jones and, after
coughing apologetically, asked for some
meal and bacon. He knew he would
be successful eventually with his search,
but provisions were out. Jones smiled
again.
'1t's like throwing it in a rat hole"
he cheerfully observed as he dug out a
side of bacon and gathered up sack of
corn meal for his luckless partner. For
four months nothing was heard of the
old fellow, and Jones presumed he had
either gone away or had died at his post
up the gulch. Both suggestions were
erroneous. The miner dashed into the
store one day irradiated with joy. He
had really struck his bonanza. The
mine was sold for 100000, and, faith
full to his promise, the honest miner
gave Jones one-third of it. Senator
Jones' prosperity dated from that time.
Cor. Pittsburg Post.