Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-15
THE GOLD NUGGET.

only result Of q strong mans to'i iol
many weeks, ana M nuggets 20 " wa
considered by no means y Ind "fnd.
John Archer decided shat the nugget
would bc .afcr IN His little daughter
leeplng than IN his own. There wrr'
thieves and lawless men NJ this neN
Rold rush. rs nj all new gold PUSHES, au'
they would know u hi. prize. They
would probably try to annex II.
They would search III sorts Of cunnlns
hiding placos In the ncighborhnol OF ii.
tent. they might even creep into the iiiil
at NIGHT. to feel under his pillow and
among his rough bedding for thu yellow
earth that folk hated each other FOR. II
he caught the thief he would shoot him.
but better not to run the risk " intns
his treasure. aud 10 he gave II 10 Ellie to
put IN her old workbox. The thieves Of
tho T. digging would be too cunning
10 think Of examining such an improba'
bic hiding place
lyon must take great chrc of u, dar.
ling" said John Archer. at Is Tor your
mother" And Eilic stowcd the little
nugget away IN corner Of the old work
hox--wnich had been her mother's-un'
der tho cotton and tho socks sho was
darning for her father. She felt duly
weighted with tho responsibility She
knew that this yellow earth was u great
value. for her father, leaving her inothcr
who was very delicate, with some friends
IN Brisbane. had come long, weary way
TO find u, and abe had seen his sorrow,
his despair, as day after day he had
eagerly worked with pick aud spade
without hn,Sng what he sought.
Having hidden tho little nugget away,
Fhio came out Of the hut to look round
aud SEQ II any one was near who might
have seen her No. No ono was near
who might have SEEN her--only Billy the
black-King Billy. the aboriginal mon.
arch. who loved rum aud tobacco, and
who was chopping frewood for her.
King Billy evidently had not seen. for
he was welding the az with quite ex.
ccptional vigor; and II Billy had seen II
wouldn't have mattercd very much. for
EAie trusted him.
Tho little girls reason for trusting
King Billy. the black. was somewhat
strange. and is worthy Of being recorded
She trusted him because she had been
kind to him.
But Eiiie was only twelve.
As the child stood Ia the broad light.
her tumbled hay hued hnir kissed and
illnmlncd by the bold rays Of the sun.
and her round. trustful blue eyes shaded
from the glare by two little brown
hands, watching King Billy ut his work,
n flock Of laughing jackascs alighted In
a neighboring gum tree. and set up a de.
moniao cachination. What made tho
Ill onenei birds 10 inadly merry, What
was the joke Efiie's trustg Biliy's graft.
tuicl They failed TO explain. but their
amusement was hinge aud sardonie.
"Dnvethem away. Billy" cried Efie,
and the obedient king dropped his AK
and threw u faggot Of wood at tho tree,
which stopped the laughter and dispersed
the merry makers.
"Billy tired now" said tho black grin
ming; "too much work--plenty wood"
and he pointed TO the result Of his labor.
"Yes, that will be enough. thank you.
You're good boy III give you some
tobacco"
"Billy's thirsty"
"Thon you shall have some ,ca.-
"No tea. Rum"
NO, Billy. Rum isn't good for you.-
GOOD for miners; good for Billy"
"No, It's not good for miners said
Ellie enphaticallyi "it makes them fight
aud say wicked things"
Makes black Teller feel good" de-
clared Billy, rolling his dusky eyes.
This last argument was effective. Efie
went into her ht-her father had re.
turned TO his work--and poured little
spirits from John Archers flask into
''pannilsin." Billy drank the spirits with
rolling Dyes, Smoked his lips, and then
lay down In the shadow OF the hut to
sleep,
The long afternoon passed very slowly
Tor Ellie. Her few tgihing duties "a
were soon done. The little
hut was tidied and the simple evening
meal prepared, and some hours must
pass before her father returned. How
could she pass the timer She had only
two books--a Bible aud volume Of
stories for little girls, which sho had
won rs prize az school In brisbane.
But she was too young TO appreciate tho
irst, especially rs the type being very
small II WIS difficult reading, aud sho
iad grown beyond approaching tho
tories for little girls, having known
hem by heart three years before. She
would like to have slept.
Everything around her suggested aud
invited the siesta-the stendy heat; tho
brightness Of the light without the hut;
HE distant murmur OF Miners voices,
which came from beyond yonlcr belt OF
waffle gumsi the inonotonous hum OF
tho locuHts In the forest, the occasional
Iretful cry OF u strange bird, aud tho
regular snores Of the fallen king, who
slumbered In the shade OF the hut. Even
The buzz Of the annoying flies assisted
tho general effect aud brought drowsi.
ness
To remain still for few minutes
would have meant inevitably falling
asleep Eiiie felt this, and remembered
the little gold nugget. II she slept,
some thief might come and take il.
And 80 she put On her hat, and, forsab.
Ing the seductive cool and shade OF the
hut, went out into the brightness and
heat.
Archer's hut stood on the edge Of the
valley over against the foot Of the blue.
heavily timbcred hillA About afty
yards distant from 10, hidden muong tho
trees, wis IA high mossgrown ruck, at tho
base VI which Ehie had discovered the
smallest and sweetest Of natural springs,
Thither tho child nn--lool,ing bncl,
ottcu 70 sec that no one approached Tho
hut In her absence bathe her lace
In u inw minutes she returned, driving
her face In her apron aud shaking her
wet hair In the sun. No One had ,.a,.,..