The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-03-26
THE.MlNeR'S REQUEST.

The other day we met on kearDy
street an old-time Washoe acqnaint-
ance called Jem Briggs says the San
Francisco Examiner, whose usually
well-worn miners apparel was on this
occasion replaced by Il gorgeous dis
play OF velvet vest. check pants. red
scarf. and ponderous watch chain.
while his honest and simple face shOne
above these evidences of prosperity
with the placid contentment OF full
harvest moon.
Hello. Jem." we said; glad to see
YOU looking so prosperous. Must have
struck il rich recently"
80 have said Jcm. and then rs
his tanned face saddened a little, he
continued. but | had mighty tough
loss, though. Nv partner, Ned Bim-
ber-vou remember Ned?-has gone
up the shaft. "
Dead eh?"
Yes. I'll tell YOU how it was. You
see Ned and | had a quarrel about two
wears ago. Don't matter now what 1t
was all about. Mebbe Ned was wrong
and mebbc was. but. al the same,
neither of us would back down-coup-
Ter dam fools. you'll say, and so we
were and the upsho0t was that we
parted and agreed never to speak to
each other again"
And didn't you2"
No, sir: more shame for us, as we
had been pards, thick and thin. for
fifteen years together. Well. about
six months after that Ned got Il good
gravel claim up Oh the Feather. where
they've been turning the river bed. and
he struck it rich-cleaned up nigh on
20 $3.50. 900 in ten months"
And how were YOU getting on9'
..Oh. clean broke Working up at
Gold Hill for So Il day. Well, | was
kinder sneakin' glad to learn of Ned 5
luck, for all we were outs, but the next
thing | heard was that he'd been killed
by the banks Gazing in on him. lie
lived just long enough to make his
will. Well, the lawyers wrote rs how
Ned was worth just about 1920, 600, and
the will gave s., 900 apiece TO each of
three distant cousins OF his they had
all come out from the east when they
heard of Ned's finland the same
amount to me. mind you, Just as
though we hadn't quarrcled. But Ned
alters was n centric sort of cuss. and
tie will provided that none of us should
get tie money if we attended the
funeral He didn't want anybody at
the funeral but just the undertaken
The will said he had lived lonely, and
he wanted to be buried lonely Them 5
lust the words-and | felt they were
intended for me, sure. The disposition
of the rest of the estate, about $500
900, was provided for in another codi-
ell to be opened the day after the
funeral, but we all supposed it was
donated to Il charitable object, for Ned
hadn't any kiuS ceptin' the cousins"
OF course you staid away from the
funeral?n
That's just the point. Somehow
| felt so miserable and doWn-heartcd-
YOU see Ned was the onliest partner |
| ever had-that | determined TO 90 and
sec him sent down On his last cage
nyway-money or no money and !
| did
And the cousins?'
| None of em went. Fact is that
they were so disguised at the 'divy'
| that they cleared out down to Frisco
to see about breaking the will. So /
was the only mourner at the funeral.
My friends all thought | was fit for the
| crazy-houSe to throw away s. coo like
that-well just couldn't help it. 1t
turned out, though to be the best lead
| | ever struck"
How was that?n
why the next day when the main
will was opened we found it really
! gave the entire balance of the cleanup
to which ever of us four disobeyed the
condition for the s. 600 requests. Sc
| You see | came in for he whole lumL
| just like knife. And do YOU know"
continued the legatee. rs he hastily
steered us into Il saloon to conceal the
| gathering moisture in his eye. las sure
rs gun iron | shall alters believe that
Ned put up the whole job It purpose
cause he knoWcd Id be thar