Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-12

glory across the dull escarpment. 1t wa
broad as his hand in the middle, an'
dwindled away in wavering lines yard IL
length. The man sat up and stared at 1t
HI felt rich blood rush through his veins
There was the strength of health in hi
arms. The pick was a toy-a playtnlnS
He grudged the swiftly-fading light anc
swung the steel as he never had done be
fore. This was fortune.
He managed to work all night. He was
not conscious of the passing hours further
than to watch the moon and bless it for the
help it brought. In the morning he hao
taken more ore than he could carry.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
He knew it was true vein, and that suct
fssure as that must extend great DIS
tance But the rock from which he took II
was only fragment from the massive hills
1t was a matter OF tons, of feet. There
were mountains and miles A vein like
that, if he could find the spot in the bowl,
ders from which this fragment was broken,
would yield the richest fortune in Colorado.
He took his bearings, staked his claim,
covered all signs of success, and gathered
up load of metal. It was so pure that he
could cut it with his knife. He slung the
burden on his shoulder and started back to
Denver. At noon he rested in camp OF
miners, and they stopped work to look at
him-he was so ghostly. But he had an In
dependent, defiant air about him now, and
they waited upon him. They made him
eat dinner with them. He had not real
lied before how near he stood to starvation.
After dinner he pressed on with long, i'm
| patient strides and reached Denver in the
evening. His friends did not know him:
He had defiant, forceful air. He had
good lodging and the best service obtain
able In the morning he purchased an out
fit and plenty of food. A man loaned him
mule. ''They wouldn't loan me anything
a week ago." he said, bitterly. He knew
it."
DREAMS MORE THAN REALIZED.
He went back to his claim and found it
richer than he dreamed. In week he had
pack load of silver that was worth S25 a
pound In a month he had enough for
train. And he had only found the begin
ming of the wealth. He had traced the fis-
sure to its parent in the hill, and had salts
fled himself of the richest find in Colorado
But there he broke down. He had just
strength enough left to load the mules and
start back. He was weakened with hemor-
rhages He was blinded and staggering.
He reached Denver leaning across one of
the swaying animals and begging In Gods
name for assistance.
They took care of him then. He was a
rich man. He was far more than that in
their eyes, He was fortunate. But he
tossed in frenzy of excitement and called
upon them to hurry him home. 1t would
have been death to the man who stole
dollar. They made common cause OF caring
for him. He told them freely, without re-
serve, rapidly, where the vein could be
found. He knew he could never come back
and keep his claim. They struggled and
fought for the privilege of buying. They
asked no guaranty beyond what they saw.
They knew he was telling the truth. Their
purchase money was worth more than the
ore he had brought away. He was hurried
to the train He was hurried home. He
reached there unconscious.
Mary Albright had been bearing heavy
burden. She could not repay the money her
husband had borrowed from Carlisle.
A DREADFUL ALTERNATIVE.
She could not avoid understanding the
horrible alternative offered her. She could
not defend herself, except by taking her
boys out from under the only roof they had
in the world. She did not hesitate in the
choice. She only planned to postpone the
evil day. She promised the money faith
fully by September l. In default she
pledged foreclosure dearer to George Car
Isle than all the money in the world.
July drifted into August and August was
burning away in the torrid. rays of a sultry
sun. George Carlisle rode past the AL
bright farm day after day. He watched his
boy Winslow playing in the barn or woods
with Fred, the eldest son of his prospective
victim He wondered why the lads were
such inseparable companions and thought
of the enmity that had always been be-
tween their fathers.
Late in the month he walked across the
fields and tried to enter the house. Mary
met him at the door and warned him never
to cross the threshold. He pushed his way
the news came that Amos Albright had ar
rived, sick and dying. at the county station,
ten miles away. His wife and children had
fled from the house which could be a home
to them no longer and were hurrying to the
station when the news met them She knew
that officers would overtake her, for whether
or not her shot was fatal, it was too serious
to be forgiven.
HUSBAND AND WIFE MEET.
She met her husband and drank her great
pressure of pallid lips upon her own, and
then laid down contented. He never knew
of her trouble.
People in the little Illinois town know to
this day the persecution with which George
Carlisle followed this heroic woman; knew
that the money her husband brought her
was dissipated in a fight he had not the
manliness to abandon. And they also know
the woman was escorted by half the popu-
lation of the township. back to the home |
made sacredly hers by the defense there of |
her honor, and that she was there protected |
by them against the ISLANDERS as well as the |
assaults of her enemy until he went at last |
"a tardy volunteer-into the army, and fell |
with heavens curse upon him in the very |
first fight of his lite.
They know as well that the children of |
.hese families grew up together in love un-
narred by the strife of parents, and that be-
,ween bold Fred Albright and Madeline
Carlisle there was a bond the stronger for
he stormy days of youth. And closer than
David to Jonathan, nearer than Pythias to
Damon grew the hearts and the lives of
Fred and Winslow, the boys who played in
he barn and woods while poor, famishing
Amos Albright was fighting death at the
mouth of a mine.
TREASURE BURIED TOO WELL.
When they were grown they went to
Colorado together, and found city where
we're barren rocks in war time. They found
'ut then what all Colorado had known for
,ears-that the Albright vein was lost. No
nan ever had found it. They knew he had
old the truth. They found the silver he
lad cached; they followed his very foot
teps down the trail; but in the insanity
which must have come of weakness and ex-
itement he had buried his treasure too
veil One by one men followed the search,
nent fortune and Abandoned II Whan |