The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-07-31
sALrlNo A CLAIM.

had been working claim near COluLn-
bia, Tuolumne county, California, and
not having even found ths colon"
they became discouraged; the more so
a. q company Of Cinnamon = short dis
tance above them were doing very we'll
The Americans having expressed a will
ingness to sell, one day three Cinnamon
went to look at the claim They talked
IL over among themselves, and finally
asked the owners at what price they
would sell OF course the Americans
made It out rich and put high figure
on it, though in fact they were resolved
20 sell out at any price, being sure that
the ground was worthless 1t was de-
cided that the Cinnamon should bring
their picks and pans next day TO pro-
sPect, and il they were satisfied they
would buy at the figure agreed upon.
The miners, thinking il would prob
ably be their last chance to sell, deter
mined to salt the claim. It was large
piece Of ground, and the trouble was
where to put the salt" One Of the
men soon hit upon a very ingenious
plan. He took a gun and went, as he
said, TO get a quail or two, but in reality
20 kill a snake. AS there were a great
many about the place, he soon killed a
large gopher-snake, which resembles
the rattlesnRlIe in appearance, but is
perfectly harmless to man. Putting his
game into a bag, he returned to camp
On being asked by his companions
what he had brought back for supper,
he shook out the snake and explained
his idea thus:
Nov, boys, when the Cinnamon
come tomorrow. they won't allow any
OF Us to be too near, because they're
afraid of salt Well, Jim, you walk
along on top Of the bank and have that
dead snake in your pocket Bin and mo
will stay talking TO the Johns, III have
my gun over my shoulder as If 1 was
going for a rabbit, only you see I'll put
salt into the gun instead of shot Wen
find out where they are going 60 pan
out next, and you be looking on, innO-
cent-lilze, with the snake ready to drop
where tell you When them felleTs
start to walk there, just slide him down
the bank, and when we all get there
III holler, Hold on, bOysP' and before
they know what's up, I'll fire the salt
all around there and make them be-
lieve killed the snake How'll that do2'
Next morning four Cinnamon came
prepared for work. They tried a few
places, but, Of course, did not get the
''cOlor." The Americans kept at a dis
tance so that there could be no complaint
''Weu. John" said the schemCr.
! where you try next, over in that cor
nerP"
The Cinnamon were suspicious in "a
/ moment They We're familiar with
/ salted claims, and were well on their
| guard mo lilzee dis corn. Tile hiTo
nudder corn, " pointing to the opposite
/ one
! Jim, with his hands in his pocket.
! was above on the bank, many feet
/ away, watching; when he saw them
/ point IN that direction, his partner gave
a nod and he pitched the snake on the
| ground near the place. The leader ex-
! claimed. Hold on, boys!" and fired be
! fore they could tell which way TO look.
| Going up to the snake, se pushed -le
| gun under il and carried it away hang
ing over the barrel Jim walked off and
Bill sat on a wheel barrow on the oPPo-
| site side from where they were at wOI:-
! The Cinnamon had no suspicion. The-
| carried away several pans of dirt to
| wash in a stream near by, and when
! they returned Bill felt pretty sure they
| had struck some of the salt" but the
| Cinnamon said nothing except Claim
| no good Mclean man talkee Too
muchee-"
! The Americans, knowing the game,
| refused 20 take less than the specified
| price, which the Cinnamon finally paid
and in two days the sellers were of TO
new diggings-
The strangest part of the story is that
! the claim turned out to be one of the
! richest in the district. The Cinnamon
made a great deal of money, sold out
| and went hOme.-Hgbert Burgess, IN
/ Century.
The Only Things injured -''I he 70
was a hre in Smarvin's safe factorF it-t
/ night" WAS much damage dcue"
! ''Weu, it wasn't a big enough fire .s
hurt the building at all, but it r7iir
| all the safes in stock. lz.''-Saturday Ev. .-
ing Herald
u think 1t IS extraordinary the car
rage does not come Are you sure ylu
! ordered it, said she. Yes; that j..
! wrote Tor it." said he. That accGu at-
for it said she. why do you say
( that?' ''YOu are so non-committal wlaH
/ you write ~ arPer's Bazar.
The Odd Cent t''-Grocer-''I'et %
/ you try some dis me Iimburger. Ou.y
tventy-sjx cents q pound" Wi1ay. .-.
/ Why don't you make the price aH
even quarter? Why not knock or t.a-
extra cent?" GrOcer-''Vy, my frieu.it
cot extra scent is vot makes Il sell