The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-08-15
STORY OF A MINE.

BOULDER, Colo, June A.-The lost vein"
has been found. 1t consists Of 6-inch streak
nj almost solid silver, glance and brittle silver
estimated to run from $4,000 to $4,000 in value
per ton. 1t was found by Fred Albright and
Winslow Carlisle, and undoubtedly Is the IA
NOUS 'lost VEIN" For twenty years prospect
nrs have searched for this vein, and thousands
Of dollars have been spent in the quest.
That is the plain news statement Of
fact, but back of it range the incidents
of one of the most pathetic love stories
ever written. Some time, when that
state of marvels shall produce its poet
or its scribe, the tale of the "lost vein"
will be embalmed in song or story that
shall captivate all ears.
Amos Albright went to Denver in the
sos. and left his wife and boys on the
farm in Illinois. He knew nothing Of
mining, but found himself after all as
well equipped as hundreds of others
who had dared the mountains, and
tempted fate right at the margin Of eter-
nal SHOWS. There was no such town as
Boulder at that time, and he drifted with
the rest of the fortune hunters into the
whirl at Denver. It was then mining
camp more than city, and there were
twice as many tents as solid buildings in
the town. There were three drinking
places to one store, and gambling places
were out of all proportion to hotels. But
Amos was sensible fellow and saved at
least part Of his money.
But the air of the mountains was try
ing ON the lungs of the men from Illinois,
and Amos Albright found his vigor fail
ing. The first symptoms of decay was a
weakness and lassitude that would have
seemed like ague only that there was no
aching and no fever. And here, when
he first needed help, he found it refused
him. He had lost his nerve, they said,
and that was the one objectionable sin
of mining town. AS long as a man
coull smile and swear and drink little
he could call friends about him and
could get assistance in the furthering of
any scheme. AS soon as he came with
falterng hand and dimming eye they
passed him impatiently. They ''hated
tOisee man weaken"
Albright thought of the woman at
home. of the boys who needed him and
the creditors who were troubling. He
incurred for the chances he had passed
disdainfully when he was stronger. He
crspt to the postoffice after the rush was
OVER and wonderingly waited to see if
the weekly stage had brought him let
ter. 1t did, and the letter told of the
dzrkening troubles at his home The
ha6 foi1a6 ho I1oI ~
rnsh Of the war period had made money
tnore valuable, and George Carlisle de-
manded return of his loan. He
threatens to foreclose and turn us off the
place" wrote Mrs. Albright. He says
worse things than that to me. am do
ing the best can for you and the boys,
but it does seem dark ahead. Maybe il
Wnn6 be better if you were here, even
If y0n did not bring much money"
That letter ground in Amos Albright's
heart. He knew what the worse things
were He knew George Carlisle, and
kneW that man had been sutton fol
Mnrys hand before she married. H.
knew the fellow. spite of marriage, wa
% ch4racterless as to still pursue will
attentions the woman who had welded
Albright. But Carlisle was rich, ant
there had seemed no better way thar
borrow the money from him. Now tina
wzr had broken out he felt the rush O
feeling which led men into the ranks
and he believed his wife would be NOR,
carefully guarded by the loyal friends i
hr were absent in the army than if b,
were here gold hunting in the Rockies
H lie only had the money!
He brooded over it and worried anC
hof.ud and planned till he became j.,
glh~t1y creature, Stunned by his fellow
aud ONT of place in the town. He coule
e4 NO backing, no stake" No one hat
eos16dence in him when the appeal cam,
SO tramblingly. he sold half of his XII
tO& tenderfoot, bought grub enough tx
last him a week. and worked slowly on
Bf the city to the north. AS he passet
ont Il town he met train of new ar
rivals and they shouted to him the new
Of - victory ut Gettysburg. He knew
Where that was. though he had not bee,
following very closely the movements O
tie armies in these years when histor,
9m making. he knew where it was
for he was born there. There he grew
tomanhood. There he met Mary. Their
he married her. There he fought Georg
Carbide and vanquished him.
From there both he and later the Car
iislss had come to Illinois He knew tn
peaceful little Pennsylvania town, AM
realized how sore the danger was whe,
rebel armies dared blacken the fai
fields Of that free state. And that con
aciGnmess-spite Of the fact that his wa
= victmy-brought him back again t
has own trouble. It would only max
the fortnnes Of debtors harder. Georg
Czriials would take the general cry 70
has ssn excuse to persecute Mary.
Yurzed him afresh, and he toiled al
frclGA the hot July day, far into tn
cid July night. past a hundred camp
sAs wealth was pouring into waitin
A.nAas0r where want was chasing de,
lz1snn over haggard faces. He sler
AAk1zs cleft In the rocks where som