The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-18
THE CHEETAH CLAIM.

IHE CHEEIAH CLAIM,
First, to discover mine. Second, to
know that you have something to base
your hopes on, and last to get into a law
suit, and eventually the supreme court by
ltigating with your ncighbor in under
ground adventure. This, believe, is the
Aspen method. Without entering upon "A
discussion scientific and chemistic rs to
apex and side lines, L can tell you of an
Aspen exception. 1t had at the outset all
the elements of good case OH both sides
from lawyers point of view and might
now he enjoying n musty run in the cir
cult chambers with Others of its class It
almost seems IL pity that it isn't, if you
look at it from what the newspapers call
legal aspect
The case i'll point is that of Boulder
Trampenning, prospector. One of his
claims was in the Woody district; no mat
ter wherc-it is enough that it was and is
Louder usually spent the month of Sep
TENDER Mt this particular claim, and fire.
quently did more of his assessment than
the law required. 1t was nm isolated place
half way up n hill, and Trampenning
seemed to fit in with it, being rather of tho
rocks and burned stumps than apart from
them. He was very like middle aged
were four reasons for ths-the first was
that he was dumb, no matter about tho
others; If there were 400 it Would he, under
the circumstances, useless to tell them
The claim adjoining belonged to on
Asechlga. 1t was said that he was n Mex
lean, but Boulder and he got along very
we'll considering everything that was like
ly to cause trouble from windlass to bed
rock. They met during two Septembers.
When tho third came Boulder reached the
ground first. Asechiga's cabin was closed
when he got there. 1t was closed for two
days. When Boulder woke up on tho
morning Of the third, he looked across the
littlo ravine and saw the door open.
y woman camo out.
There is no questioning Boulder's sur
prise. He was not much for women IIe
had seen them during the winter ut tho
restaurants and i'll the vaudevilles ut
Aspen, but he never had to do with them.
And in tho summer he was too far away.
His ideas of them were unsubstantial.
Perhaps somehow he could never discon.
meet them with We've ham'n eggs an
graham buns and coffee er tea" or else Mt
tired in truthfully concise dresses, and
singing:
wandered In shady woodland,
Where tho pretty blucbclls grow;
Twas there met II charming little lad
And took him for my only beau.
All of which was because he had seen
the wrong side of womanhood
This woman was not much for looks, so
far MS he could Judge. Her hair was
WHISKY and like streaked tale Her COM
plexion was patchy, like rifle blocks, and
in carriage sho was not graceful. At this
time she was fetching water from the
spring, and tho sleeves of her dress were
rolled up, showing big red arms with firm
muscles. Seeing Boulder, she stopped an
instant and regarded him with a Speculn-
tive stare. Boulder bowed, principally be
cause he could think of nothing else lust
then To do. She did not return the saluta-
tion, but walked on into the cabin.
y little while Inter she came out again,
tins time with pick and shovel and her
feet ncased i'll boots. She wore Il red shirt
o: some thick material and miners can.
The effect was wholly sangilinary One
would guess that she either intended to
rob an express train CT to lead frenzied
mob of revolutionists against the Bastille-
assuming there were express trains and
bastllles in the woody district which there
are not.
She walked over toward Asechiga's little
shaft and paused on the dump to again
contemplate Boulder. 1t is to BIO men
TONED that this mine, which has been
named the Cheetah-nOt that there were
cheetahs thcreabout but because the
Mexican had once seen such an animal in
lnGi;l-was but thirty feet above Boulder's
own modest prospect. the elevation being
abrupt
Eonlder, FESTIVE under this deliberate
observation of the person in skirts, bowed
once more with results equally unsatis-
factory. The woman turned toward the
windass, lowered the bucket and shortly
afterward disappeared down tho shaft.
Boulder shook his head and went to werk
himself. 1t was not just clear to him as
10 what course he should pursue The
Chcctah was Asechiga's claim; what man
ner OF right haG n woman TO work it? He
could come but to one theory. If
1t had been man in the matter, Boulder's
course would have been instantly plain;
but woman?
Midway between the claims, and serving
us Il boundary post, there was small
blackboard, securely nailed to an old tree.
This had been provided by Boulder as n
convenient method of intercourse between
AserhiSa and himself when they were .on
top" during the day. 1t was his custom
to write his questions and answers on the
black surface with piece of chalk which
he kept hanging by string from the top
Of the board. When he came up. an hour
later, lac noticed that the woman was lust
leaving the tree, and furthermore that
NE had written something.
Boulder went up to the line. He read:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ..................
{: know you. you are DUN. AM Aseche
F.: gas widow. he got killed in n snowslidc
am here TO wCrke his clame.
....-...................... Observation-Disclosures:
She was standing on knoll little way