River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-03-24

Suddenly Jim appeared to SEQ fas'
comb for the first time.
MIR Bascomb," said he. with an
affectation of diffidence, you're good
judge of copper, aren't you?"
mot very" answered Bascomb, his
weak and watery eyes shifting un-
easily. II can tell it when see it,
that's about all. F."
"Pshaw!'' exclaimed Jim, in vexed
tone. Then you can't throw any light
on this argument. This chunk" he
went on rapidly, ''was picked up on
the very top of that hill yonder-the
one with the blasted pine at its base.
! say it must have been dropped there,
and that it came from the Houghton
district. and Tom here declares that it
cropped out on the hill. But it's no
matter SO long as you can't tell the
difference. Come along, boys"
The boys followed him in mute be-
wilderment, and when they got around
the corner were amazed to see their
leader kinlS up with laughter.
whats the jolle?" asked Mart, with
a puzzled look. "Does anyone see the
point?"
Jim, without answering the general
query.
standing with his hands in his
pockets" answered Anderson, after
taking a careful peep. us that the
joke?"
No" said Jim, after ind ulging in
another kink; 1.-THE joke win come in
about an hour, when you'll see Bas-
comb roofing away with pick and
shovel on the top of Fox hill Didn't
you see the cunning CLEAN in his eye
when put the chunk under his nose?
Well, l did; and if he isn't on the hill
inside of an hour, it will be because he
can't buy, beg or borrow the tools. :"
The boys saw the joke and roared.
Everybody in Bosco knew that Fox
hill had been thoroughly pros
pected, and that there wasn't an
ounce of ore in it, and when they saw
the Yankee climbing the hill, sure
enough, they fairly whcoped. 1t was
such a good joke that they told the old
folks, and they enjoyed it, too.
Glazer, the storekeeper, vowed he
would set off some fireworks in Bas-
combs honor, and four or five choice
spirits, who regulated the affairs of
the nation by sitting or Glazer's bar
rels and boxes, and consuming tobacco
for nine hours day, made prepare
tons to give the foolish prospector a
calathumpian serenade.
And, what is more to the purpose,
they nd. When Bascomb came down
from Fox hill at nightfall he looked
woebegone and tagged out, and he
tried to sneak into the hotel through
the back door. but the boys were there
TO welcome him.
He took it good-naturedly enough
when he found he couldn't escape. The
boys piled him with questions about
how many veins he had struck, and
how much he would sell out for; and
of course he couldn't do anything but
grin sheepishly and try to look as if he
didn't mind their chaff.
Then the landlord gave him dig
about his expedition, and the girls who
waited on the table had something to
say, and when he rashly ventured out
after supper the statesmen from Gla-
zer's surrounded him with tin horns
and tin pans and other instruments of
torture until he was forced to turn
and fly back to the hotel
Then they kept it up outside until
the landlord himself got tired and
threatened TO scald them il they did
not go away.
Next day the boys were not surprised
to hear that Bascomb had left town
without bidding anyone good-by, and
for a whole week the boys didn't get
over laughing at the Yankee who was
too smart; and it was unanimously
voted that Jim Macarthur was genius,
as well as philosopher.
Not one of the boys ever expected to
see Bascomb again. and consequently
they stared as if they hal encountered