The morning call., 1893-05-28
of tie fascinating Technology of the ORE

OF the fascinating terminology of the ORE
seeker.
But Mark, though he passed through much of
the excl ement of that time, did not gather
much of its material wealth. His returns were
to come later.
to this rule and The author. despite his pro-
te ted disiuclination for work, was million
aire-in posse.
1t cam about In this way: certain mine
called the Wide West began 10 yield In extraor.
binary fashion, but Marks partner. a man
named Higbie, found that he ore d not b.
long 10 The mine in question. but was "blind
lead'' for which he and Nark ut In claim.
Then the TWO prospective millionaires spent the
night ln their bare, iumble-down cabin building
beautiful castles with ttle coin to come.
Everything was regular, and The claim set the
whole town on fire. Marks figure for his share
was cool million the next day. Every one
was giving him evidences Of his aggrandlZ
meuf. Then he had TO go and nurse sich
friend. leaving a note for his partner HigbIe,
aud did noI return until ten days after.
When he DID return his claim had been re.
located, and his opportunity Of being a million.
aire was gone. II sremed that the laws OF the
State demanded that locators should do some
work ON their claim Within ten days, but that
Mark had relied upon Hgbie. and Higbie upon
Mark. and no work had BEEN done. Hence the
lapse.
In commemoration of this sad little incident,
the author dedicales his volume thus:
Calvin H. HigbIe
of California,
An honest man. genial comrade and stead FAST
friend,
This book /, Inscribed
by the author,
In memory OF rhe curious time
when we two
were milio aires for ten DAYS.
Last of all the author takes us TO the Ha-
waiian Islands, and there on the island of Maui
meets wonderful story-tell !, whom 1t would
perhaps be accurate TO describe as man after
Marks own heart. SO one of his stories will
ap ly close This cursory sketch-it Is the we'll
known ory of The .meanest man on EARTH"
and Is told To Mark thus:
BLESS your h-art and hide, you are ignorant
of lie very Q of meanneSS! Ignorant as the
unborn babel Ignorant aS unborn twi1si You
don't knnw anything about il! Look me in the
eye II you lease; look me IN the eye.
John James Godfrey was The son OF poor
but honest parents in the Slate OF MiSsisippi-
boyhond friend of mne-bosom comrade In
later years. Heaven rest his noble spirit, he is
gone from us now. John James Godfrey was
hired by the HavblossOm Mining Company in
California 10 do some blasting for them-'The
Incorporated Company of Man Men, the boys
used 10 call 1t. Well, one day be drilled hole
a aboui four fe-L deep, aud tut In all awful blast
OF rowder, and was standing over 1t ramming
il down with au iron crowbar about MIN feet
long when the cus-ed thing struck spark and
fired IN pnwder and scat! away John Godfr Y
wiizzrd lik a >kyrocket, him aud his crowbai
Well sir, lie kept gong up. and up. and up and
then down, aud down. and down again until he
and his crowbar Game whZZlng down aud hit
right exactly IN the same old tracks and went
TO r-rammng down, and r-ramming down, and
r-ramming down again just the same as il
nothing had happened
Now do you know the poor cuss warn't gone
only l6 minut and yet iii I Incorpora ed
Company of Mean Men docked him for The losl
tme!"