The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-07-07
THE RING OF GOLD

west, he had made money and lost it.
had prospected for mines, found ore and
been cheated out Of his rights, had
grown poor and i'll, and had thrown him
self under tree. careless whether he
lived or died.
The great snowy mountain peaks and
the rich yerdure had lost their attraction
for him. He had hoped and been disap.
pointed so many times that he had come
to believe himself unlucky. that he
should never possess dollar; that there
was neither happiness nor home for him.
He had seen better days His large
dark eyes, his broad brow, his well
shaped mouth and chin bespoke refine
ment in the years that were gone He
had been well educated, had tried many
thing and failed in them, not from lack
OF energy, not from lack Of Judgment,
but his fate seemed to be an adverse
one,
He had done many good acts. had al
ways helped his brother miners, had
tried to look on the bright side Of life,
had fought manfully and been defeated
in the battle BE had imagined some
times that the clouds had silver lining,
but the storms always came sooner or
later, He meditated thus as he lay un-
der the tree, and finally, more dead than
alive from want and exhaustion, fell
asleep
Two men passed along under the brow
OF the mountain, by the tree. They were
tall and straight, and from their dark
hair and skin 1t was easy to perceive
their Indian blood.
"The white man is dead" said one Of
the men as be bent on his knee beside
the sleeper
NO. there is twitching Of the eye
lids, said the other He Is pale and
sick viii take him home and Mimosa
win care for him.
The conversation, carried on in a low
tone, awakened the miner
Come with us and you shall have
food and shelter" said the friendly In
dian.
Scarcely able to bear his weight Mar
tin leaned upon the arms of the two
men, and soon found himself in the
humble Indian cabin.
"Mimosa, here is a stranger. Take
care Of him Red Cloud never left hui
man being to die. He will get well, and
then we will send him back to his peo-
ple.'
A shy, pale Indian girl came forward
and did as she was hidden. She did not
speak, but looked very pityingly out Of
her fawnlike dark eyes When Martin
had been placed in the simple bed she
prepared food for him and fed him as
though he were child. Day by day
she came and went, speaking little but
doing gently the things which only a
womans hands can do
After time the miner, still young
man, gained in strength and began once
more to hope for successful future.
''Mimosa," he said one day, Il owe
my life 10 you, and If am ever rich !
will come back and reward you
q shall miss you, said the girl shyly.
"But ! want no money. | shall be
happy because you are well again and
happy
q shall yet find gold, Mimosa. used
TO think should be rich, and then be-
came poor and sick and lost heart You
wear ring on your finger aud some
times chain about your neck, both Of
beaten gold Did the metal come from
mines near hereg
"My father gave them to me- she re-
piled, and nothing more could be learned
from her ON the subject,
would you care, Mimosa, II wore
the ring until went away2 Perhaps
can find the place whore the gold came
from
"You may wear 1T till you come back
rich. she said smiling.
Days grew into weeks, and the time
drew near for the miner to say goodby
to the girl who had become his comrade
as well as deliverer. Tears filled her
eyes as they parted "You will forget
Mimosa," she said.
"No, ! will bring back the ring, and
you shall give It to the man who makes
you his bride, | shall never forget Red