The herald., 1893-09-17
PART II PAGES 9 TO 16.
RATTLESNAKE RANCH.
A Story of Real Estate In An EARLY Mi
ing Town.


Ing Town.
Jack Seely was '49er and q miner
from away back. He owned any num-
Der of mines, of course, but somehow
mono OF them seemed to pan out. He
was mine poor, in fact. He lived in q
little dilspidated mining town that had
been lively center during the palmy
days OF the Cerro Gordo. Itwas now q
sleepy agricultural village, the inhabi-
tants who remained after the closing of
the mines having taken up government
land. They were land poor to a man.
Seely had loaded up with the rest of
them, and was therefore doubly poor.
ABOUT three years previous to the
time OF this story, a young Englishman
who had come money had dropped into
camp and, realizing that at some future
day the waters OF the great Owens river
would be utilized to irrigate the appar-
qently worthless lands, invested his
money, buying valuable properties for q
mere song.
Seely had a fine piece of land lying
near the foothills, having upon it q
beautiful mountain stream which the
Englishman wanted. Seely didn't want
to sell, but the mining fever struck him
one day, and being perfectly sure that
certain claim would yield fortune with
little capital, he was prevailed upon
to part with the land
After the deal was closed the Eng
lishman asked Seely if he could use
him as reference in case he wished to
sell. An Englishman always feels it
necessary to have q reference.
Alter becoming considerable land
owner the Englishman put on good
many airs and got himself very much
disliked among the simple and good
hearted miners. Seely, especially, had
it in for him.
John Tompkins, a well-to.do young
New Yorker, who was out west in
search OF adventure, wandered into
town one day, and as Truesdale, the
Englishman, was the only educated
man in the place they soon became fast
friends.
Truesdale was anxious to cell Tomp-
kins the Seely ranch at a good figure,
and although it was not necessary to
refer to any one, as they had planned
to go over the land the next day, Trues-
dale, nevertheless, referred Tompkina
to Seely in support of bis glowing de-
scription of the ranch. This was Seely's
chance, and he used it.
Yes, used to own that ranch, /" said
Seely. "a mighty good paying claim it
was, too. cleared from $40 to $50 q
day there"
"Why, I thought it was nothing but
bare land" said the New Yorker.
Truesdale looked queer for he didn't
know what was coming.
1t has one of the best paying crops
on it that there is anywhere hereabouts,
if it is only worked" And Seely looked
knowingly at the tenderfoot while he
lighted his pipe.
"You didn't tell me anything of this,
Truesdale. had no idea 1 was going to
look at income-paying property" said
Tompkins.
IT thonght would let Seely tell you, y
said Truesdale, feeling very uncomforta-
BILE, but putting on bold face.
"What is the valuable crop you speak
Of, Mr.. Seely?" asked the tenderfoot.
"RsttIesnakes," was the laconic re.
ply.
Tompkins shuddered. ''Rattlesnakes
am sure | can't zee how they can be
made to yield anything"
well, I'll tell you how got onto the
racket. You see, my old grandmother
used to have fearful spells of rheum-
atism in her back. That land is just
covered with rattlesnakes. You can't
move without Running against one.
killed IL one day just walking down the
cailon and L thought l would bring q
few of them home and skin them,
While was peeling the hides off,
noticed how fat they was. NY dear old
grandmother was always on my mind
because she made my life burden COM
planning about her back. A happy
thought struck me--rattlesnake oil ior
rheumatism l took one of those snakes
into the kitchen and billed him down. l
carefully skinned off the oil and applied
it to the old woman's back. In week
she was cured. went into the business,
| made camp ct the ranch and drove
all the snakes into the cafion. [ went
up the creek away, dug ditch around
the snakes and turned the water in.
This corralled them. for they won't CROSS
water. I'd 90 in and knock about q
dozen over the head in the morning,
skin them and bile their carcasses down.
The skins fetched dollar apiece whole
sale, the rattles 25 cents apiece as sick
headache cure, and / sold the oil Tor a
dollar bottle, warranted to cure rheu-
matism. 1t ran about o snake to bot
tie. If you buy that ranch, young man,
all you'll have to do ie to round up the
snakes and you can make fortune. 1t
will pay better than any mine l know
Of" Seely WAS as solemn as an owl as
he looked at the tenderfoot and puffed
great clouds of smoke from his pipe.
THANK you," said Tompkins, shud-
dering. ~ didn't come out here to 90
into the rattlesnake business."
This was the last time Truesdale ever
used Seely as reference Moreno In
i dicator.