The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-02-25
OLD SHINES APPLIES 4 FABLE.

OLD SHINES APPLIES 4 FABLE.
If You Want to Sell Prospect You
Must First Get Something in Sight.
Old Shines says that "the aver
age prospector might learn good
deal if he would read and ponder
on that old fable Of Esop's which
runs something like this: The lark,
whose nest was in a ripening grain
field, came home to her brood one
night and found them in state of
great excitement. Inquiring the
cause they said that the old farmer
and his son had come that way dur
ing the day and declared the grain
ripe enough, and that they must
call in the neighbors to help cut it
next day, which would endanger
their lives. At this time the old
bird allayed their fears by saying
there would be plenty of time to
move by the time the neighbors
came to help. For several days
there was no sign OF the neighbors,
yet the same story was repeated to
the mother bird every evening
and received from her the same re-
ply. At last she came home one
evening and the young birds told
her that the old man had said to
his son that day, well, we can't
wait for our neighbors any longer.
Tomorrow morning we must get
our sickles and go at it, Hearing
this the old bird said, Now it is
time to move and tomorrow morn
ing we must change our nesting
place. Now prospector will To-
cate good claim, having the right
indications to make a valuable pro-
perty, but instead of dulling his
pick and drills on it to show that
it is of value he sits around waiting
for his neighbors to come and help
him open it, or, in other words, af-
ter he has coyoted a little hole and
picked up a few samples to show,
tells every one what good thing
he has and tries to interest some
one to back him with money to de-
velop it. By dwelling on it con.
tinually he con see what a big thing
it is, bat when he brings the capi-
talist over to look at it he CAM
show him a blamed thing but q
barren hillside with little hole
scratched on the face of it showing
here and there small pieces of ore
The monied man, who probably
has legged it "a work he is unused
toy some miles up a rocky gulch tt
see the great find, is disgusted a
what looks to him like the folly O.
putting money in a hole in the
ground and dosen't do it. He re-
turns saying to himself, "That fel
low is fool to think I'd put W
money on a wildcat, and I was .
fool to listen to his talk, much less
to take such tramp. Oh, my, how
tired and sore am" Thus months
and perhaps years go by and tn
prospector has done everything ex
cept work his claim. He has Gu
an Indifferent trail one year, anoth
er season he has built a cabin o.
did something else that would pas
for assessment work, anything t.
hold the ground except to actually
open it. In the meantime he ha
sung his song and dance to every
body about his splendid claim ane
is hoping against hope that moniet
men will see it through his eyes
but the "neighbors are busy Will
their own work and don't think hi
grain worth cutting" Finally ex
hausting all his resources to induc'
them to help, he makes the goot
resolve which he should have don.
long ago and says, II will go ant
open it myself as soon as | can ge
a grub stake for there is something
there that tells me it will turn ou
good" Getting ajob he earns enougl
in few months to go work on his
ground and the result is that b,
the time he has done so or 100 fee
of work he has a showing ofminer
| al that commands the attention 0
monied men and the value of tn
claim is established, and the mel
he was once hunting now hunt him
and he finds little difficulty in oh
tanning a price that fully represent
J it's value. Whenever / see a pros
pector sitting around doing nothinI
and telling what a splendid show
ing he has, one that will pay from
: the grass roots, and don't make j
do it, I always say to myself, 9Th
! Hlark needn't be in a hurry to NOV
/ her nest" And those are the fel
lows that are always declaring tha
: everybody turns a cold shoulder O.
! mining and that monied men ar
only trying to freeze you out, an
all such rot. My experience is tha
the men with money wants to Sc
, something in your prospects be
sides the bare hillside before b
puts his money in. In other words
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