The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-27

since, with its magnificent winding
river and numerous hills, but it had a
good deal of building to be done about
it, and a great amount of capital
to be sunk in it before it could be
boasted about as city; while the
worst of it was that most of the inhab-
itants had rushed to 1t in the same con-
/ dition that myself and ship-mates were
in; the natural results of which were
that while the laborers We're many tn e
masters to employ them We're exceeding
ly limited, in consequence of which saw
more transformations hanging about
the streets hard up and idle, on my
first days march, than l had seen be-
fore in my lie.
For a full week I rushed about the
different workshops and yards with
the crowd of applicants seeking vainly
for days work. was modest at the
time and there were more desperate
hunters before me, So that found my
self ousted on each occasion and at last
gave up the attempt OF staying in the
coming city, SO packing up what few
articles I considered strictly needful
sold the remainder of my stock at a sac
ritice and went on the tramp.
laid in pick.ax and spade with .
good steel hammer and a doublebar
relied gun and struck towards the north,
resolved to exist the best way | could in
the bush while tried my hand at gold
digging. l had no experience at the
| business, but was ready to take adval-
tage of anything that turned up, which
is the proper way to tackle the colonies.
For the first year wandered about
by. myself, living pretty much like a
wild man of the woods, until WIS as
brown in the face as an Indian and as
hard as a baNkwoodsman. while my
clothes were as bepatched as Joseph's
coat did not discover any gold. but
gained great deal of experience and
bush knowledge which served zae after
wards.
At the end of the first year / took a
situation on a back htation as stock
man. and here put in another year,
getting fair wages, and writing home
hopeful letters to Maud, who replied to
them afeotiouately. assuring me Of her
faith and fidelity, which were great
comforts to me in my lonely life.
Then struck out again gold seek
ing. this time with three experienced
mates who put me up to many lodges
connected with the soil and earth signs,
and with VIII ON wandered far inland
prospecting with indifferent luck; still
we managed to jog along and indulge
in an occasional visit to the different
townships, where W. disposed of our
tiny nuggets and laid IN provisions for
another spell of the bush
The five years slipped away IN this
way and at the end OF them ! was in
about the same condition OF worldly
position As before. We had no: struck
upon tbs LUCKY claim, although we
often seemed close enough 20 1t 10 have
q week or so of wild excitement and 20
keep me hopeful in my home love let
tiers
But Maud Davis had grown tired Of
hopes SO distant, and il one of her let
ters-she last that received from her
she told me that She had become
wesrica OF wasting her time any
longer and was about 10 be married 10
the village baker. SO that | need not
bother writing any more, unless /
cared TO ret arm her letters
That kind of settled me as far rs any
laundering after the old country was
concerned. so, after reading al her let
tiers over again. and, | an ashamed -
confess, wettsu- few OF them with
s.a,.4, xxsaesazrsSh tears ! raarE-s4l -f1arf1
up, and, getting the few small nuggets
had left made into q brooch | sent
them home 70 her. with the brooch. as
wedding present, and then turned
M. hack On mT CHAINS and civilization