The record-union., 1893-11-18
TIE THANKSGIVING MINE.

ell, tlmeS are harder than adamant:
lack OF money means lack of friends. A
lew months ago was comparatively well
on IN both. Now it is rustic. hustle or
starve, and after vacation at Del Monte
and that menu I don't feel like doing, the
last"
30 soliloquized Joe Howe, a bright
looking, well-set up fellow, formerly
cashier in the now closed bank of Fingal
O Hetherbee. In the many failures Joe
had lost all the money his father had left
MN, and now his situation was lost, and
last, but not least, he had lost his heart to
pretty Edith Haverly, wealthy lawyers
daughter whom he had met at Del Monte
the last season. Now reviewing his
losses, In cheap lodging-house. it would
not De at all remarkable if Joe felt blue
ana discouraged. Not he. A half whim-
slcal, haif-serious turn of mind peculiar
10 his temperament robbed the reviewal
OF half its horrors.
No use to blow my brains out" con-
tinued he, ''for my family, with the
candor Of privileged members, always
SAID L had less than the rest of my KIN,
SO That would not be a large blowout A
dynamite bomb would give me chance
10 rise IN life, but Pd be dead broke be-
fore | landed on solid soil. So there
Is nothing left but to hunt up that quartz
mine lett me by Uncle Jack, and If some
fellow has not jumped the claim l might
work 1T and find at least a color to fly in
the lace of fate and luck when she turns
my way again. So here goes" And Joe
turned the key in the lock of his dingy
room, and leaving all his unavailable
possessions till called for, he started out
tod of foil
chasing a small camping outfit, with
health for his capital and loving thoughts
OF the girl he would eventually win if
pluck and perseverance counted. To
one as much IN love as Joe was herculean
tasks seem light when weighed in the
balance with love.
The mine referred to was in the mount
aims, many a weary mile from the city.
No railroad linked it with civilization,
not even stage route. So Joe had no
choice but to walk the distance. But
what mattered that? Was not his heart
warm and mis- thoughts pleasant? And
these two adjuncts shorten time and dis
tance. After two days tramp the road
went winding through the chaparral
trails and aisles of the forest, past tall
shrubs of buckeye, now covered with
plenteous blooms of wavy, starry bios
SONS. Zoe admired beauty in nature as
we'll as in art.
La the warm moons, as he rested be-
meath some Wayside tree and ate his fru-
gal lunch, he wondered what his friends
of the days when Delmonte's dinIng-hall
was opened to him would think, and he
laughed to himself as in Imagination he
saw the walters of the table he usually
occupied. One with white hair and
youthful and ducal air, that Edith Hav
erly always declared had lost bis duke
dom; and the eager, plnk-faced, t0OthIeSS
Frenchman, who, after receiving his or
ders, would move his lips as if in silent
prayer. As be trotted off his pink face
would flush pinker with the weight on
his memory.
Now if they viewed me they'd take
me for tramp" said Joe, and he sighed
a little as he thought of the old days and
of Edith and how differently things
would have turned out If fate had been
less cruel.
Joe arose from his MONDAY rest quickly
and pursued his way, for idle thoughts
were not TOR him. 'Action and plenty of
it." said Joe to himself, for home, and
Edith my guidon. No other fellow can
win her this year, fortunately, for all the
fellows in her set have not the chance, or
money to settle down no more than L"
And at this comforting thought Joe
whistled as he walked.
The road wound along by river bed,
and Joe having been over the road before
knew his destination was not far distant.
HabltatlOnS were met with now and then.
Here cleared strip of land surrounding
neats well-kept home. There a ramshackle
miners cabin, perched like an eagles
nest on some sun-scorched hill. Game
was plentiful. The close season was con-
ducive to the confidence of deer, rabbits,
squirrels and quail, and many had
crossed his path with backw ward glance
at the intruder upon their solitudeS. Joe
had heard OF the superstition that gray
squirrel crossing ones path from left to
right meant good luck, and as j oe said
they all did that when he met them, it
was only right to think that good luck
awaited him.
1t was sunset on the third day that Joe
found himself near his mine, and was
surprised to see quite comfortable look
Ing cabin near 1t. A rose garden in front
and small vegetable garden in the rear
gave evidence that some thrifty persons
had been here for some time.
Jumped, by Jovep' said Joe, as he
gaZed around to assure himself he was in
the right locality. A dog barked, and
the house door opened, and a young
woman appeared shading her eyes from
the glow of the westering sun. Tall and
full OF hgure. with large, dark, handsome
eyes. and a mass of black hair, crimson
checks, and white. perfect teeth that
showed as she smiled good day" to
Joe's salutation.
Il am the owner of the quartz claim
below the hill" explained Joe, land
have concluded to open it this season.
Can | obtain lodgings here?"
The girl colored a deeper crimson as
she bent her eyes on the doorstep, and
murmured in a low tone, Il don't know
till l see. sir" And stepping inside, she
returned after moments absence with a
rough-looking Spaniard in mining garb.
The man frowned heavily as he listened
to Joe's reiteration of ownership, his
small, bead-like, sinister eyes almost hid
under the heavy brow.
"Certanlee," he replied; "Camelo, you
hear?p And he turned to the girl and
muttered something else in Spanish. Ca
melo smiled and said:
1.-The senior is welcome-eome in. The
bed is here if it will please the senor."
Joe entered, as she threw open door
of a small but neat room, with a small
bed, over which hung a crucitix, with a
rosary twined around it. The linen on
the bed was decorated with coarse but
beautiful Spanish work. Wreaths of red
peppers were festooned around the walls,
and on the mantel-shelf was a green, yell
low and blue picture of the Madonna.
Joe took in all this with glance. and
nodding approval, left his kit IN the room
and walked down to his mine. On reach
ing the location Joe realized that the mine
had been worked some, and already
small tunnel had been opened. The
Spaniard, Carlos by name, had followed
him, and Joe decided that it would save
trouble if he never mentioned the sus-
picion be had that Carlos had attempted
TO jump the claim, and only his own APP
pearance had saved it; just in time, too.
Turning TO him, J oe asked 'if he would
be willing TO work for him?"
Carlos sullenly assented, and the new
plan of work was laid out for the NOR
row.