Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-09-01

over his eyes. 10 that only a fringe OF iron
gray beard was visible above his shoulders.
The girl looked at him curiously and not
without some feeling. All her fear Of him
was gone and vague compassion stirred
In her heart. She was almost sorry that
she had undertaken her daring errand.
half disposed to slip quietly away, mount
her horse and be of down the mountain
trail before he had aroused from bis rev.
erie. Yet . singular spell--was IL sympa-
thy or curiosity. or that strange impulse
that causes Que TO iinGer and dwell upon
the sight OF suffering which they may not
relievef-kept her motionless. her book still
open, her peucil still In her hand.
IN tell you the whole story" he said at
length, his voice heavy and tired "I,ve
gore over and over II myself and IL seems
like the more indy on IL the worse snarl
make Of IL. Iou seem q mighty peart
woman. Maybe you can be clearer than
sn old man."
He looked at her with some misappre-
hension. Perhaps bis confidence was mis-
placed. How could he tell but what the
sorry problem that weighed him down
might be mere jest to her, q comical jest
to be recounted for the entertainment Of
frivolous young companionss Her grave
expression reassured him.
"lt begins like most of the stories OF men
OF my age In California" he said, and II
was noticeable that as ne reverted to the
past he dropped the corruptions OF the
time and place and expressed himself In
purer English, although his speech was
still characterized by the soft southern
drawl, and now and then he made use Of n
phrase or word that is learned only south
Of Mason and Dixon's line. 81 caught the
gold fever of is4g had wife and child
and comfortable property. Against the
advice of all my friends. in spite Of my
wife's gentle entreaties, sold of every
thing l had In the world, and leaving q
small sum with her started overland fol
California. It was a dangerous journey
In those days don't think realized how
serious an undertaking II was until the
day started. can see my wife yet as she
looked that day. and the face Of my lit.
tie Miriam has been with me all these
years"
"You don't mean to say that you desert
ed your family; that you never went back
to them" exclaimed the girl.
'Some people might call it so. But it al
ways seemed to me rs if the world wenl
back on me. Good luck. fortune, success
all abandoned me from that moment.
reckon you've read In books or heard old
people tell what 1t meant to go overland 4
the Pacific coast in those days. Months o
hardship and danger; people and cattle dy
ing all along the trail; Indian massacres OF
the plains; cowardly gangs OF whites o.
the scent Of every train that was known y
carry money, watching for "a chance to pill
lage. Before we reached Salt Lake ou
train was robbed by a couple of rascal
.xl ~. Il
back and l lost everything | had-ml
money, my supplies, my blankets; every
thing but the horse rode and the clothd
| | wore.
"a friend who had come with me wa
murdered. The kindness OF stranget
saved me from perishing from cold an
hunger in crossing the Sierras. For tbrt
months after we reach@d Sacramento Id
sick with fever. When got well enoug
| crawled of to the diggings at the FRI
bar up the river. It had been arrange
| when left home that as soon as reacht
California was to fix up some kind OF
home and send for my wife and iittl
daughter. They were TO start by steamk
as soon as they had word from me.
couldn't write home and let them knd'
what kind Of n plight was in. But hA
heap OF courage. The country was fI
| OF gold and men were all the while return
/ ing from the diggings with heaps OF duk
| | would strike it rich like the rest an
then send for my wife and child.
"The bar was overcrowded, but they too
pity ON mel was pitiable object, weh
and wasted by fever-and they let me stak
out claim In the richest spot. ALI tf
men around me were panning out two (
three ounces a day. Every now and the
some man took out a fortune. / scarcel
got color, moved on farther up tt
river to new diggings. IL was no betts
there. On again. The same luck followe
me everywhere. When took hold OF N
most promising sort OF claim could bare
find pay dirt. When gave mp and move
on was sure to hear that some other II
low had jumped my claim and made nj
out of it. left the placers and went pr
specting for quartz.
"The first ledge I struck made a b
show on the surface, but it was pocket
and didn't dare to sink farther for fe,
the ore would play out. | sold IL for
song. The man who bought il stocked
foated few shares. put up n big stan
mill and kept on taking out rich ore.
has a million on the dump today. Ever
where II was the same story with me
never managing TO keep more than evs
J with the world, or getting enough toget
er to more than carry me TO the next can
when my claim was worked out. Before
! knew IL the months and years had Pill,
! up. and writing home was forever out
J the question unless some splendid stfol
of luck favored me-"
He arose and began 10 walk up and dpv
In a straight line under the oaks. III
! census marshal observed that there wis
hard beaten path there. She wonder'
how often his feet had paced IL.
In 1885 caRe here" he said. stoppir
to reach his hand to great burr ON one
the oak boles. On level with his shoulds
; and TO rest IL there. you've heard ii
yarns they tell yet about the gold that W
! taken out OF this creek In those days.
staked out my claim along with the kir
, on the spot. 1t was the same old stor
} On all sides Of me other men took OF
: quantities Of dust. There was no mo
gold inside my lines than you could hI
! on church floor. I'D had enough
: chasing luck mp the rivers and over q
7 mountains. and having IL slip up be bin
7 me unawares whenever moved on.
. Il lowed I'D camp down here and wa
; FOR Il to come 10 me. I've toiled steas
from morning to night every day ] dou
. lift my hand, sometimes at the old placer
: more often prospecting the lodges in q
mountains above. I've made some proi
e ising finds and ! pan out little dust 4
/, the while. but oftentimes haven't enbul
! 20 pay for having my drills pointed, And
, have TO quit work and take my gun a
} go over the range for venison or bear iue,
But II can't last forever. Last week
I Il. l.. A. a a..