Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-06-27
SAM DOLLANS' CLAIM.


had followed it.
DOllans was a luckless individual
who had been hanging around the
mining camps for two or three years,
apparently no good to himself or to
any one else.
None Of the miners knew anything
Of his past life, but despite his long
unkept hair and beard, and the gen.
eral appearance of a tramp which he
had, there was something about him
that testified to his having seen bet
ter days.
it was an impossible matter, how
ever for the citizens of Thunderbolt
Canon to believe in the former re-
spectabillty of Sam Dollans, and a
meeting was held in front of a huge
boulder to decide the question of run
ming him out Of the new camp
''Ther ole cuss hes been hangiC'
round every camp we've started for
the last two years, an he's KEEP bad
luck fOuerin' US up an down every
gulch twixt this an Golden. I'm Tor
kickin' him out, " said Shorty Murphy,
with emphasis.
Sykes, with an oath.
Count my foot in for the kickin'"
cried another.
.'AnythInE ter change our luck"
i'Yer betw
"Out with ther old plaster"
"Yes; out with ther ole barnacle."
Deep and threatening were the ex-
cited voices that broke the evening
quiet down in the canon.
No doubt some of the threats would
have been speedily carried into exc
cution, had not Ben Haworth in a
clear calm tone taken it upon him
self to defend poor Sam DollanS
Look here, men," he addressed
them. You're letting your supersti-
tions get the better OF your good
sense. Give Dollans a chance. He's
never done anything for himself yet,
but he may share my tent and grub,
stake out a claim, and GO to work
like the rest Of us. Let's not kick a
man out because luck has been
against US"
"Well, II he'll go to work like a
man, I'm willin' to his stayin' in
Thunderbolt returned Shorty
Murphy.
ale needn't feel ther heft o. my
cOwhide sandals, cf he's wIllin' ter
work, " approved Denver Kit 'but
dOg-gOn a blamed ole barnacle"
Had it been any one less popular
in the camp than Ben Haworth, who
had taken up the defense of Dollans,
II IS safe to say no attention what
ever would have been paid his words.
But Ben was a Stalwlrt young miner;
whose true worth and bravery had
been tested too often in the hard
scenes which they had been forced 70
face among the Rockies, for the MI
ners to act contrary to his advice.
Poor Sam DOllans was only too glad
to accept Ben Haworth's offer, and he
transferred himself that very night
to the young miners tent
Somehow Ben's faith that he
would do something for himself if
gived a chance, inspired him with a
courage he had not felt Since-but he
did not care to recall that. He was
trying to forget 1.-THE one dark page
IN his life.
The next morning he shouldered a
pick loan from Ben, and started up
the canon to stake out claim for
himself lie felt lighter of heart
than he had felt for ten years 1t
might not be too late to redeem him.
self yet
For a mile and halfup the canon,
mine 5 and prospcctors were busy
stalking out claims, or chipping of
bits Of rock, which were immedi.
ately subjected to minute eXamina-
tiOn. Some Of them nodded in a half
friendly manner 10 Sam, but others
merely shouted derisively after him.
Jnhecding them, he passed on and
staked out claim for himself at the
extreme end of the canon, good two
Mics from the active camp.
II reckon they can't find fault
with my nCarness, he remarked to
himself as he began picking off a
piece OF rock here and there.
An one corner Of his claim Il noun
tain torn its way through the solid
wall of the canon. Sam began care
lessly picking in the dry sand and
pebbles which lay in Il dence body in
the irregular cleft
Suddenly an exclamation burst
from his lips, his eyes Sparkled with
intense delight. and STOPPING over he
possessed himself of something al
most too heavy for him TO lift
Its a rock loaded with gold" he
shouted aloud to himself. "'Thank
God for a chance to redeem myself
l don't care for tie gold for myself,
but il will bring comforts to Elsie"
'Ah. Sam Dollans," said deep
voice at his elbow,
Sam turned to find himself con-
fronted by a short thick-set man
with dark hair and brows, and pair
Of restless gray eyes
"TIa, ha." lie laughed sardOnically.
II see from your face you didn't ex!
pect me. The truth is L got tired OF
the faro-shop at Beauty Camp, and
thought I'd come over to Thunder.
bolt and see what the prospects are.
! was loatlng around the camp when
saw you pass out this way, and hav-
ing no better employment L followed
you. What's that? Gold" he cried,
breaking off abruptly and examining
the rock which Dollans still held.
"WhY, where did you ind this?"
We asked.
'sRight here" answered Sam.
'It's a great find! Whose claim is
this?"
"My own"
"Yours? How long since?"
"Just staked it our before you
came"
"Dollaps. sell play paris On this
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