The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-01-13
A. GOlD-MlNE HOAX.
How = Raturued Caiiforuisn Played Ii
Upon the Maine Farmers

Lewiston (Me.) Journal.
There's a tale hangs thereby.
You see, Warren Leland, who has
been postmaster, farmer and trader
In North Jay for a good many years.
is more or less OF a joker, and once
ne put up a job on the community.
Away back early in the sos Mr..
Leland had a cuff with California
life. After a more or less eventful
experience in the mines he returned
TO the peaceful scenery OF North Jay
and settled down among his old
neighbors.
There's a brook that runs through
North Jay, across a fertile farm, and
in the bed Of the brook is sand. Why
shouldn't there be gold there?
One day Mr.. Leland was down at
the store and the conversation drift
ed around to mining.
Seems as though, IL twas worked
right, that a Teller ought to find gold
around somewhere else sides Cali
forny," said the man from down on
the river road.
''Wal jest how do they wash for
gold, anyway" inquired n Of the
NJ ghbors.
perhaps / can show you Just how.
Did you ever have any idea that there
was gold out In that brook" sudden
ly asked the returned Californian. 9
mo: why, do you think there u.s."
came the excited chorus.
"Well, OF course it's only guess
work with me, neighbors, but some
how or other l have had a sort of i'm
preston that there is gold there.
'I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll get,my
tools at the house and wash out a few
%panfuls OF gravel. 1t won't do any
hurt and it will give you a chance to
see how placer mining Is carried on"
Now, when Mr.. Leland had re-
turned from California he brought
back "A few ounces OF dust and mug
gets When he called at the house
to secure his pan and shovel he
tucked a few tiny Jumps OF gold be-
meath his tongue.
A very inspiring audience had as
sembled at the broOkside. and they
watched Leland with intense inter
est as he delved in the sand. The
uESU Ddilui was NdSlCu OdIClully,
but no yellow glitter appeared in the
bottom of the pan.
Here" said The examiner to a
broad .shouldered neighbor, take
this shovel and dig deeper in that
gravel"
tlPretty soon a dark stratum vas
struck and a few shovelfuls of this
xr~e thrown into the pan
when you find gold it's pre~'y
apt be in the dark gravel" said Le-
land, and it sounded as though he
was pretty sure that gold was in this
particular dark gravel.
Well, there was
AS Leland spoke he slyly spit into
the pan and continued to wash the
gravel. At la t there was only a tiny
residuum in the bottom of the pan
and amid the breathless interest Of
the crowd the m ner scooped this out
in his fingers.
Look at that, boys, said he with
well -feigned enthusiasm. what do
you call IL if it isn't gold?"
The tiny bits were passed from hand
TO hand, were fondled and caressed,
and you may b. sure that the prin-
cipal topic discussed aCout the fire
sides Of North Jay that evening was
the new found reasure in the sand of
the brook.
Leland carried the hoax still fur
ther. He at once attempted to buy
the farm through which the brook
ran, but no, the owner couldn't be
induced to sell at any figure. The
neighbors often caught glimrses Of
the proprietor OF this imaginary FL
Dorado hustling pans Of gravel into
the house in order that he might do
a little amateur grading at the
Kitchen sink.
The fame OF the North Jay gold
field became noised abroad. People
commenced to come and look at the
brook and paw among the pebbles
The samples OF ore were carried TO
Lewiston and shown to experts
These pronounced il gold fast enough,
and we're fired with the spectacle.
One old miner in Lewiston, however,
smelleG something scorching. Asked
he suspiciously, What sort of a fell
low is this Leland?" ''He's n OF
the straightest men in town, that's
sure"
We'll, these samples are gold fast
enough, but il it isn't California
gold. I'm a sucker. Isn't the derned
varmint sailing 'er on YOU folks"
Don't see what object he'd have
in doing IL"
Eyes, that's all right-but you
lust 90 back and tell him what l said.
Then you ask him whether 1T viii be
worth while for ME To come up and
look that thing over fer a specula-
ton"
The neighbor posted back.
Leland smiled reassuringly, but
with a curious twist in his face.
,.And l want TO send him lust a word
by return mail" concluded the eager
emissary.
Exactly: well, tell him that he'd
better not come UP Just yet unless he