Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-30

the invitation, las my get up may be
leettle off accordin' to eastern notions of
style, but in the country 1 come from
clothes don't count for much, and I've
got to be sort Of careless about 'em, 1
reckon"
"From we're do you come, mein frindT"
Montana, Idaho, wherever there's
gold, to'ard the sunset. My names Dan
Chipland, but I'm better known as the
Goldbug of the Sawtooth Range"
"My gracious! Never did hear the
like of that"
"Prob'bly not. But there's lots has.
Pm modest flower, but not scarce
where bloom. Why, say, senator, I've
located more big mines and made and
spent more big money than any other
man west of the Missouri river. I'm a
prospector from way back, am, and
don't you forget it. These are some of my
own producing" And again he dazed the
farmer with his handful of gold.
"Your producing? How vas that?"
"My digging. Got the gold out for
'em myself. Staked the high muck-a-
muck of the mint to have my own dust
coined for me, the hull hundred weight"
Hundred weight of vat?'
"Gold dust, that washed out myself"
"Potztansendr'
"Oh, I'm boss of the placer, I am.
You ought to see me toy with pan."
swat is that toy NIT panP"
The Goldbug condescendingly and pa
tiently set forth by simple phrase and
ample illustrative pantomime the art
and mystery of placer mining, embel-
fishing the dry details with wealth of
romance respecting his achievements.
Herr Kroptf, with open mouth and bulg-
ing eyes, listened in silence, the while
thick layers of wonder piled up over his
mind. Gradually a suspicion stole upon
him that the mysterious proceedings of
the New Workers must have been some
thing akin to those now brought to his
knowledge. He therefore repeated what
Reuben had told him, and asked his
guests opinion upon it.
"There's no tellin'," answered Mr..
Chipland, with an air of grave consid-
Grafton, sin this offhand way. Gold,
you see. is just as likely to be found in
one place as in another, most any
where. 1t has been got in every state of
this Union, more or less. Wherever you
find black sand. if the other indications
are right it is pretty safe to look for
gold"
"That greek bed is full of black sand.
"You don't say SO! Well, then, there's
proba bly, gold. I'd like to take look al
it. You may have millions right under
your hand"
"Donnerwetterl Unit he got option
that ne shall buy it all for ten thousand
dollars"
"Took an option, eh? Oh, well, thai
settles it. They have found the gold, oi
course"
Zach! du heber Gott! Vat will Anns
say nowY'
Herr Kropff could hardly wait unit
the Goldbug had dined to hurry hin
off for an expert examination Of thu
creek sand, the result Of which was full
confirmation of his fears. 1t was almos
miraculous how fortune and instinc
seemed to favor the experienced miner
Within ten minutes he had unearthet
che spade and pans from where the New
Yorkers had "cached" them under SOM
rocks and brush. In as much more tint
his deft manipulation of a painful Of sant
reduced it to spoonful of grains, amonj
which shone several bright yellow
specks. Those, he explained, were gold
Scott i'm himmel! Gold! Gold!
Gold!ll" shouted Herr Kropff in parox
ys1n of uncomfortable excitement. :"
will not sell my farml No, no; I will no
sell my farm! Nobody shall make m,
sell my farm! l got a gold mine al
mine own! Ach! du lieber Gott; how
near gone that 1 lose him~ .
"Don't be too sure you haven't i
you've sold an option" suggested tn
old miner dryly. "It's a pity If yo,
have. With one man to help me coul,
wash that price right out of this creek Il
a months time"
81 will give him back his two hundred
dollars"
"But suppose he holds you to the bar
gain. II it were out west, where yol
could settle the difficulty with shot
gun, it would be simple enough. Blu
here in the effete east, what's goin' +
become of you when the lawyers get
cinch on your"
While talking he washed down sec
ond pan Of sand and found it even richie
than the first in auriferous grains.
"Achl Ich bin elm unglucklich
menschl Mein herr is brokedr' wailet
the old man, bursting into tears. "Vei
Anna finds this ouet it would be for IN,
better ven vas in my cool, cool gravel