Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-03-29
PEPITO'S BONANZA.

run many seams OF silver. Some OF
these silver veins are very rich In the
precious lnetal, and they were extern
sively worked in former days by the
Aztecs, and perhaps by those fwho in
habtted the country before the Aztecs;
but the mines hive been disuscd for
many years. chiefly because the warlike
Apaches.at the north woull not permit
the work to continue.
The old mines still exist, however,
with remains Of the old wtlks, and
a number of Indians. half-breeds and
MeNicans gain a scanty living by work
ing in them and selling such amounts
Of silver as they can dig out with their
rude tools. Poor and ignorant as these
people are, they have IN ambition of
their own, and are continually nnimat-
ed by the hope that one day they may
strike u great lump of silver, or u
rich vein, such as would produce for
tune to one of them. "A piece of good
luck of this kind is called bonanza,
and these wrctched miners, in spite
of their poverty and affections. are
spurred forward and kept at work by
the hope of a bonanza.
They arc very superstitious, as ignOr-
ant people always are, and many
strange and wild tales are current
among them concerning the old mines,
which are supposed to be Inhabited by
demons and the spirits Of those who
once owned and worked them, who
conceal and guard the richest veins In
the mountains, preventing others from
discovering or using them.
Near one of these mines lived Manuel
Murieto. with his wife, Zaponeta, ard
his son Pepito. Their habitation was
a miserable howell, and their food was
Of the coarsest and often very scanty,
and there was little to make life de-
sirable to them. Zaponeta lsel to
try to persuade her husband to leave
that place and try bis luck elsewhere,
but Manuel stuck TO the ole mime,
believing that he would vet find a for
tune there. He was encouraged in
this belief by a tradition to the effect
that very rich vein Of silver was hid
den in the mine, and by the prophecy
that the lost vein would again be dis
covered by boy who was pure of
feart and free from sin.
Manuel knew. and so did ZaLt meta,
that if ever there lived boy who was
a boy was their son Pepito. He was q
OOyS uAu AAS appearance "oS
almost unearthly, owing to the pale
his serious countenance. He did not
seem to belong to this worlu and it
was the opinion of those who saw him
that he would not long remain in it.
AS for goodness, his parents had never
known him to be guilty of wrong act.
nor had they ever suspected him Of
an ;mpure thought. If purity and good
ness were to discover the lost vein,
Manuel was sure that it would be
found by means of Pepito.
One morning, when the boy arose
from his couch of straw. he told his
lparents of wonderful dream that
had visited him in the night. Two beau
tiful beings, whom he believed to be
angels, had come to his bedside, and
had beckoned him away. He. had
followed them to the old mine, and
farther into the heart of the mountain
than he had ever gone before. At last
he stopped at spot which he was sure
he would recognize if he should ever
see it again. Here they struck against
the rock, and it opened before them,
disclosing passage, which they en-
tered, and Pepito followed them. A
bright light went before them, until
they reached cavern through which
q stream Of water ran. The light rest
ed against the rock OH the other side
of the stream, and Pepito saw that the
rock was full of shining silver. Then
the angels led him back through the
passage, closing the entrance behind
him, and took him to the mouth Of the
mine, where he awoke
Manuel at once perceived an angel
visitation in his dream. He was sure
that PepitO had been taken to the old
mine in his sleep, and had discovered
the lost vein. This was the bonanza
that was to make the fortune of the
family, and he insisted that the boy
should revisit in his waking hours the
scene which lie had sought in his sleep.
Zaponeta was not as enthusiastic as
her husband was. and feared that some
harm might happen to her darling boy;
but she finally yielded to Manuel's ur-
gent entreaties, and equipped Pepito
with lamp and ball of yarn.
The boy said farewell to his parents.
received their blessings. and set out
to search for the lost vein.
At the mouth Of the mine he attached
the yarn to piece of rock and unroll-
ed the ball as he went along, so as to
leave cleW by Which his father might
search for him in case he should get
lost, and went boldly forward into the
heart of the mountains.
He went farther in than he had ever
gone before, creeping through narrow
crevice into passage that had not
been explored during his remembrance.
But it was familiar to him, and he went
forward as he had done when the
right spirits led him tbitber in his
Lcep.
Finally the passage came to an end,
and then he recognized the spot to
which he had been brought in his
dreaHl. He could not be mistaken.
The appearance Of the rock had been
indelibly impressed upon lis memory,
and he saw it all exactly as he had
seen it in his sleep.
There were no angels to strike the
rock and compel it to open; but Pepito
saw, on examining it closely, that it
was not solid, that q, mass Of stones
had been piled up, to close an entrance.
He grasped one of these with both
Hands and Dulled II until II foil ont