Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-11-02
A Bad Mistake.


Grant had gone out to California in
the days of the gold fever in quest
of their fortunes.
They were scarcely more than
boys, and of course readily believed
all they read and heard regarding
the ease with which wealth was ac-
cnmulated by the gold-hunters who
had the bravery and courage to go
out to the great, new West.
They were very sanguine when
they reached the Sierra Nevada
Mountains and fully expected within
one year to be able to return home
loaded down with gold.
But they had been doomed to
suffer disappointment.
Not only one year had passed
without them coming into possession
of the expected wealth, but two
years had gone by, and, if possible,
they we're poorer then they were
the day they reached the land of
promise.
They had dug and delved and
toiled and they had only been able
to supply their immediate needs.
They had not done as well as they
might have done at home had they
put forth the same amount of effort.
They were growing desperately
discouraged with the situation, and
one night they sat in front of their
cabin, in little mining camp. and
talked over the matter. After an
exchange of a good many words and
opinions Dick Warner said:
SIT was mistake coming to Cali
fornia, in the first place, but we can't
help that now. We're here and we'll
have to make the most of it,
SNAKE the most of nothingp Joe
Fields exclaimed, With sniff of dis
gust. "There's nothing on earth,
nor in it, in this part of the country,
for us to make anything of at all.
I'm tired of the whole thing, for my
part, and am ready to pull up stakes
and strike for the East any minute"
"I'm with you, Joe,' Jim Grant
agreed. "I'm tired to death of this
business, and if you say SO I'll start
back East tomorrow morning."
"I'm ready to say so for my part"
Joe replied. "How is it with you,
Dick ?"
swell, it's pretty discouraging
out here" Dick answered, slowly,
shut I'm not ready to go back East
and be laughed at for the next ten
years. Besides, we are not in any
shape to go back if we wanted to"
"What do you propose for US to
do, then?' Joe asked.
III don't know. Wen just have to
do the best we can and take the
chances"
sand starve to death in the mean
time, eh!"
"No, I think not. We can GER
tainly manage to live, and I think
after while we shall strike lead"
but when will we strike it?"
ooh, I don't know. 1t may be
soon and it may be longer
eyes, l guess it will be longer-a
right smart longer"
The conversation was interrupted
by the appearance of tall, angular,
loose-jointed man of middle age, who
came sauntering down from the camp,
leisurely putting his pipe.
"Howdy, boys?" he saluted, taking
a seat, unlimited, among them.
SLOWS tricks an things with your
"Pretty slow" Joe answered, after
q pause.
mo imejiate danger o. git,in'
yourselves overloaded with gold,
eh?'
"The danger is not alarmingly
threatening" Jim replied.
"Kind O discouraged with the out
look, amt youi"
"Well, slightly we certainly have
reason to be, too, for we've put in
two years out here and we're no bet
Ter off now than we we're when we
commenced"
The old miner whistled, then
grinned, then chuckled softly.
"Jest like a tenderfoot," he said at
last. "Think a fortune ort to be
picked up in week and git all dis
couraged if it amt"
"But a week is not two years.
Joe said, angrily.
"No, nor two years ain twenty.
Why, say, boys, / been seekin' q
fortune more than twenty years an
/ amt found it yet; but, lor! ain,
a bit discouraged"
"But you've had something to en-.
courage you now and then 7"
Marry blamed thing until now
don't mind tellin' you, though,
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