The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-05
the WHISPERING VINE.
A Miners wife Who Saved Her HuS-
bands Life and Made His Fortune.


From the St Louis Globe-Democrat.
On the western slope Of the main range
OF the Rocky mountains, IN summit and
Granite counties. the legend Of the Wills
pering Nine" booked at the land ONCE
as the Mountain Chief is often referred
10. As related by d. I. stockton. one
Of the old timers. the legend runs as
follows:
1t was in 1872 that William Dempsey.
while prospecting 10 the vicinity, located
a promising looking prospect on. Grassy.
In preparing a place for his cabin ne en-
countered a letting cliff, from which he
blasted enough 10 allow room for the
foundation of his home upon a bench
of the mountains. A primitive chimney
was built against the wall OF rock at the
rear, and as soon as the work was COM
pletcd Dempsey brought his wife and
two children, with his few belongings,
10 keep him company during the long win
ter, that would soon shut them up as
between steel bars.
In preparing meals the patient wife no
ticed a strong draught Of air coming
from the rocks on one side Of the fire.
place. This current OF air she found use
full in stimulating a slow fire, and when
not wanted the crevice was shut up by
placing ii small stone in the opening.
During his absence from the mountain
the children, happy in the sprlngtime
side. chased each other through and
among the spruces, as happy and con-
tended children do. The day following
her husbands departure, Mrs. Dempsey
was preparing a meal and had the stone
removed from the crevice. when she was
surprised to hear her children laughing
and talking. Going to the door, she could
not see them nor tell from what direction
their voices came. Giving the subject
no further thought, she took the water
pail and went for a supply TO the spring.
few hundred yards below the Jcab.n. At
the spring she found the two children,
who informed the mother that they had
been there for the past hour. She then
decided that the crevice was in some way
connected with the locality Of the spring.
Beyond speaking of the matter 10 her
husband upon his return, no attention
was given the discovery until the crevioe
brought notice Of impending peril to her
husband.
During the husbands presence In the lit
tie mining camp, the news of a rich min
ing strike having been made by him leak
ed out and reached the ears of several of
| that class of men who take more pains
to steal from others than TO accumulate
/ by honest work. After a long consulta-
tion, a party of FIVE left the camp with
| the intention of taking the claim from
| Dempsey by force. Arriving on the slope
Of Grassy Mountain, they carefully made
their way to the spring. The hour was
almost noon, and they waited for Demp-
sey TO leave the claim and go to his cabin
for dinner, when they proposed TO quietly
/ enter the tunnel and by show of force
/ keep the owner from asserting his rights
| Seated about the spring they spoke In low
| tones of their plans and the trick they
were about to play the unsuspecting pros
peetor.
The housewife was engaged in prepar-
ing the MONDAY meal. and, taking away
/ the stone from the crevice she was star
| tied on hearing strange voices and the
name of her husband mentioned. Breath
/ lessly she listened and gradually she COM
/ pretended the plot as the speakers contin-
ued to expatiate upon the details Of their
/ intended raid AS the plot became plain
she knew that only prompt action upon
her part would save her husband. TAX
ing down the Winchester and the cart
ridge belt from the wall and leading her
two children she hurried from the cabin
TO the tunnel just In .time.etoi meet her
husband as he started for dinner
She hastily told of the news that had
/ been communicated through the crevice.
/ TO make barricade of the mining tim
| bers on the dump was the work of but a
few moments, and with his wife and chill
/ dren In the tunnel out OF harms way. he
patiently waited the first move of the
enemy. The visitors sat impatiently at
| the spring until nearly o'clock without
seeing any signs of the miner when they
decided to slip into the tunnel and wait
there until he had returned The party
stole forward. and as they clambered up
| the dump of broken rock they were met
/ by rapid and telling fire that killed two
/ OF the party and wounded another A
hurried retreat alone saved the survivors,
/ and, although the dead were Inferred at
the place where they met their fate, none
/ OF the attacking party We're ever after
/ heard from.
! The Mountain Chief was afterward dis
posed of for a sum that ena bled Dempsey
to purchase a small ranch in the Grand
Valley where he has since resided.