Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-26

Ing the daylight hours Men mining on the canyon, however, reported that he was in the habit of prowhng about of nights. They said they had frequently seen light up at his claim very late . at night just at the'spot where he had demolished the big bowlder. Upon in- Q vestigation by a friend. it was found that Mike had got into his head that the pile of gold he had seen had been sunk deep into the ground by an evil spirit However. he would yet get it, as one night each month at midnight-he did not know what miGht-all the big nuggets camo up to their old nest under the powder. All he had to do to beat the goblin that had lived under the big rock was to be on the watch and shout when the gold appeared, "Mine, in the name of tho Blessed Virgin"
 Though he wanted nothing to do with any one, yet he was always peering out at the chinks of his cabin, watching those who passed by. When any one came along the trail, he would pop his head out at his door and utter his new -warcry of "Mine, ill tho name of the Blessed Virgin" Seeing that thetlife he was leading was making him woSse. his friends on the canyon tried to get him out of his cabin, offering him big wages to work in their claims. Allrwss useless, however, until one day a man happened to say he had big bowlaer in his diggiEgs ho wanted blasted ant. Instantly MiEe pricked up his ears and was all attonaion. He was ready to,set to work upon tho powder at once.
 Being given trial, it was found that . he was able o'work as well and intel ligently as eyerat drilling and blasting. While engaged in that work he seemed quite sane, but he could not be induced to do anything in the mines except blast powders For that business he seemed to have a perfect mania and cozlld ac- complish nearly as much in day as two ordinary mon. Battling with the powders was seen to brighten him mp wonderfully, and he was given all the work he could do in his favorite limo by the friendly miners up and down Slug canyon.
 One day after Mike hadi been for some months waginG a war of extermination against the powders of Slug canyon his friends up in Downievillo had big sur prise All unheralded and unexpected, the "Widdy Maroncy, with raft of tall and buxom daughters landed in their midst, fresh from the 'ould sod. :" They had come to make their homo in America land look afthcr poor Moik " MarriageSblo girls being at that timo ill great demand, +ho family were heartily welcomed and well provided for at once. It was then so contrivod that Mike was suddenly brought into the midst of the"wholo crowd without hint being given him beforehand that his | mother and sisters wero in the country The surprise sso shook him up mentally that the balance wheel ill his head at once started up and moved along as smoothly and regularly as ever.
 Soon the family wero comfortably set | tied at Downievillo, and Mike with 1 them. His last blast had not been so ! very disastrous after all. It had not only fetched the big bowlder, but had 1 also fetched all his people out to Amer ica to n good home. and tho raft of | bouncing girls to where they all soon captured good husbands, three among whom had been Mikes packers, and helped pay for the powder exploded in firing his ''lasht blasht. Dan de | Quillo ill San Francisco, Examiner.