The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-27

! The cabin, where four or ave iIe4. ~~t~
standing awkWardly about.
Good morning. boys" she said II
jest heeri bout tn shootin' an | didn't
lose no time comm, fur, | SEE ter my
SELF. that ia be needed. Now, the fust
thing ter settle is. what's ter become Of
tn boy?'
I'M take him." said Mike the Corker,
fer to run Grants an make himself gin
orally useful"
Aunt Sally felt the shrinking of the lit
tie thin figure under her shawl.
II guess not" she said. giving Mike a
steady, glance, before which he retreatcd
In confusion.
lie kin come ter my ranch" drawled
Slippery Ike.
He won't 80 ter no ranch of your'n."
retored Aunt sally. holding fast the dirty
hand under her shawl.
Wall, Aunt Sally, what will become of
MN? inquired one of the miners, as he
lighted his pipe; "spose the young un's
cot ter live. haint he?"
Wall. he's goin' ter live all right
enough said Aunt Sally. AN he's goin
ter hev a place whar he kin hev decent
agin. 1het is ef he wants ter. He's a
ccmiH' ter live long with me ef he feels
inclined that way"
can you imagine how poor Jimmy felt
when he heard this announcement? Under
her shawl he put both his skinny arms
round Aunt Sally's ample waist. and,
leaning his head against her, cried again
bat this time with joy.
SO it was settled then and there that
Jimmy was to live with Aunt Sally Slows
and be her boy.
1t was very different life that Jimmy
now entered upon. There were the ami
mails TO look after and feed and pet
Then, too. Aunt Sally taught Jimmy to
read and. moreover, to cook certain
dishes. OF this last accomplishment the
boy was very proud. and on the day he
was allowed 10 make a chicken potp.e no
one IN La Plata country could have
touched him, as Aunt Sally said, with
ten-foot pole"
one day Jimmy got the mining fever.
There was a boom that spring in the
nelghborins camp Quantities of gold
We're discovered and stamp mills were
erected and everybody was looking for
fortune. The stream that ran down past
Aunt Sally's cabin was filled with placer
miners, or men who look for gold which
has been washed down on the mountains
claims, ana one day Jimmy went out, de-
term ned 10 locate FOR himself.
de went up on the hill, just back Of
Aunt Sally's cabin. and, taking of his
hat. threw IL backward over his shoulder
IL rolled down the hill slowly, and wnere
II stopped Jimmy erected a pine cross, on
which, with piece OF burnt cork, he
stated that this here claim belongs ter
Jimmy doolittie."
Everybody in the camp came to look at
Jlmmy's claim and laugh over Il; but
jimmy didn't mind that. In his plav
hours. instead of playing marbles. tag or
hOp-scotcn with the other boys, Jimmy
was digging away en- his claim. Tine boy
worked like beaver, and in few
weeks HAD quite small tunnel dug into
the hill.
one day, after he had been digging
away for a couple OF hours. he came out
OF his tunnel and sat down to rest for
a while. A party OF gentlemen came
across the stream and strolled up the
hill Jimmy knew them directly for pros
pectors, men who were looking out for
good mining property. Their guide
brought them over and showed them the
bows miners tunnel, and the gentlemen
chaffed him good humoredly about IL.
Got any speciments? asked one of the
men, who Jimmy knew was an expert In
mining matters.
Yes" said Jimmy. and going into his
tunnel he presently returned with u
handful, which he exhibited.
che mining expert looked over the
most of them indifferently, and then as
ne took almost the last one ne gave "a
little start and shot a quick look at the
boy under his lashes,
This looks promising" he remarked.
as carelessly as he could.
YES" said Jimmy, calmly. Eyes.
there's good ore here"