The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-08-17
A WHISPERING MINE.
Through It Murdtfc"s PIotters were
Frustrated Some Year. Ago.

:.nge Of the Rocky IN Our tains. in sum-
nit and Grand counties, the legend OF
the 'Whispering Mine" booked at the
land Office as the ''Mountain Chief" is
often referred to. AS related by II. L.
Stockton, one of the old-timers, the
legend runs as follows:
Far up on the sunny. side OF Grassy
mountain, one of the vast chains that
forms the continental divide. there
stanes tumble-down cabin, once the
little family. Overgrown by vines and
nearly hidden by spruce shrubs,
one would little think of it as Of
more than ordinary interest. like
it's human counterparts, it may
have been the partici pant in many
thrilling incidents, though, its present
condition gives no indication Of such
scenes. 1t was in 1872 that Will DeruP-
sey, while prospecting in the vicinity,
located 4 promisi n looking prospect
on Grassy, and by doing the required
amount of assessment work developed
the mere prospect into Il very promise
ing property. Indications were such
that he was induced to put in the Win
ter at the mine. AS soon as he had
worked his assessment upon various
other properties Dempsey returned to
the Mountain Chief. as he had chris
tened it, and built small cabin, to
which he soon removed his family. In
countcrcd a juttiny cliff, from which
he blasted enough to allow room for
the foundation of his home upon
Il bench OF the mountain. A pr!m-
ltive chimney was built against
the wall Of rock at the rear, and as soon
the work was completed Dempsey
brought his wife and two child rem and
few belongings to keep him compan
during the long winter that would
soon shut them up as between steel
bars In preparing meals the patient
wife noticed Il strong draug!1t OF air
coming from the rocks on one side of
the FIREPLACE This current of air She
found useful in sti ula ting slow fire,
and when not wanted the crevice was
shut up by placing a SNAIL stone in the
opening.
Winter, with it's CLASSY glare, soon
ruled supreme over natures domain,
and during the dull months no COM
tio,, could bc had with the out
side world. Dreary, steady toll on the
part OF the husband had broken the
grasp of nature on the hidden treas
are and various paintings anil
simple tests had shown him that
ne had encountered a rich grade
Of ore in the claim. Spring. with her
hewitchins SplileS. had again charmed
Dame Nature and aroused her from
her sleep. The spruce and the pine
took on a brighter hue. The snow had
slowly rcl;nquis}lcd it's chilly grasp.
The cam p-robber bird had resumed its
last summers Eaunts, and the magp;c
uttered dlscOrdant notes from the
nci IGN boring trees. Dempsey, with full
faith in his coming good fortune, went
to the nearest mining camp to send
specimens of his quartz to capitalists
Of Denver and to replenisll his supply
Of food. During his absence from the
mountain the children, happy in the
springtitne freedom, romped and played
upon the hillside, chased each other
through and among the spruces,
happy and contented children do. The
day following her husbands departure
Mrs Dempsey was preparing meal,
and had the stone removed from the
.crevice, when she was surprised to
hear the children laughing and talk
ing. Going to the door she could not
see then, nor tell from what direc-
tion their voices came. Giving the
subject no further thought, she took
tie water pail and went for a supply
to the spring, Il few hundred yards be-
low the cabin. 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 con-
nected with the locality OF the spring.
Ecycnd speaking of the matter to her
husband upon his return no attention
was given to the discovery until the
crevice brought notice of impending
peril to her husband.
During the bus and's presence in the
little mining camp, the news of a rich
mining strike having been made by
him leaked out and reached the ars
of several of that class of men who
take more pains to steal from others
than to accumulate by honest work.
After a long consultation party
of ave left the camp with the intcn-
ton Of taking the claim from Dempsey
by force. Arriving on the slope of
Grassy noun tain, they carefully made
their way to the spring. The hour was
almost noon, and they waited for
Dcmp sey to leave tae claim and to go
to his cabin for dinner, when they pro-
posed to quietly enter the tunnel and
by a show Of force keep the owner from
asserting his ri ghts. Seated about the
spring they spoke in low tones of their
plans and the trick they We're about to
play upon the unSuSpccting proSpector.
The housewife WAS engaged in pre- par
ing the noonday meal, and, taking away
the stone from the crcvice, she was
startled on hearing strange voices
and the name of her husband
mentioned Ereathlcssly she lis
tened and gradually she con1prc-
hendcd the plot the speakers
Continued to cNpatiate upon the de
tails of their intended raid. As the
plot became plain she knew that only
prompt action upon her part would
save her husband. Talking down the
Winchester and the cartridge belt
h., Ia,