The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-02-09

ity, and Kitty German, was what I'd
been prayin' for hard five minutes be-
fore. and here it'all was within reach
in answer to that prayer. inst as if it
had been on tap, so to speak, all the
time and I'd just turned the spigot.
Naturally / was some excited, but /
kept cool enough to put up monuments
and a location notice all right, and
christened the claim the Heavenly
Snowshoe," as bein' somehow appro-
pirate to the situation.
"You can imagine, ma am, wasn't
in no state of mind after this to keep
on with the mail to Brown Bear and
Roundout. just wanted to get back
to Germans, and let 'em know about
the strike So climbed up the hill
again for the o,her shoe. pounded off
some good specimens to show what I'd
found, and was back again at Cor
mans little after sunset.
'.When | went down to the hotel
after I'd cooked supper and cleaned up
at the adobe, could hear Prot singin'
and Kitty playin' accomplishments as
usual; but instead of rilin' me, as it
had all along, just la ughed to my
self when thought of the Heavenly
Snowshoe.' and of how quick this
would all be knocked in the head when
Kitty and old man German learned of
my good luck. went into the saloon
first, where could generally count on
fndin' the old man of an evenin'; but
they said he was in the parlor with
Prot and Kitty talzin' in the music.
when I went in after knockin',
they all looked surprised, and didn't
seem very hearty; bat / knew what
had come to me, and what was comm
to Prot, and didn't mind, but started
in right away and told 'em what I'd
found, and opened up the flour sack I'd
brought my specimens down in, and
laid 'em all out on the table under the
light of the hangin' lamp, where they
showed up richer'n any specimens ever
see. They all got round the table
and admired 'em, and Kitty was very
friendly and old man German got very
much interested and excited over it
all. although he was generally pretty
cold-blooded about most things.
There wasn't any more singin' or
playin' that evenin', and pretty quick
Prot said good night and left us, not
lookin' cheerful Old man German
asked me all kinds of questions about
the size aud dip of the ledge and the
nature of the croppin's, and Kitty sat
by the table, and was brighter and
chatter than I'd seen her in a month.
When l told the old man I'd located
him in with me ON the claim. he was
pleased all through, and we arranged
to meet n ext mornin' and talk up the
best way of handlin' the property. Then
at last we sa id good night all round,
and l went up to the adobe feelin' all
toned up with satisfaction at the style
in which my prayer was workin'.
Next day old man German and me
had our talk out, and it was settled
between us that we was to locate ex-
tensions of the 'Snowshoe,' start in
developin', and incorporate the whole
business right away, settin' aside part
of the stock for what old man German
called 'workin' capital. and mean
time the old man was to put up for
expenses. Things went on almost too
smooth for the next month. The ledge
opened up very promisin', Kitty was
more friendly every day. and as for
Prot, he never turned up nowadays
anyhow when / was round.
Now my folks back in Missouri'd
been writin' on an average once every
six months for the last five years,
urgin' me to come home and see 'em
before they all died off; but I'd never
had any means to go or any way to get
letter came about this time, still nag
GIN me to come on. showed it to old
man Tornan, for hesand I'd got to be
very thick, and he said I'd oughter go,
and he'd lend me the money 10 go with
and look after things while / was
gone. The old man kept his word; he
did look after things, as you'll see,
ma,am.
''Well, this was in April got back
and saw the folks, took a little gen.
eral passear all ound, and it was way
into August before ! fetched up one
evening on the stage at Germans
again. At the first glance, before got
Town, see there'd been some con-
siderable changes in the hotel since
I'd been gone. The main buildin'd
been repair ted, and there was COM
olete new outfit of red settees on the
front porch. A strange man, with the
sir of ownin' the whole plant, came
,ut from the Office, and there was no
'ign of old man German or Kitty
'tandin' in the front door. as was usual
With 'em when the stage came in.
II felt sort of sinlsin' at the heart
IT all this. as though somethin' bad
vas goin' to happen to me. wasn't !
xept long in donbt, though. about the
'tate of things. hadn't been off the
stage five minutes when l learned it |
Ill. Quick as I'd left. old man Cor
nan sold Prot all the 'worlin Cap
tai as starter. Then between 'em |