The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-23
BY wATK1N L ROE.

when took snort trip one DAY UP z
neighboring canyon.
Lying in the shade Of the NAPLES
and the birches, intently gazing upon
the fly which was floating down the
creek. I became aware that 1 was
moi alone in my solitude as 1 had
supposed, for my reveries were broken
by the sound of voices, and this is
what L heard:
4 tel you, Bill, 40 not believe there
is the slightest use Tor us to put in
any more time in this canyon. we
have, it seems to me, stirred over
every bit Of soil between the mouth
and the head, wherever there has been
the slightest stain, TO say nothing OF
trace Of mineral, and what nave we
got to show for 1t? Not blooming
thing, and you know 1t, save an empty
grubsack that will have TO be nllea.
and that mighty soon, or else we shall
have to follow the example OF lndt IeI-
low what the good book tells about
and hold up the first ravens that Snow
themselves; and he added rehectlVely,
during the long years you ana me
have parced il together you nave
learned tnat I never took much stock
an that story"
oh was the reply; and less than
a dozen words had been spoken by the
new voice when 1 discovered that the
owner was a man of much more learn
ing that his "pard' 1t isn't at all
like you to get discouraged because
lou haven't seen a fortune Tor week.
Ii will all come out right in the end.
AfinirE IS much Of gamble, anyway
There ~ as a time when the only men
who found mines were those like you
and I. who have spent the best years
Of our lives in the hills. But the times
have changed. Fine-spun theories OF
the rock sharps have been daShed TO
the ground ] agree with you that the
nrospect at the present time is not
good. at least from our knowledge OF
formation, but who knows but that
we NAV strike it where we least eH-
pect. and in quantities such as we nave
never dreamed of?
q never told you of my friend, far
1ner Lloyd, who suddenly Jumped from
poverty to wealth, did l? No? Well
YOU are sbout the only fellow l know
who has not heard it. so stir up that
coffee a little, and as it SINNERS III
do the best can.
Farmer Lloyd was in debt. He had
been trying for years to meet ms
obligations, and all manner OF schemes
had he devised to do so; but no matter
how hard he tried, the more deeply
he got into the pit.
ssIt was true he had been able TO
pay the Interest on the mortgage, put
10 get a little ahead, so that he might
lie able to feel free once more. seemed
an inpossibilty.
ON his way Lloyd was a good
natured man. one who was willing to
help his friends and neighbors; who
would do a fellow a good turn, no
matter what it cost him, and 1t was
well known that if anyone required ms
aid on any particular sub1ect-tor ne
was an intelligent man-he was VIII
ling to extend it,
"People declared that he deserved to
arospeT. and that if all things had
been equal he would have been at the
head of the ladder in that particular
norton OF the country. But ne was
like a good many others-lacklng IN
the one essential quality. He was
short of that which made the success
full man-business tact
Ills good wife Martha was contln-
ually assisting him to <surmount the
difficulties which beset his path; but
even her aid helped him slightly. IL at
all
''She was continually suggesting TO
him some plan by which he could
make a saving in the working of the
sar,17-here & fence. there repairs upon
the old shed-in fact, anything TO I'M
11rove the appearance of the place,
and also as q preventive from the en-
croachments of stray animals; for Of
len had he neglected to patch up an
old gate or wire fence, and before he
rose next morning somebody's COW mad
entered the field and made great
havoc.
zone day Martha, in the nature Of
advice. suggested that he remove from
his field-which ranged near the noun
tain-a large stone. which had some
Hi77.e or other, as they thought, rolled
DOWN the mountain side. Her idea was
I'd make the field uniform and obviate
the necessity of blowing round the
Stone. which had been done for years
and which tended to make the field
look ugly.
-sBut Dan wouldn't listen; he didn't
want to obliterate the stone merely
for the sake Of making the place look
ornamental. He did not have the ad-
vanced idea that d farm would sell for
more if II be pleasing to the eye.
feAbout this time q part Of the coun-
try q few miles away was experiencing
a eboona." Excitement was great and
nenpla were going over the mountains
in search Of precious metals. Dan took
no note OF it, passing it by as an oo-
%fsct Of no moment. Not so ms wire:
"Turning tc him one day, she said:
".Dan. I think I understand the
coming in of these people
us that SO? Well, tell me what
81 is. Tn blest IL I can figure it out
Didn't YOU hear Jim Waters say
that they had found gold on Skeleton
creek a week or two ago%
Yes
"'Weil, If you note the formation of
this range of mountains you can trace
them down to the creek in an almost
direct line
what Of it?'
why IL there is gold down on Skel-
eton creek the vein might extend
throY -, this range
mot ~ calculated skeptical Dan
I'm sure there amt a grain Of gold in
all these hills. Why. amt been over
Them time AMI time again, and never
a bit of color have SEEM No, wife
I'm sure there amt any here, and ]
rain't going to trouble my head about
it What does trouble me, though, is
the fact that have got letter from
old Stewart. and he says that he hopes
] win be ready to lift the mortgage
two months from date
You don't say was Martha's ex-
a;ressio1. with q troubled and perplexed
look OF her face.
sTts a fact; and, moreover, I don't
see now I can get the thousand dollars
nes5e1. Ia hate to lose the old place,
and Dan sefI into one OF his reveries
why rot go and see Mr.. Stewart
he might perhaps extend your time
SO that you could renew.
"'You might as well try to move a
stone wall as 20 get favorS from old
Stewart. when he sends letter OF
that kind. Anyhow, I'll go down to
so,rfylav,fc .,1oop Gao old Nat nvn1q in