The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-30
VINE MINE.

was left with 500 or 5000 in govern ment
bonds s1o0 or $500 in cash and ten shares
Of the Pumpkin Vine Mining company
stock, then quoted at 4 cents.
This vas its condition when John got
some Of it-a hole in the ground, with
dead, sulIen look to the whole thing.
Pumpkin Vine mine should have done
better. Alongside Of it was a sister mine,
6he Goldenrod, which every one was reach
ing for. One SO golden, the other lustsr-
lessl OF course, like feminine nature, the
GoldenrOd was coy; had q shrinking from
familiarity, as miners said. But the very
shyness Of the mino made the interest in
it more intense. 1t was like a Irritation,
getting ore out Of the Goldenrod. To do
so was highly exhilaratingi made all
hands cheerful. What pity that Pump
kin Vine hadn't been a oOquettsf But it
remained a stalk. Yet it hadn't been
blown away when John Anderson became
% years of age. The seven directors Of the
Vine at that dato were men of sterling
quality and undoubted ability. They fed
of good things at other times, but when
they met now and then, over the grave Of
the Pumpkin Vine they supped only on
bitter weeds.
At 20 John Anderson had saved by his
own earnest efforts enough money to
marry and start home. BE had a son 12
tations in the future.
One rainy afternoon in November he
was looking over old papers when he came
unexpectedly on his ten shares Of the
Pumpkin Vine gold mine stock.
Anderson attended the annual meeting
Of the mining company Of which he was
a small stookholder, held the second week
in December After the meeting the query
as to what could be done with the mine
arose ever in John Anderson mind. He
put it TO his wife one evening after supper
and lay back in his armchair and smiled.
His wife was young enough to be foolish
and old enough to be wise. The wife's
advice was for him TO apply to the board
of directors Of the company TO be made SUI
perintendent Of the mine; to leave her and
her child, and, with a gang Of sturdy rock
breakers, proceed to the side of that rugged
mountain, where the mine was, pick,
crush and dig until they coEGd, as it weres
find out how much of nU4ling or how
much Of something there Aalght be in the
body or stalk OF the Vine.
But who was going to pay for this sort
of thing? Where was the money to pay
John for going on all fours, week in and
out, and the gang for food TO make them
Drawn, and for rum to keep up their spir-
its, and for oil for their headlights, and
for machinery tools, coal and what notf
And even Sc suppose, after alls nothing
was found? Going through a mine isn't
easy or cheap, like a highwayman going
through a miner.
The wise wife had a secret which she
now let out. But there was lying in the
bank drawing per cent interest 50, 600,
which John could have for the proposed
work 70 the Pumpkin Vine. John did
not know that his wife had had an uncle
who had been q sea captain, who had died
and left Johns wife $12, 600 from an es-
tate. This great secret she had kept from
John that she might recall it when an oc-
casion happened Important enough to un>
seal her lips
At the next meeting Of the Pumpkin
Vine company John Anderson was ape
pointed superintendent Of the mine.
One Sunday afternoon the latter part Of
the following May he stood on the side Of
a rugged mountain on which lay the
Pumpkin Vine mine in a sullen sleep.
They were q tough looking lot Poker
Jim, a kind of leader Of the gang, who had
been recruited at considerable expense
was considered the best man of all to scent
out gold.
His men stood about silently chewing
tobacco. Tt was a gang sworn to be mum.
Poker Jim allowed that he was the man
who had said no one Of them would get
away whole should any break faith. Ger
tain prospecting had led to a we'll laid plan
of assault, and the next day, Monday, the
opening work on tho mine was begun.
At the end Of 30 days John wrote home
that If there was any good news it would
have to come from the other end Of the
line. He wrote a letter to the president Of
the company and told him briefly that
there was little to say. He was we'll, and
Poker Jim was not discouraged
When John had spent IS, 600 Of his
wife's money in the hole, he had his ten
shares Of Pumpkin Vine stock transferred
to his wife's name, which was certainly
laughable.
Then there came a storm of wind and
fierce rain. The Pumpkin Vine mine was
flooded. It took three weeks to pump out
the mine and it took a big lot Of money to
do it. 1t was then near the end Of August.
John telegraphed his wife that he was
down with rheumatism and then dictated
a letter to the home office, telling them
there that Poker Jim had broken his right
arm in three places, but was not discOur-
aged.
John had 81, 900 more to drop into the
hole; his wits had wired him 81 600 more,
the last of the SIP, 600. Poker Jim was in
an i'll humor, as his right arm always hurt
him now, and John was irritable for the
rheumatism had settled in his knees and
ankles. Jim had called John Anderson
''rag, - and John had called Jim 81 blowzy-
They had drawn of for a crack at each
other when two wires arrived from the
superintendent and q telegram for Poker
Jim.
One Of the dispatches to Anderson was
from tho home Office telling him to shut
down and close up and come homo; to stop
at once the whole misera BILE businessl The
other was from his wife, saying the child
was i'll, very ILL., and that she was down
with grief and anxiety. And there was
Poker Jim standing like one stunned tool
Then he gave an unearthly whoop and
shout and tore around in a circle like
mailman. While Jim was doing his fling
Nasty Jack, a msmbe of the gang, rushed
up SO overcome with emotion that he slut
tered, stumbled and fell and cried otlt,
"GoldF' Poker Jim's dispatch was from
T.ondnn and infrrrnad him that bis uearlY