Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-19

noticed the alteration in the cbractcr
OF the stuff lie was sending up. lho YOU
recall that finc-twisted wire gold cXhib-
tied Ct the Worlds Fair: Much Of that
was what SOuther and | took cut of
that shaft. / called To Jim TO stand
from under. for | aimed to come WIN
and see him awhile. | broke the news
to him and then We began TO figure out
how we stood. As nearly as we could
decide we had Il pocket or chamber ri
this stuff extending into the side of TIE
shaft about eight feet. We could reach
i'm and get out handfulS OF tineSpun
gold that looked like it came from un-
der 4 red-headed girls hat. But we
couldn't stand in the shaft II admire
it all day. There was ut least $1,000
worth of the stuff. The metal that
was not free could easily enough be
separated from the rest of The ore. 1t
was Enclosed in dccomposed quartz and
required nothing but rubbing between
the fingers to get it. We decided to
raise it all that night-that is unless it
turned u Il bigger find than we
thought. We figured it best not to 30
about beating the drum 10 advertise Our
strike. but hoist the ore and do our talk
ing later.
..Jim stayed in the mine and ] went
back on the winch. Then my tcInpta-
ton came to me. There was 2 good
big piece of money there for one man.
and Just half as much each for two. |
have read somewhere that every man
has his price if you keep on bidding you
can reach him sure ut some spot. Since
that day l have shuddered to- think how
cheap | am. a measly $4,000 in ore
came near getting me. 1t all came to
me as if it We're printed in big letters
and held before my face. | could call
To Jim and get him out of the drift into
the bottom of the shaft II let go the
windlass. There wouldn't be Il kick
left in IL man who had been smashed
on the head with a seventy-fivc-pound
bucket. with o pounds Of ore in it.
after Il fifty-foOt fall.
.The first time | called ! couldn't
raise my voice over Il whisper. 1t re-
minded me of the time ! had the pneu-
monia my first year in the mountains.
and Jim nurscd ne OIL of it. He
walked twenty miles over the hills i'm a
SnowStOrm to get medicine for me. and
it's the surest thing in the world
wouldn't have been hoisting pure gold
ont of Il Farncomb Hill shaft if Jim
Souther hadn't sat up with me day and
night for IL week four years before. l
thought Of I'LL this while | was timber
ing up my voice for the second try at
calling him. That time | did it. ;
"'Wiat is it. Biz he lolIers back.
/ could see his candle flicker as |
looked down the shaft ready Ia let go
the winch, when | had him placed right.
What's eating of you now he keeps
on. we amt got any time for merry
making or visiting if we get this spend
ing money out today he says. Make
your talk quick. Bill
Il had to try three times again be
fore | could make Il noise. Stake Il
BUSH says Jim, if you can't speak
~ van you to come up and work
the winch, | yells back. i don't like
To he so far away from the stuff
"'All right he hollers up. if YOU
prefer it. But you know YOU can't
stand it down here as well as | can,
and I'm some afraid you'll get the
worst of it,
$50 Jim came up and | took his place.
When | vas going down the shaft he
says:
"'You look like you had seen a dead
friend, Bill. l think another strike like
this would give you heart failure
What did the find do? We took out