Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-06-04
PUMPKIN VINE NINE.

John Anderson, at HE fathers death,
Ens left with 500 or $500 in government
bonds, sIo0 or tsOo IN cash and ten shares
" the Pumpkin Vino Mining company
rtock, then quoted ~ 4 conts
This was It's condition when John got
romo Of it-a hoic in tho ground, with n
aoad, sullcn look 10 the whole thing
Pumpkin Vine mine should have done
better. Alongside Of IL was sister mine,
tho Goldonrod, which every ono was reach
Ing for. Ono 80 golden, tho other lusior-
iossi OF course, like feminine nature, tho
Goldcnrod was COY; had n shrinking from
familiarity, ns miners said. But tho very
shyncss Of tho minc made tho interest In
A. moro intense. IL was like filtration,
gottinr orc out Of the Goldcnrod. To do
20 was highly oxhllafatlng; mndo oil
hands cheerful. What pity tina, Pump
Kin Vine hadn't been u coqucttoi but II
romAlued stalk. Yet II hadn't been
blown away when John Anderson became
rs years OF ago. Tho seven directors OF tho
Wine AZ that date were mon Of steyllng
quality aud undoubtod ability. They fed
on good things ut other times, but whom
they met, now and chcn, over tho grave u
tho Pumpkin Vine thoy suppod only on
bitter weeds.
AZ 90 John Anderson had saved by his
own earnest efforts enough money 20
marry and stnrt n home. 10 had q son ~
months OLD, for whom no had great oxpcc.
tations In the future.
Ono rainy afternoon In November no
was looking over old papers whom he caino
Unexpectedly on his ten shares OF tho
Pumpkin Vine gold mine stock.
Anderson nttondcd tho annual mcctlng
Of tho mining company II which ha was
small atookholdor, held tho sccond week
On December. After tho meeting tho query
NJ 70 what corld 10 done with tho mino
arose over In John Andcrson's mind. lilo
put u 90 his wife ono evening after supper
and lay back In his armchair and smiled.
His wifc was young enough % DO foolish
and old enough 10 DO wise. Tho WHO'S
advice was for him 90 apply 20 tho board
Of directors Of tho company 90 bo made M.
pcrintondcnt Of tho mine. 10 leave her and
her child, and, with gang Of sturdy rock
breakers, proceed 10 tho side OF that rugged
mountain, wharc tho mino was, pick.
crush and Zig until they could, ~ II were.
find out how much Of nothing or how
much Of something thcrp might 10 In tho
body or stalk OF the Vino.
but who was going TO pay for this sort
OF thingf Whore was tho money to pay
John for going ON all fours, week In and
out, aud tho gang for food 10 mako them
Drawn, and for rum to keep up their apir-
It,. and for oil for thsir headlights, and
for machinery tools, coal and what noti
And even 40, suppose, after all, nothing
was foundi Going through n mine isn't
easy or cheap, like highwsyman going
through o minor.
Tho wlsc wlfo had n secret which she
now lot out. But there was lying In tho
bank drawing per cont interest 81 900,
which John could have for tho proposed
work TO tho Pumpkin Vine John did
not know that his wife had had an uncle
who had boon n Eca captain. who had died
and left Johns wife $4,000 from an g..
tA.c. This great secret she had kept from
John that she might recall II whom an 20.
easlon happened important enough TO I'M
seal hor lips.
Vino company John Anderson was NJ.
pointed superintendent Of tho mino.
ono Sunday afternoon tho latter part %
tho following May no stood on tho sido of
rugged mountain ON which lay tho
Pumpkin Vino mine In sullcn sleep.
They were n tough looking lot. Poker
Jim, u Kind of leader Of tho gang, who had
been recruited ut considerable expense.
was considered tho best man OF all 90 scent
out gold.
His mon stood about silently chewing
tobacco. IL was aganR sworn 20 DO mum.
Poker Jim allowed that no was tho man
who had said no one Of them would got
away whole should any bruak faith. Ger
tain prospecting had led TO well laid plan
Of ASSAULT and tho noxt day, Monday, tho
opening work on tho mine was begun.
At tho end Of 30 days John wrote home
that n thoro WINS any good news u would
have 20 como from tho other end OF tho
limo. lie wrote letter 10 tho president Of
tho company and told him briefly that
there was little 20 sny. Ilo was we'll, and
Poker jim was not discouraged
Whom John had spent e.. 900 OF his
wifo's money In the hole no had his ton
shares OF Pumpkin Vino stock transferred
Co his wifo's name, which was certainly
iauRhAblo.
Thon thorn came n storm o. wind and
force rain. Tho Pumpkin Vino mine was
flooded. II took three weoks 20 pump out
tho mino and 10 took big lot Of money 10
do II. II was thon near the end Of August.
John tclcgrnphed his wifo TINT hn was
down with rheumntiam and then dictated
letter 10 tho home Office, telling them
thero that Poker Jim had broken his right
arm In three places, but WINS NOT disoour-
aged.
John Ind 81, 900 more 10 drop into tho
hole; his wife had wired him e., 900 morc,
tho last OF tho sie, 900. Poker Jim was In
nm III humor, as his right arm always hurt
him now, and John was irritable, for tho
rheumatism had settled In his KNOBS and
ankles. Jim had called John Anderson IA
rag. and John had called Jim "blowsy.
They had drawn OH for crack az each
other whom two 'wires" arrived from tho
superintendent and II telegram for Poker
Jim.
ono OF tho dispatches TO Anderson waa
from tho homo office falling him TO shut
down and close up and como homoi TO stop
at once the whole miserable husinossl The
other was from his WIFE, saying tho child
was III. worry III. and that she was down
With erie. and anxiety. And thero wna