The Van Buren press., 1896-06-13
WOMEN wssH FOR GOLD.


NerSA CfraEasss DANES Es'sr Their PArf
N sas Msaaag Og@raslazs-
knBgme th4 5nha0aHanas of the H0gt1-
eFu hnnmnaaias. among shalge strange
left-eaer people whose customs have
l5B1Be changed fr0rm what they were z9'0
wears ago. mgmem bear large share
of the burdens Of eEiHHeuee and they
don't cali Themselves new 7rorren-
JIM the South mountains oft North Car
oadns- lying 10 tine Eoath Of the Old town
Of M9reantons the poorer residents OBJ
ta5n a sznalH amount of ready money
BY banning gold In fhe @Brsnehes."
zs tine laetle streams are called Ii Was
do9d that by far the greater part Of this
work was dome by sqomen. and l was
invited TO make q Journey through the
mountains with one 81 these women 20
act as sga5aIe and pr4eeptor-
A we stood the neat morning before
! log hut the door opened and woman
Htod before us. She WAS introduced by
NV friend as Time Hank About %
years old. rather small. slight. dressed
IN q COARSE gown of nOndessripf color
and material. her eyes were of the most
beautiful brown while her glossy black
hair vas done into simple knot at the
hack Of her head Her feet Were bare
amd as brown as the soil which formed
the floor Of the cabin
Tine had been fgremsrued Of our
coming and Fas ready 70 start a. once
with her gold pan under her arm IN
a commanding tone she called to man
FlaO sat by the fireplace. telling him 10
get a shovel and follow We took cur
way down o crooked trail which ran
alongside one Of the branches II il
had been a pleasure . see the grace and
beauty of this woman in reposes 1t was
a marvel 10 observe her gliding along
the forest path, with every muscle IN
play. every motion adjusted 10 the
needs of the moment, now stepping
deftlg from one stone 10 another. now
erasping the small limb Of tree 70 aid
her in a steep part Of the path.
When We reached a place where heaps
Of gravel and sand showed that panniHg
had been done. Tine" assured rs she
could obtain a color" Taking the
shovel from the mountaineer. she drove
il into the bed Of the shallow stream.
pushing It down by placing her naked
foot On the edge Of the blade. Having
carefully. chosen 4 painful Of gravel, she
crouched down and commenced the OPP
Grafton OF banning 1 have seen this
delicate task performed many times.
but never before with sucs rapidity and
deXteriiy. In an incredibly short time
she gave the final twist OF the iron pan,
and exhibited it to rs with the small
remaining amount of gravel collected in
its lower edge. while the tin yellow
scales. the "coIors," were arranged in
a sort Of line in the upper part.
Then she jumped to the opposite side
Of the branch. digging with her hands
at some lcOsened pieces of quartz in the
opposite bank. She returned, carrying
three or four pieces in her hands One
Of the fragments she held out triumph
antly. saying: "It'll carry right smart
gold" while her bright eyes shOne with
pleasure
Placing her trophies on fiat stone,
she proceeded to beat the quartz TO a
fine powder. Scraping the crushed ma
terial into the pan she proceeded to a
small pool in the stream and went 10
work as deftly as before.
A pretty picture IL was and a novel
one, this delicate featured, barefooted
woman, bending over the edge Of the
stream, which rushed along among the
gray rocks, taking its path down the
slOpeof the mountain under the big pine
trees. When the pan was presented for
inspection there. indeed, was right
smart gold" Instead of a few flakes a
yellow streak showed on the black sur
face OF the pan-''almost a penny
weight" as the mountainecrs informed
MS. This being placed in a sharpened
quill brought along for the purpose,
we left the branch" and started for
other profitable workings.
During the day we encountered sew
eral women. usually in small parties
engaged either in panning or in beat.
ing up the loose vein of rock after the
primitive method which "Tine" had EN-,
ployed. They told us they averaged
about 81 day when they worked hard
and there was. of course. always the
chance of striking a pocket" which
might give them $50 or $50 in lump
They were able TO turn their winnings
at once into cash by selling the gold to
the local storekeepers.-N. Y. Herald.