The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-07

now rich beyond their widest expecta-
/ tons, These villagers had spent many
! days trampiug over the rough mountains
/ around them. and digging eagerly where
ever they caught tho glitter OF the precl-
Gus metal, each as he toiled seeing him
self the owner of great mine. for in no
soil does nope spring up so strong and
die so lingering a death as in the breast
Of the gold-seeker. He spends his last
dollar and digs until the pick falls from
his trembling hand. still believing that he
viii yet win tickle fortune. It was because
the men sitting in front of the corner
store had all been in this state of deliri-
Gus expectancy, and though disappointed
had not forgotten the dream, that they
now began TO discuss the feasibility OF
going to these newer and richer fields.
The more they talked the more enthus-
iastic they became, until soon an expedi-
ton was formed composed of the more
adventurous spirits. 10 start for the gold
regions. The news spread like wildfre, and
soon every able-bodied man in the county
was willing and anxious to join them.
When Mr. Matthew +. Stephenson, as
sayer in the United States branch mint
then located in Dahlonega, heard of this,
he shook his head and denounced it as a
foolish craze. for the doctor had great
faith in the resources of his native town.
Then, too he was an authority in the viii
lage and his opinion was always listen
ed TO with respect When prospectors and
investors, hearing of the gold found in
that direction, came there to investigate
It, DR.. Stephenson was always the one de-
puted to talk to them and dilate upon the
hidden wealth of the neighborhood. Poor
in pocket himself, the old doctor, never
theless, had large IDEAS and on these oc-
casions he never condescended to mem
ton any smaller sums than millions. In
vain his fellow toWnsmen would remon-
CT rat @ Wi Ia
millions. doctor. You scare them off. Say
a few hundred thousand" But the old
man chung to his favorite expression, and
continued to roll it out of his mouth like
a delicious morsel. The fact that few
hundreds were considered a small fortune
in this primitive town, and was more than
he had ever possessed at one time in his
life, made no difference to the airy POM
posity with which he would say "a million
or two" emphasizing 1t with a careless
wave of the hand toward the mountains.
indicating that millions were there for the
picking up.
When he saw that the men were in earn
est about starting for the gold fields of
the west the doctor became greatly eX
ercised and announced that he wished 10
make them a speech before they made any
further arrangements. The next after
noon, being Saturday, was selected as
fitting time for his grafton, and all The
assembled in front of the court house a
the appointed hour, for he had fame In
the county as an ora tor. and all we're anX-
ious to hear what he would say. The
speech has not been handed down by his
admirers, but Col. Price, who was then
printers boy in the village, remembers
how standing on the court house steps,
his lonF-tailed coat Tapping in the breeze
the old doctor pointed one finger to Crown
mountain, just south of the mint build
ing and Grief dramatically: Boys, there
millions in H." A shout of derison was
his only answer for his hearers felt they
had exhausted all the possibilities of these
mines. There's millions in it, the doc
tor repeated, still pointing to the noun
tains but even this prophecy failed to
alter the determination of his hearers, and
a week later they set out on their long
Journey overland to California.
Rapid transit was then thing unknown
and slowly did the bulky wagon train
make it's way through forests and prai-
ries. often, when the way was long and
the difficulties and veXations many,
some one would point TO the west and cry:
"There's million in itv' and crack would
go the whips. Thus did DIR. Stephenson
remark become the word of cheer.
When at last they reached California
that expression was still the byword OF
the camp and often used to encourage
disheartened brother If a clam refused
to yield, and the poor miner was about 10
give up in despair, a comrade need only
point TO 1t and say: There's millions IN
IT, to make its discouraged owner smile
and seize his pick with renewed energy.
one gay an individual by the name of
James Sellers came to the camp OF some
of these Georgia miners and cast MS lot
with them, and likewise adopted their BY
word In fact it pleased him so much
that it was never off his tongue long, and
he seemed to derive as much satisfaction
as DR.. Stephenson had in rolling 1T out
in sonorous accents.
The end of the story has already been
told-how Mark Twain met Mr.. Sellers,
and was so amused by his favorite ex-
preston that he determined TO immortal
ize both it and James Sellers. When the
first edition of The Gilded Age came out,
great was the indignation of Mr.. Sellers
to find himself famous by reason OF his
net saving and he swore Vengence
against the genial humorist. In fact, he
| is reported to have said that nothing but
| the abundant locks of man by the name
of Clemens, with the scalp attached,
| would satisfy him. Fortunately his ire
| had time to cool before he again encoun-
tered the humorist, though he was still de-
sirous of having a pugilstic exhibition on
! first sight Peace was finally restored be-
| tween them, but not until Mark TWoin
| had promised that in the next edition of
| his book he would christen Mr.. Sellers
| Mulberry" thus forever celebrating the
/ bona-fide James Sellers from the story.
| As the name of Mulberry" was purely
! fictitious and therefore nor applicable to
any of the Sellers family, the irate James
was pacifed by this arrangement. Mark
| Twain was as good as his word and at the
| present time TO Mulberry Sellers is as
| cribed the now World-famous expression