The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-12-02
l "PYRlTES SAM"
4 BY E. E. BOWLES,


HTE all thought Pyrites Sam was a
w fool the very day he struck the
camp, but were not absolutely certain
rntit the night he came in with his
pockets full of pyrites of iron, and, TAX
ilg each man aside, privately informed
him, with many injunctions as to Sc
erecy, that he had discovered and To-
Gated brass mine. AS rule, we had
grown very tired of initiating every
tenderfoot that came along into the
mysteries of quartz mining, showing
tden the difference between gold-bear-
ing quartz and country rock; between
true fissure and contact vein: between
gtanite, porphyry, schist, spar, serpen-
tine, qnartzte, etc; of trends, dips,
spurs, angles, etc; Of shafts. tunnels,
slopes, wiuzes and drifts; of the manip-
ulatlon OF the horn spoon or gold pan;
how to distinguish the resultant sedi
ment, II gold, from mica, pyrites or sui
phurets; in a word, teaching them in
an hour Or two all we had learned after
years OF toll and privation. We had
reached this stage of the tired feel
ing when Sam brought in his brass"
specimens, and not a man of us would
tell him what it was. "uh-huh," we
said, as he carefully exhibited his de-
eeptiye-looking find What did we
think of it? Why, it was great find,
and very high-grade ore-if it was
brass. "f'-why OF course it was
brass; look at it; anybody could see
~hat 1t was. We admitted that they
could; yes, anybody that knew any
'hlng at all. So we permitted Sam to
work away in ignorance of his claim
ief TWO weeks-until he received re-
turns from the samples sent to Los
angeles for assay. Then the Brass
monkey as Sam called it, shut down,
alu ne went to prospecting again.
tie was so persistent and industrious
III ms determination to "strikc it rich
lhaf we finally began to have a fellow
ieeing Tor him and to appreciate his
puck; sympathy he did not need. He
was Jolly and good-natured, and did not
afihk TO excess, and was never known to
turn card for money. In friendly
game III his tent the suggestion of
draW' at only dollar limit was al
ways met by the quiet statement that
ne never played for money, that he was
raised differently, and, besides, his
money came so hard" that he knew he
would be bad loser. He was always
ready with his sympathy when an
o.nefs ledge "pinched," "petered' or
oroke off" and encouraged him all he
you'd; always had song or story for
DAD night, and in the event of sickness
=. INJURY had some simple remedy in
me way of poultice that his mother
USED &c use" In fact, he was one OF
muse happy -go-lucky, hearted
SLOWS mandy about camp, and a frient
everybody, but one could rot gel
,su Oh the impression that he didn't
save any more sense than the law al
'o"ed. Therefore, it was accepted a:
matter or course, when tenderf0u
STUCK camp one day in the first stage!
VI aeseft fever, that Sam should tax,
ea'ife charge of him and dose hin
win Wild sage and ''squaw" tea ant
,o'eoct appetizing dishes with bacon
seahs, rice and flour.
as a "stayer," malarial or chagres fe
'ef Is not to be compared to desert fe
M Inc latter drags along and hang
VI aay after day, week after week, and
ai'hough the patient may be able t,
aawi ABOUT, he is weak, debilitated at,
A.rseiess, and don't care a rattle ou
" :, .ne box" whether he lives or dies
MS was the condition of that tender
s During the middle of the da
= dragged himself about the cam
:. = 'he sun, but the remainder of tn
Aie ne spent in his bunk in his ten,
ohe night, when most of the boys wer
assembied in the Bedrock" Sam cam
=. y, aud, going up 10 the bar. dram
sae, sa, contrary to his usual custom
'sea turned bis back OIL the egows