The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-08-15

lfsssnre lhAs iay n ~ honels rs.s.a
SECURE under the protecting "lron-halp
Yet through al those long years a man
was growing up IN the distant cast
who had been selected BY fate as the
inherilor Of the treasure hidden In the
great Red Mountain.
Born In Suffolk county. New York
state,E. s. Topping was by turns sailor.
miner. hunter. prospectof, Indian tight.
er, and scout Topping saw western
lie In oil IT, aspects. until finally he
drified to West Kootenay. Soon. al
though an alien. he found himself re-
ccrder and consiable-ln fact. "the
government" Of that lonely region.
Prospectora were then beginning 10
stray Into southern British Columbia
nom Idaho and Montana, and such
human drlftwood formed the bulk Of
Topplng's subjects. They we're a little
rough, OF course. but bad men" we're
scarce, and the few that dld wander
into West Koctenay Invariably showed
me most profound respect for the old
indian Fighter. and took the frst op.
portunity 10 remove themselves from
, his Jurisdiction. Il Is a leaven Of just
such men as he that made life possible
IN the mining regions OF the west.
without them rapine and murder
would have stalked unchecked from
the Missouri 10 the coast
Topping had now found a quiet an.
: chorase after his adventurous youth.
T, ana seemed likely TO pass his later days
/, AZ many other mountain men had done
!. IN an uncventful fashion. when a mar
I Is fond OF the wilderness and finds him.
: SELF beside waters teemlng with Ash
! and pralrles alive with fowl. and where
Venslon may be had for the presslne
= Of trigger, he Ia likely 10 be too con.
{, tented to make any very strenuous
!, Efforts 10 change his lot
a But that was six years ago. Read.
and let me tell you how Topping fares
today.
a One evening IN the fall Of 1890 he
was startled by a violent rapping on
"A the split cedar door Of his cabin. He
4, lifted the latch and Joe Bourgeois and
bis "pard" Morris stumbled into the
!. little shanty. and dumped the bags OF
m ore samples they had been laden with
= on the rough floor. Dead beat and halt
4. frozen. they were yet full Of euthusl-
~ ahm over wonderful body OF sulphlde
a. ore which their trial shoots had dis.
closed AZ the bottom Of an old trial
/. SHAFT hlgh on the TANKS Of Red Noun,
a tain. They had siaked out I'VE claims,
!. they said. and would give one 10 Top.
ping II he would pay tho recorders
IA fees on the lot. This he agreed 10 do.
- aud In due course became the owner
y Of what seemed the poorest prospect.
I. Il Is now the famous Le Rol mine One
=, OF the locations Il the War Eagle. and
~ another the Celier Star. each a valua-
ri BILE property. but inferior 10 the Ie Rol.
I, From that day Trail Creek. Topplng's
y abode. began to be famous.
Events move fast In the west. Ton
IA ping was almost alone at Trail IN 1890;
- to-day there ara hotels stores. a smelt-
\. er. a railroad station. and steamboat
- wharfs, while perched on the shoulder
Al OF the mountain near the lie Rol has
sprung up the buatllng town Of Ross
"A land. numbering already 10000. and IN
creasing In population at the rate OF
- 5000 a year.
4. Topping o. course sold out long ago.
{, lie need worry himself no more about
~ ways and means. but can buy an the
4. Winchester. boats. and pack animals
!. he may deslre. and still have an ample
: income lefi-and what more can a
frontleraman and old Indian fighter
n aski The veteran Is great favorlto
II with his fellow citizens
\. And the nameless wandorer who
sunk tho shallow pit In the iron hat
- back IN the ATTEST what grudge had
- the blind goddess against himf A shot
] or two more and he might have been
| rich and famous But the big air com.
/ pressora do not pant and groan IN nj,
III Etrvlcai thoufand feet below the sun.
1 light men are ioillng. but not for him
| the dump Eparkles with fifty dollar ore
but the proceeds will not be credited
J TO his account. What Is writ Is writ
\ and In the Book Of Destiny there IL No
y turning back 10 correct crrors-but n
ID The bare, blcached bones on the aka,
\ Il desert could again be clothed with
iesh and revisit Red Mountain. they
would weep to see how near the plon.
7 eer Of 80 came to finding his El Dor.