Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04

know, OF all the sluice-gushin' that's in
him. It's just like washin' out a nan a.
Prospectln; you pour in the water and
keep slushing 1t round and round, and ont
solhes Hrst the mud and dirt, and then the
siaVei, and then the black sand, and then
IT all out. and there's a speck o. gold
ghstenin' at the bottomr'
Ihen you think there was suthin' in
about slowly. -o'i's
r,: AN odd tone in his voice made Uncle
Billy look up. NO" he said quickly sbv'
ing with the instinct of an easy niea 80 my
loving nature from possible grave situa
tloh. NO, l don't think he ever pot tbo
color! But what are We moonin' a}n,t EN- 9
past now oi Il NAIL
mus adJured, Uncle Jim moved I'D to the
table ard sat down, while Uncle RiiIv daaI.
the cards, turning up the iac,. nr 800
noWer-out without that exclamation IF DO
iisht which always accompanied his sond
fortune. nor did Uncle Jim respond with
the usual corresponding Stimulation ne Gaen
disgust. Such circumstance had not oaD
CURED before in the history of their part.
Lership. Ihey both played In silence
silence only interrupted by a larger snias h
OF randrops down the chimney
we orter put couple of stones on TN
sllinhey top edgewise. like Jack Curtis
1oes. 1t keeps out the rain without in,a,.
1erin with the draft" said Uncle RiIiv
musrg ly. ''e oliy'
II wnat?" said Uncle Billv ouiet1y
III we don't make It broader soId
JIM half YEARLY ""iu oiicie
Ihey both stared at the chimney but
~ 1h th inns inns eye followed the wall around
lions on the canvas, and a pictura ~ ts :.
Eoddess of Liberty from an ilInstr.taS
paper mad broken out In a kind Of damn
neasly eruption. I'll stick that funny
hahdbill of the 'washin' soda 7 Got 81 ~.
nberty gal. It's a mighty perty woman
WaSnln with short sleeves" said IIncie
bliiy mats the comfort Of them pfcters
you Kin always get somethins neu,Fand =.
adds thickness to the wall"
Uncle Jim went back to the cards in 81;
ience. After moment he rose again. and
hung mis- overcoat against the door.
Wlha comm in.' he said. briefly.
Yes. said Uncle Billy, cheerfuljv .but
1t wouldn't seem nat'raI If there w.sr,t
that crack In the door to let the sunIiabt
in o mornin's. Makes a kind a. sundiaI
you know. When the streak O. lights in
anat corner. L says g o'clock" when it's
across the chimney say ~ ard so 'tisr,
1t certainly had grown chilly, and the
wind was rising. The candle guttered and
flickered; the embers on the hearth bright
enea occasionally, Gs If trying to dispel the
gathering shadows, but always ineffect-
ually. The game was frequently interrupt
ed by the necessity of stirring the fire
After an interval of gloom, in which each
partner successfully drew the candle to his
side to examine his cards, Uncle Jim said
"Say?"
"Well.' responded Uncle Billy
Are you sure you saw that bird crow on
the woodpile?"
Sure as 1 see YOU now-and a darned
sight palmer. Why?"
"Nothin'. 1 was just thinkin' Look here
How do we stand now?
Uncle Billy was still losing Neverthe.
less, he said cheerfully. I'm OWN you q
matter of S60OOo."
Uncle Jim examined the book distracted.
out looking at his partner, Suppose. as IT'S
gettin' late now, we play for my hall
share Of the claim again the nmit-$7O. 0O(
Ito square up
Your half share!' repeated Uncle Billy
with amused fncredulity.
MY half share Of the claim-of this vel
house, you know-one-haf of all that Dich
Eullen calls our rotten starvation prop.
orty,' reiterated Uncle Jim with a hall
issmiIe.
Uncle Billy laughed. 1t was novel
idea; 1t was. OF course, ''al in the air .
like the rest of their game, yet even Their
he had an odd feeling that he would ha W
liked Dick Bullen to know 1t. Wade In
old pard," ne said. I'm on it."
Uncle jam lit another candle to reinforce
the fading light, and the deal fell to JIncIe
Billy. He turned up Jack Of clubs He
also turned a little redder as he took I'M his
cards, looked at them. and glanced hastily
at his partner. ITS no use playing" he
said. Look herer' He laid down his cards
on the table. They were the acre, king and
queen of clubs and Jack of spades or left
bower, which, with the turned-up Jack OF