The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-24

cent struck this here range, providin'
you allows me, Ill perceed to speak
short and p~ointed-like c~oncernin' of the
water-gallopin' Observation-Disclosures
where l cut out from tn herd. No tell
in when TIL run onto yer trail agin,
young man."
he gathered his effects and left the
can, while George Washington Thomp-
son sat gazing out of the window at
the miserable adobe houses of the Ari-
iona town.
Who will say that it was notthe hand
of fate that brought the words of the
old cattleman to so abrupt an end, just
as the note of warning was upon his
lips? Surely, when all of this sad tale
is told, there will be none to say that
any mans hand had aught to do with
the undoing of George Washington
Thompson. Twas fate, and fate alone.
Next day he reached his destination,
and entered upon his work of investiga-
ton with as much -earnestness as an
other man would who knew what he
was about. George even imagined that
he did know what he was about.
There may have been an evil glitter
in the mine-owner's eye as he led George
down to the river to show him the mill
site. 1t was a hot day-an Arizona hot
day. The water was clear and cool
and extremely inviting, and, though
George had been repeatedly warned that
he could never hope to do business in
Arizona if he was once seen drinking
water, the stream seemed to tempt him
as it dubbed and gurgl along. Watch
ing until his companions back was
turned to him, he fell upon his knees
at the waters edge and drank his fill.
In Phoenix, where he stopped for a
few days on his way back tx the city,
George was regarded as a very impor-
tant parsonage. This may have been
due to several causes.
YES" said he, speaking generally TO
a group of natives in the hotel office,
we shall eXpend something like half
a million on the property at once, in
order to see what it is likely to be worth.
If it shows up at all as we expect there
will be no stop in the work, and after
we get a railroad in, then we will soon
have the waterworks and the mill go
ing. A million will cover the whole pre-
liminary work, 1 think"
These few statements, in connection
with the fact which George, in an un-
guarded moment allowed to leak out,
that Cecil Rhodes was one of the back
ers of the enterprise, and that the
Rothschilds would also have an interest
in tho unn4TIro eao-onl ~ hoSol1o ~
respect for George until it amounted to
reverence almost.
Seeing how matters stood, George
then rather reluctantly admitted that
he had given up the management of
one of the South African mines in order
to give his personal attention to this
new work.
The report prepared by George for his
hackers proved a great surprise for
even the most sanguine among them.
One day, some weeks after Georges
return, there was a meeting in the pri-
vate office of a bank. 1t was a private
meeting and even George himself was
not asked to be present. A report was
TO be considered. 1t was not Georges
report.
Gentlemen" began a pompous old
flnancier, as he arose, holding in one
hand a formidable-looking document,
while he gently stroked his luxuriant
whiskers with the other, 81 have here
the report of the expert sent by the
Bonanza Mining & Milling company to
confirm the report of George Washing
ton Thompson. AS president of the Bo-
nanza Mining & Milling company it
becomes my privilege to acquaint you,
the members of said Bonanza Mining&
Milling company, with the contents of
this report. Before doing so, however.
1 wish to remark-merely by way of
preparing you for what may follow
that George Washington Thompson
here he paused and surveyed the mem.
bers of the Bonanza Mining & Milling
company as though to see if all were
prepared to receive the remark-"is the
worst liar I ever knew!"
Entirely overcome by the effort thus
far expended, the president of the Bo-
nanza Mining & Milling company was
obliged to sit down at this juncture and
the secretary was called upon to read
the report of the expert.
George Washington Thompson must
have felt keenly the position in which
he found himself after the disorgani-
cation of the Bonanza Mining & Mill
ing company, for he shortly thereafter
went to San Diego, and from there soon
came a report that he had Joined the
church.
Not long thereafter, however. came
rumors of a scandal. The church ex-
PEELED him. He had been teaching a
Sunday school class that Paul was a
bold buccaneer who sailed the seas
plundering rich-laden vessels. and that
John the Baptist once tried to interest
| certain wealthy merchants of Carthage
in a snide mining deal over in Gale
donia.
Poor George! His is, indeed. a sad
story. and though he has amassed a
vast fortune in the real estate business
people seem to lack confidence in him to
some extent. Even his statement that
the prince of Wales and party will come
over and join him on a rhinoceros hunt