The evening times., 1897-12-25

ldSttS ldsl ueS w Wv
gold pieces encirced its base. Nelrl,
| $4,000 worth of virgin nuggets Were
| tied TO the tips OF the lending branc.ies
| James Clements, returned from the klon
| diSe, sat, with family aud friends, aro'nt
| the trea sure OF d years gathering, M
| thus celebrated the yuletide and his
Transformation from Il brakeman on the
| Southern Pacific Railroad TO klOniikt
| prince.
Mrs. Cletuci.ts rubbed her eyes us sht
| sat in room 20 at the Lafayette 'iotel
Mercer street and Washington place, NJ
wondered n IL was all dreauI. She
toyed with the bracelet Of gold Nuggets
that encircled her wrist, and r:ized al
$4,000 worth of dun -nued lunps / nc
shin,nering, yellow coin, fresh fron The
mint. that weighted the tree on the center
table.
Velms. Clements, seven years Old, am
Walter Clements, three, played marbles
with nuggets with the colored nurse on
the carpet, but soon wearied Of the treas
ure tn. Z. uld not understand to devotethei;
attention tc Il life-sized waxcn doll tina,
opened and shut her eyes and cotton bat
ting dog that hoped like a jack rabbit
Nliei tltt spfiuS NdS Npfi'i up
II was the first real Christmas for th'.
little Ones, and one thai the nothe might
I've pardoled for thinking only 4 dream.
All the thousands that biossomed on the
tree die not represent the Joy felt by James
Clements. with unaffected content
ment lie watched tn, bovOf three and the
girl OF seven playing with toys that Cost
little less than Il days labor may earn III
the k,ondike.
James Clements aud his wife last night
told the story of their rapid rise from
povert. to RICHES. He told OF Christmas
dinner a year ago ia t9e regions OF per
petual ice, far away from civilization, that
cost the host Sl35. at which two tin can
covers as plates served as luXuries for a
company of ten; and a banquet on the
same day O! fried potatoes and bread aud
butter in IA frugal little home In caliror
mia, participated in 10y d faithru ul wife and
two little ones TO whom Santa Claus was
a stranger.
II superstitions always counted James
Clements would still be calling out the
names OF stations to Passengers along the
line OF the Southern Pacific Railroad. He
was borf. on February Is. He sailed from
Los Angeles for the KlonsiiSe on March l3
and arrived there June II. He Travelled
through the Alaskan chain OF lakes on
boat No 13, and on the return trip To
Calf o:nia he occupied berth No. IL, and
under it and in 1t was So 900 600 of gold
belonging TO himself and TO seasick com
panions, who had intrusted thrir riches TO
him for sare-keeping during The misery OF
q tempe stuous voyage.
There is a vast difference between
this Christmas and the one a year ago.
said NJ. Clements meditatively. "Oh, yes,
i had good dinner, but Thought of my
wife eandlttleonas far way in Los A ng aias.
who had scarcely enough to eat, whileI had
gold in abundance, but could not provide for
them.
II had n good dinner, though, which
cooked myself and invited zen other min ~
the service at that was the most fashion
able. had = table two feet square. nd
for plates there were the tin tops Of two
lard cans. Only four could eat at a time,
and ther / washed the dishes and knives
and forks and four more sat down. We
had roast C ribou, potpie OF fool hens
the arctic plea asant-ruast moose, oear
steak, Corn pudding. mincc pie, made from
Cdnieu siuti- 'tfh pe'i'H Co'bitT. We Hdu
quart of whisky. too, that cost S35. 1t
wouldT' be tolerated here, blt it Wa S wlrin-
ing"
Yes said Mrs. Clements, ''anI the
same day I was i'll in bed, and for Gin
ner VIC had fried potatoes and brad
and butter. We didn't have any pr SCENTS
at ALL
This ear" continued Mr.. Clemens,
I'VE thought we would come East and See
the country. My wife was raised In Cali
fornia. and had never been East. We
have friends here. and | guess they " i'll
be glad to see us have brought al ing
nuggets and coin made riom the gold I
brought hacE, amounting to $50 200 or
70,OOO, to show my friends here. Some Of
the nuggets ale worth $500 apiece. 10
night thought 1t would b. pleasan. hing
to have u Christmas tree for the chill lr n
the fist one tl'ey have ever had-and let
our friends have a glimpse OF KIJntlike
riches.
Il don't mind saving l was poor When
left the summit a little over year ego 1
didn't havea nick el to myname had hard
luck around Dawson City until finally got
job papering a mans saloon. That save
me little money and I started out 20 i,ros-
pect on EidoradO Creek, and luck was 18th
me. Wetook 81 1000 out of eight SylIaIe
feet, the rold running from $50 to S75oto
the pan. l guess We've got cnong!, 20
that we wort Eave To 20 without Christ
mas dinners in the future
Mr.. Clements sailed for the Klondike
March 13, 1896, arriving at Da wson City
June 13, following. He left Dawson City
on the return trim June 49, 1897 nm tina
Portland the steamship that brought the
first load Of wealth that started the KlOii-
dixie craze all over the world He will 20
back as soon as he las visited friends in
New England and elsewhere. to add 20 his
store of riches. The treasure he carries
with him is in the custody Of the express
except when he displays it to
his friends. as lie did last night.
All the friends gathered around the Glenn
ents' Christmas tree last night and took
away with them nuggets OF pure gold in
the form OF scarf pins as souvenirs )f the
occasion. After the gifts had been distrib-
uted the $50, 900 or $40, 600 treasure was
locked up in the hotel safe and then the
evening was given up to stories of Kk.,-
dixie adventure, told by Mr. Clements, in
terspersed with music from a music box
that had been brought In for the occasion.
1t was late hour when little Yelma and
Walter began to nod their heads, and as
they were led to their bedroom by the nurse
Yelma was grasping tightly the wax doll.
nearly as large as herself, and Walter was
huging the cotton batting dog. The rold
nuggets that had been their ,,laymate IS Law
neglected under the sofa.