The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-01-19

Smoking Hod
Judge f"'B |. B. B~il, Grfsggs rffgs 6as been ap'
pointed superintendent of the
Columbia Mining company, al
Yellow Jacket.
The Societies of the Challis
School wish to extend thanks to
those who so literally assisted
in making the school dance a
success. We are pleased to re-
port that the net receipts of the
dance amounted to $500.
Amanda johnson,
Com. ( Cassandra West,
Winnifred Bradbury.
An exchange says: "a man
is like postage stamp. When
he is badly stuck on himself, as
it were, he is not worth two
cents for any practical use."
Every community in the West
has old prospectors who, al
though now engaged in other
vocations, live over again in
their day-dreams the times of
old. These Christmas times re-
mind our old prospector of other
Christmases in the long ago-a
lonely cabin in the deep recesses
of the mountains, where he tap
ped with his pick at the adaman-
tine doors of earth's treasure
chambers seeking their shining
secrets. Not for him were the
joys of home when Christmas
came around; not for him the
sweet solaces of life. He listen
ed to the mysterious forces
whispered by the midnight stars
and dreamed of loved ones far
away.
The saying is proverbial that
''once a miner always miner. "
How an old prospector will prick
up his ears when he hears of
some new mining discovery in
Alaska, Africa, or anywhere else.
He is like an old war horse sniff
ing the battle from afar. How
little people outside of mining
regions know of the tedious toll,
the heroic self-denial, the con-
slant hardships, which are borne
cheerfuly. uncomplainingly, by
those who spend their lives seek
ing after the treasures that ma
ture has hidden in her most in
accessible wilds-along the rug
ged mountain chains sor in the
heart of the ock-ribbed hills.
Picture to yourself a young
man, ambitious, energetic, well
educated perhaps, leaving the
comforts of home, the pleasures
of companionship and the hustle
of misunderstanding all for a
prospector's lonely life in the
mountains. He tolls on with
ever alluring fortune just ahead,
but never thinks of giving up
the,quest till the prize is won.
He grows old. his hair becomes
gray and his shoulders are unable
to bear the burdens of earlier
years. Fortune, like the tabled
pot of gold at the foot of the
rainbow, has eluded his grasp.
His strength fails and fortunate
will he be if he can find shelter
in. some county hospital until his
|sprit wings its fight to prospect
in the mountains of the great
beyond.
Has hisslife been a failure !?
No. He has discovered mines,
which. he had not the means to
develop, but which, perhaps for
Ia slight consideration, passed
into the hands of others and en-
|ricbed the world. In the track
that ne blazed through primeval
|so1itudes our country is march
ling onward to greatness. He
may have missed some of the
questionable delights of society,
but his life has been a pleasure
Ito him. His constant intercourse
with nature has kept his soul
|uncontaminated and in his old
|age he.is one of natures noble
men.
All hail and honor to tho old
|prospectors wherever they may
be And May they all strike it
|rich.
We.learn .that the Governor
has appointed Geo. MCGOWAN,
|of this place, as County Commits
|sionersof Dist. No. 1. Custer
county, to fill the place to which
Chris. Morler was elected.
w. B. Fowler and family have
gone to Salmon to reside. We
regret their departure. Mr..
Fowler besides being a good