Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-04-22

have lost count of time; and to :his
and playfully assisted by one who 10
very. very dear to me, cannot fix the
exact number of years was at the
other end of the world. Being there. I
had but one object before me, and in
pursuance Of 1t Travelled thousands
OF miles on foot. Wherever I heard of
woman and child who in any way
resembled the description of those
was in search of, thither directed my
steps. This will not appear so strange
to you who have not travelled in those
regions, when I tell you that on the
gold-diggings at that time there were
nifty men to one woman; therefore. a
woman could be more easily tracked
than In big city. Neither weather
nor distance deferred me. l Travelled
through flood. and literally through
fire; for was in the Black Forest
on that awful black Thursday when
trees were blazing fiercely. You may
walk through the forest on this day.
and follow the track Of that terrible
fire. Many false track did follow,
only to be disappointed. after miles Of
weary wandering. Over and over again
/ was In Forest Creek, Tarrangower,
Bendigo and Ballarat. In the last place
I was a witness of the terrible riots.
and took part in them. being compelled
to do SO to save my life. went to ev-
cry new rush-to Maryborough, Dun
oily, Avoca-but never found those
was In search of. One time l followed
woman and child for six months.
losing them whenever l reached the
place l was bound for. and following
them on to the next. where lost them
again.
could fll volume with my adven-
lures during this time; but the tell
ing of them would not forward my
story. must here record a certain
change of feeling which came over me
at about the expiration Of couple OF
years. The desire to find my wife be-
came weakened; the desire to md my
child became more and more Intense.
Soon l thought almost entirely OF my
child. and l pictured him In my I'm
year, with fair hair and blue eyes, and
with features resembling those Of my
father, Beecroft, Mariner. This change
of feeling led to another impression
as the years went by. got 1t into my
head that my wife might have died. but
that my boy was certainly alive. Curl
ously enough. instead Of becoming dis
heartened by my want of success. l
never once lost my conviction that the
day would come when I should hold
him In my arms.
I had to work for my living. as you
may guess. and I was generally fortu-
nate In finding more gold than my ne
cessitics required. ! was sober and
steady; and take some credit to my
self that I was not wrecked. as hun
dreds Of better men than l were. in
sly grog- shops and public houses.
Drink was the ruin OF many fair life
on the gold-diggings and In the cities:
but there was no temptation In 1t for
me. and l escaped. did not escape an
other temptation. l was bitten by the
gold fever. and I had my dreams Of
nnding a big nugget Of gold. and the
day afterward Of finding those was
in search Of, and then all Of US 60ng
home and living happily together. !
dreamed that dream often, and always
regretted the waking up. One thing I
pushed resoiutely from my mind. and
would not think of-that was. what
I should do II met Mr.. Druce. When
II got into my head unawares. brood
ed over It until came to myself, when
I thrust It from me in fear. for there
was always n mist Of blood In my eyes
as his image came before me.
TO oRscoNrtxusb,