The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-01
THE BOYS OF 40.
BY FRANK M. HARRISON.

another who stood on an old Dutch-oyen
In their midst
Drawing near we found the orator OF
the day appealing TO their patriotic senti-
ments and trying 10 Impress on tnelr
minds twas "a duty they owed their coun-
try TO celebrate on the glorious fourth,
and while running over the list OF amuse-
ments at various places mentioned the
ball az Grenwood's Valley.
After he had harangued the crowd until
they thought they had heard enough
some one Of the party run a pole into the
door and let .she speaker down into the
oven after which the meeting adjourned.
We joined party of thirty miners, some
| of whom chartered a lumber wagon, while
| Others were Co ride mules.
| We're all logged out In good shape, wear
ing black pantaloons tucked into high
topped boots, blue flannel shirts that were
| left open at the neck 10 show TIE
''biled". ones underneath, and silk
! fringed sashes Of either red or blue (mlne
was red) were fastened about our waists.
| To top it all off we wore kossuth hats
| decorated with flowing feathers which
added much 10 the charm Of our appear
| ance no doubt. We started late In the
afte rnocn n arriving there about dark.
After strolling about town, found the
| ball room where we were requested 10
pay seven dollars apiece for admission.
| Remarked we'd go TO supper 1rst ana
| think about IL.
On our return by crowding close TO the
doorkeeper somehow, all got in with "a
rush The dandy clerks and their falr
partners left the floor clear for us, and the
band kept on playing so we had good
old long shore dance, or what sailors call
fore and after.
We put In plenty OF steps and cut won
derful pigeon wings As the ladies'
scattered like leaves before the wind, re-
moved a dainty slipper from the foot OF
its fair owners, as immedintelyson my en-
trance began 'hoeing IL down.
After we had danced out, we told them
they could again have the floor.
They treated us TO wine and we bade
them good night, and went out again. TO
celebrate the night before the fourth else
where ana we kept on celebrating until
the day after.
On that day found myself alone (our
party being scattered 60 the four wlnds)
and without a cent; SO i concluded TO re-
turn TO camp
Got as far as Uniontown all right, but
being without money 10 pay my toll
across the river / stood, trying to invent
a way Of getting over, when horseman
rode up who wanted TO borrow money TO
get himself and horse on the other side;
being informed I'd busted the bank at
Greenwood and was broke too, said wee
wait until midnight and il the tollkeeper
was asleep we'd manage all right
At the appointed time / mounted for
ward, and redashed by the tollkeeper, who
awoke and sang out. "Stop there u
Cant stop. the horse is frightened" as
the spurs were dug deep into the poor
beast.
Expected to hear bullet whiz by our
ears at any time, but we got over In safety
and arrived at our boarding house where
we turned In the horse fOUso for the night.
AS we pull aside the canvas OF the
sleeping tent the snores sound like gl-
gantic saw mill.
Looking about for something to eat we
find nothing but some potatoes that were
ready for frying for the next mornings
breakfast.
We fastened on to these and soon put
them out Of sight with the aid of little
salt.
Next morning the cook said "Some OF
them hounds who went up to Green
woods, ate up all the potatoes last night.
Guess they haven't had anything to eat
since they've boen gone.
After working these flats at Uniontown
we go up TO the dry diggings at Gold Hill.
Found them throwing up dirt there.
Each buying share we join the party of
twelve
We divided off, our party Of four work
ing on one OF the ravines. BY following
under tho hill came across landslide
that had showed the ravine OIL and formed
a horseshoe bend.
We followed the original bed 1t being
straight ahead, underneath. This was a
rich spot and brought us fifty cents
painful.
as we dig through rotten granite were
not obliged to curb IL. Contrive an, old
fashioned we'll sweep, which we put up,
and digging a couple OF holes put our
cradle between them. A ditch is dug
from one hole TO another. forming a
Ill. N...l,
into tho cradle IL then passes through To
the next hole and then around the ditch,
coming back again TO the hole from which
we are balinQ.
This gives the sand in the bottom of
the water a chance To settle. III tho wa
ter Is too plentiful we clear out the holes
and fill again and so continue.
While the Others are throwing up dirt
we pay our expenses and as soon rs the
rainy season sets In we dam across the
ravine and sit up our toms and sluices.
At one time while running the sluico
two days make four hundred dollars,
The rainy season is uneven and tho
gold spotted, but VIC manage To make
| fair wages through the winter
After the rainy season is over we sink
| shafts n distance OF nine or ton feet, when
we come TO a hard mari four or six inches
| deep, directly over rock which we
| strike. Go to work with coyote picks and
arch just large enough 20 admit the body
Of n man that he may work 1t. The dirt
is hoisted up in shaft, the good being
kept by itself. Others thinking we are
making success sink their shafts rs near
as tho law permits, aud by sinking four
| or five mono strike the right vein.
Mining at that time was like gambling,
| or lottery. A gambler even while losing
is still beckoned on by delusiye hope
which enables him to have courage to try
| again.
So the miner, though the result of his
laoor be small, still pegs away.
We had our provisions 90 pack three
miles. One Of our number was sent out
with fifty dollars TO reploniSh our empty
| larder. Aftor waiting n day and u haif for
him, two OF us set out in search of the
wanderer. Found him sitting by the road
side reading Bible, while In his pockets
nothing else but Bibles were found.
You're a ilne chap TO spend our money
Tor rum and Bibles, said we Come get
| up, and show ms whore you bought them. ~
We find the bookseller who takes them
| hock and rpfnpHs tho ttptti NO