The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-03-13
CHAPTER I.
copyright. 1896, by J. B. L'princott Col

a few miles back from the mining
camp of Windy Gulch an old trail turns
away from the more travelled county
road, leading through a rough, noun
tain region 70 the scene Of an abortive
mining excitement now well-nigh for
gotten.
It was in the spring Of 1870, when| the
newly discovered riches of Leadyllle
had prepared fortune-hunting world
for any 1narvel, thut somebody started
y cry of "carbonates" in this quarter,
and from near and far came a hurrying
horde to view this latest land OF promise,
while, as if by magic, & city OF tents and
frame stantics came into being III the
depths Of the wilderness. Ia the after
years there came to be, not little dis
putting As to the real origin Of this Sill
yer City boom, some believing that it
had been started by couple Of mjs-
guided "ten,icrfeet," of wholly honest
intent, whatever the mischief they mad
vertent,y wrought, while others, claim
ing to he better informed, held that it
was the work Of a set Of unprincipled
promoters, among whom the name OF
COL Randolph Meredith was always
mentioned with especial execration.
However shat might have been, the
boom YVES very real while it lasted; and
it lasted the longer that the spring was
late that year, heavy falls OF snow 50
covering the earth that few might guess
what lay beneath. The gambling spirit
was rife in the air. and every one who
could call 1900 feet Of that Wanted
ground his own was for the moment
rich, though nothing more tangible had
touched his claim than the shifting
shadows Of the location stakes. DeTel-
opmcnt work proceeded but fccbly, cad
few had anything Of real promise to
show; but, as though each had quatteti
Of some magic potion that gave him
eyes to see but the fair illusion of that
fer which he !ongcd, each chung with
mad inssterce to bis dream Of wealth,
scrambling, fighting and in some in
stances even dying, to hold to claims
from which the assayers' fires would
never reveal so much as trace of the
precious metals.
At length, however, there came day
when the SHOWS had sunk down
through the seepy soil and all the land
LAY bare 10 the probing OF pick and
powder, and after that the time was not
long ere curs;ng company of ad-
veutnrers vent drifting back over the
hills whence they came. The sound OF
the builders hammers stopped short
with the stiling Of the dance-hal! m'l-
sic; and before the sweet, resinons
smells had been fairly lost from it's new
ly-hewn pine boards, the embryo city
was LETT to tlesolation and decay.
But, while the rush and hurry went
on as though it would never stop, q
better grade was discovered for it's
heavily laden teams at a point which
left the main highway mile OF more
beyond the origina! point Of turning, so
that a bit Of the way, which had come
to i'll rcpute for upsetting of stages
and kindred disasters, came to DO
sloughed off, as it were, and practically
disowned by the road, which now aT-
pearcd to have developed TO line OF
travel Of vast Importance. The gain IN
safety, to be sure, was somewhat OIL
set by an added mile Or more OF dis
,tnuce. SO that the majority of those
who came on horseback, and all Of that
vagabond company who teiled over the
hills afuot, still chose the older anil
shorter cut, which was never altogether
abandoned until the Silver City road
was left to degenerate to the Old Silver
trail, by which name it came TO be
known through all the after years.
And while impatient footsteps hur~
rietl over the hills, lured by the ignis-
futtus of wealth never TO be attained.
and while in the heaviness OF disap-
pointmcnt they toiled away again,
there at one side Of this unpromising
bit of old road q vein Of gold lay wait
lug, where every passing eye must fal!
upon it's covering of sun-baked earth,
waiting and making no sign.. For
cons before Windy Gulch was or Silver
City had bccn conceived in the mind
OF main, nature had Rugged the precious
secret 70 her heart, biding her time
Men groa ming under burdens OF poy-
erty and woe, and women whose hearts
were like to break for the heaviness Ct
living, passed by the spot; but the gold
had naught to do with pity; its time
was not yet come. Sometimes pros
pectors, discovered such signs in tho
steep hillside that they paused to probe
the earth here and there in futile CT
fort; but rubus bush had spread its
1.-the arms over the little outcropping
OF gray rock which might have told
the story, and none thought to look be-
meath. Years passed away. Autumn
winds swept bare the rubus bush: will
ter storms beat upon the dull brocade
Of lichen that had spread itself over
the sign-writing on the rock; over and
over again the wooing Colorado sun
shine called back new bloom to ring
rich ioy-bc!ls in the bright spring
weather; but now the Silver City ex-
citement had been we!l-uigh forgotten
in other dreams and wakings, and sell
dom the feet of man trod the old trail.
Earth held to her own with greedy
glndncss; and the gold waited on, full
filling the eternal plan of silence.
But ono summer Harvey Neil went
with a fishing party over beyond the
spot where Silver City had been, and,
coming back, a few adventurous spirits
elected to spare the horses, the teams
being heavily laden with camp equip
Business Personals.
Meagher & Co., fuel dealers. s14 Tenth