The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-02
COLONEL SELLERS.
ORIGIN OF THE FAMOUS PHRASE
"THERE's MILLIONS IN IT."
How DIR. stephensou's Works Spread From
Dshionega, Ga, to the Mining Camps o,
CALIFORNIA; Mark Twain's Use of the Ex.
preston In ''The Gilded Age.

+ CALIFORNIA; Mark Twain's Use of the Eek.
} preston In ''The Gilded Age"
Ever since the publication of The Gid.
ed Age Mulberry Sellers ret remark,
Thieves millions in it, has been quoted
all over The English speaking world, but
the true origin OF that famous expression
has never before been made public. w. p.
Price, OK ex-congrcssman from Georgia. gives
the following authentic account of the
coming or that saying, which had its birth
In the sleepy little town of Dahlonega, Ga.
1t was, In fact, one of the few things born
there that ever became famous, for the old
fashioned village has nestled among the
mountains for nearly century utterly un.
aware of the progress the outside world
was making. But in 1850, when the gold
fever was at its height, the craze penetrat-
ed even to this secluded valley, where gold
had been found upon the mountain sides
long before the Indians had been driven
from the possessions of their fathers. Tho
yield had not been great, but just suffi.
cient to whet the appetities of these noun.
taineers and make them ready to believe
the most fabulous stories Of the golden
treasures on the Pacific coast.
Day by day the little group that sat In
front of the corner store diligently whit.
tling discussed the wonderful finds in Cali
fornia, and the storekeeper would even
stop the absorbing game Of checkers he
was playing with the sheriff in order to
join in the conversation when it became
most exciting. Such enhancing yarns as
were spun there! Such stories as were told
about roor devils like themselves who had
struck il lucky and were now rich beyond
their widest expectations! The more they
talked the more enthusiastic they became,
until soon an expedition was formed, com
posed Of the more adventurous spirits, tC
start for the gold regions. The news spread
like wildfre and soon every ablebodied
man i'm the country was willing and anx
ious to join them.
When DIR. Matthew f. Stephenson, as.
sayer In the United States branch mint,
then located in Dahlonega, heard of this,
he shook his head and denounced it as
foolish craze, for the doctor had great faith
in the resources of his native town. Then,
too, he was an authority in the village,
and his opinion was always listened TO
with respect. When prospectors and in.
vestors, hearing Of the gold found in that
section, came there TO investigate it, DIR.
Stephenson was always the one deputed to
talk to them and dilate upon the hidden
wealth of the neighborhoQd. Poor in pock-
ct himself, the old doctor nevertheless had
large ideas, and on these occasions he never
condescended to mention any smaller sum
than millions.
When he saw that the men were in ear
nest about starting for the goldflelds of the
west, the doctor became greatly exercised
and announced that he wished to make
speech to them before they made any fur.
ther arrangements The next afternoon,
being Saturday, was selected as a fitting
time for his oration, and all the men, wom-
en and children of the village assembled in
front of the courthouse at the appointed
hour, for he had fame in the county as an
orator and all were anxious to hear what
he would say. The speech has not been
handed down by his admirers, but Colonel
Price, who was then printers boy in the
village, remembers how, standing on tho
courthouse steps, his long tailed coat flap
ping in the breeze, the old doctor pointed
one finger to Crown mountain, just south
Of the mint building, and cried dramatic
ally, Boys, there's millions in it." A
shout of dersion was his only answer, for
his hearers felt they had exhausted all the
possibilities of these mines "There's mil
lions in it!' the doctor repeated, still
pointing to the mountains, but even this
prophecy failed to alter the determination
of his hearers, and q week later they set
out on their long journey overland to Cali
fornia.
Rapid transit was then thing un-
known, and slowy did the bulky wagon
train make its way through forests and
prairies. Often, when the way was long
and the difficulties and vexations many
some one would point to the west and cry,
"There's millions in it'' and crack would
go the whips. Thus did Dr. Stephenson's
remark become the word of cheer. When
at last they reached California, that ex
preston was still the byword of the camp
and often used to encourage dishcartened
brother. If O. claim refused to yield and
the poor miner was about to give up in
despair, comrade need only point to it
and say, "There's millions in it. to make
its discouraged owner smile and seize his
pick with renewed energy. One day an
individual by the name Of James Sellers
came TO the camp of some of these Georgia
miners and cast his lot with them, and
likewise adopted their byword. In fact, it
pleased him so much that Ii was never off
his tongue long, and he seemed to derive as
much satisfaction as DIR. Stephenson had
in rolling it out in sonorous accents
The end Of the story has already been
told--how Mark Twain met Mr.. Sellers
and was so amused by his favorite express
sion that he determined to immortalize
both it and James Sellers. When the first
edition of The Gilded Age came out, great
was the Indignation of Mr.. Sellers to find
himself famous by reason of his pet say
ing and he swore vengeance against tho
genial humorist. In fact, he is reported to
have said that nothing but the abundant
locks of man by the name of Clemens,
with the scalp attached, wonld satisfy him.
Fortunately his ire had time to cool before
he again encountered the humorist though
he was still desirous of having q pugilistic
exhibition on first sight. Peace was final
ly restored between them, but not until
Mark Twain had promised that in the
next edition Of his book he would christen
Mr.. Sellers Mulberry" thus forever OBJ
iitcratng the bona flde James Sellers from
the story. AS the name of Mulberry
was purely fictitious and therefore not ap-
plicable to any of the Sellers family the
irate James was pacifled by this arrange
l..