The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-04
GOLD NINE, IND HUSBANDS TO BOOT.
Two American Girls Settle o Dispute About
Their ClaIma.
From the Boston Advertiser.

BELL CRY. Ont, July 1.-Bell City will ccle-
brate the Fourth of July in the most approved
fashion. 1t all comes about through "a double
wedding. the first to take place in Bell City. Tho
prospective brides arc Americans, and the
grooms are natives Of Canada. The marriage
will settle the ownership of a gold mine.
At the beginning Of the school term last fall
in Iowa. Miss Jennie Rcnfrow and Miss Alice
Howard. lifelong chums and country school
teachers, decided that it would take too long to
accumulate n fortune teaching school, and they
determined to set out In search OF gold. The
young women decided to prospect the Rainy
Lake region in search of the precious metal.
About Oct. l they passed through Duluth for
Tower. Mimi, on their way to Rainy Lake City.
Arriving at Tower they concluded that they
would canoe up the river. They wanted 10 ex-
adjacent TO Tower. 1t became necessary for the
young women to take a most important step
hero. They could not travel in tho rough way
they had decided on in their present dress. "
Then. again. they wanted to lose their identity
as women. At Duluth they had purchased al
the necessary supplies, AS well as two suits Of
clothes. A pair OF scissors was brought into
play first, and each turned barber for the other.
Soon their hair was clipped close to the head.
Woman's garb WIS packed away. and sweaters,
coats. and trousers were donned In their place.
nervous at first after finding themselves rugged
out in mems attire. but thew soon became ac-
customed TO It. AS soon as the change was Of
feCted they started on their voyage mp the river.
On the second day the canoe struck a rock
with sufficient force to knock a hole in It.
and in m instant the canoe was overturned and
all that II contained went to the bottom OF tho
river. twenty feet below. The only things saved
were n fshline and a box of matches that Jennie
They recovered tho canoe, patched it IN ms
pest they could, and managed to keep 1t aioat
until they reached Rainy Lake City. three days
later: For the rest Of the trip they lived on fish
was saved from the provisions, On their
arrival at Rainy Lake city they bought
m a nHT lot They p, supplies aa st rlhss' S os i Gm,
the country in search Of gold. Before snow be-
Fan to fall they had discovered what they DO.
licvcd 10 be n1ying quantities on n location near
this place. There was no Bell City Mt that time.
however They bought a sbeot.iron stove and
Portable as, possible and then spent the winter in
hunting IN al kinda Th Of game in the wiIds Of north
pcctors who had met them MS the "Bliss boys"
While waiting until tho time should come
II ihei the pro spring tSs vo shey SoTla develop
to the crown land Office at Ottawa. applying for
a patent. They received notice that a patent
Rankin HF AND F; e. E. w s2flif'i1H 'T Rs sT% ne" iRs I no1iSs
that thcy Wow" f Sh"'I posscssors Of d a e'S vainabIa
cam. T ,h@y hnd uncoyered n vein Of gold.hcGr-
am the formation was perfect.
A few days after tho notice WINS received two
mon lame n,G pI %iT, and in,roducet thGmSselves as
'.f " 'h''T iiVN III WV oun|'
women that they were trospassing; that tho
Young women who applied for a patent. Tho
girls excused themselves for n moment and held
q consultation. They decided to make n clean
breast OF il TO tho young men, Williams and
Rankin were invitel to stay and have dinner,
and during the meal tho girls told all.
returned hmG sdp4 tn line men cs saftyed T rntl dusk MsIS and nnaI then zen
next day. however, and every day thereafter
saw them t%rudging forth between Mine Center
and the claim that the girls were holding down.
One evening. as the boys were about to take
their leave. Frank and Alice announced to the
other Two that they were engaged. jennie.
hiding her face on Jim shoulder. told tho others
that thoy had concluded some time before that tho
best why to settle matters was by getting mar
ried. Then the girls insisted that tho ceremony
should take place on the glorious Fourth, and
when It was announced hero tho camp decided
TO- celebrate. Alice and jennie made q hurried
trip to Fort Frances after the engagement was
announced. whore they procured everything
necessary for u woninn's toilet. As Bell City
does not ns yct boas' OF y photographer II is i'm
nipssihIr 10 obtain pictures OF the young couple.
The brides elect, however, arc perfect typos of
American woInanhood.. and will mako happy
homes for their husbands. The mine has been
knot is tied n trip will be made to Ottawn "a, aud
the tapgle there will DO Strengthened out.