The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-20
NUGGETS'S FORTUNE.
A PIONEERS STORY,
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HO' "PPoaI GU W KNOW, Dut mos
OF them were extremely anxious to 81
: certain. Seldom it was that any on
went to the town. Apparently Their
> was no particular reason why any on
should. The surrounding scener
was grand, it is true, but the tow
could make no claim to being an es
sentlal part of the grandeur. It's on
street struggled up the mountain-sid
for short distance and lost it's wa
IN the forest. A long, ramshackl
hotel" several despondent-lookin,
stores and a number of saloons mad
| up what it was pleased to call tn
business portion of the town. On al
sides and as far rs the eye could see
however, were the imperishable evi
dences of what this little town one,
had been-the centre of a natura
wealth almost inconceivable. Vas
areas of white and yellow and reddish
clay, mountains scanned and gashei
and cut in twain, miles of rusty anG
dlslointed gigantic iron pipes-told
OF the days when the miners with nv.
draulic guns "held up" Nature and
forced it to deliver its treasure.
But all that was long ago, and it is
only a pleasant memory with the little
town now, and to the strangers not
unnatural inquiry as to how the peo-
pie supported themselves came the
cheerful and cannibalistic reply that
they "lived on one another"
The stranger sat on a box outside
one OF the stores, beside one of the
citizens, and soon found himself listen
ing to monologue offered for his en-
tertalnment. It would have been q
dialogue between them, but the en-.
tertalner would not have it that way,
An old man, with grizzled beard and
Weather-beaten face, was he. The
stranger noticed, with some surprise.
that, although stained and rusty, his
long frock coat and the trousers stuck
into his boots were of good broad
cloth. A very conspicuous watch
chain, a huge diamond pin in set
ting of tobacco-stained shirt front,
and the entire absence of collar made
up a somewhat incongruous appear
ance.
eyes, you're right" began the en-
tertainer. starting the monologue with
considerable energy, "this town amt |
worth whoop today, but you oughter !
seen it onct. Amt forty-niner nv
self, and you got to make good deal |
OF allowance for what some of these
old has-beens tell you, but they all do
say it was hummer before thew
stopped hydrauleeking. You oughter
get old Nuggets to tell you somethin,
about it. Amt ye met Nuggets vet?
Well, you should, for he's about the
only sight we got in town-onlv
thing th9 town brags about and p'ints
out to strangers. Nuggets was here
or somers about heretofore thew
ever did any hydrauleeking-when
everything was placer and sluice-min-
ing. He'll tell you his story-'ll tell
It without beiI' asst. I've heard it
10 often that know it myself. He
likes to hear himself talk. He was
me O. the first to come acrost the
'lalns-leastways that's what he saws
and when he got here he Just mach s
rally stayed. He KEN around by the {
'Id emlgrant trail back O. Lake Tahoe !
nd into Hangtown. Hangtown-ye I
now, that's what they called Placer l
lie IN them days-was a great place u
hen. Meals was three dollars and so a
las beds; whisky was four bits and v
wo bits drink, accordin' as how 6
gu wanted it-and -four was ten dol u
hrs for q small sack. Course, We q
now, most all supplies ken around i!
ne Horn to Frisco, was boated up to Il
acramento and teamed out to the ~
lines from there. Business was s
BOD in California in them DAYS. p
-ost everyone had money, and it m
'arn't no trick to get it. The cricks 81
III river bottoms was full O. gold, and CT
lyone could take shovel, pick and m
ecker and wash out as much as he tc
hed. Course, that sort O. thing
'ollt the Argonauts, as they cali a.
M, or good many of EN- anyhow o'
ouId "a spoilt most anyone. Kinder m
emed to them that the supply would y
st forever, and they didn't worry tn
uch and wasn't perticuler about saw 10
1t. They was all about alike, and
ter fellow had worked purity hard g
, awhile and cleaned up little pile 81
a get to thinkin' he needed relax ia
on, and down he'd go to Frisco and -
ow in his pile. Then he'd strike SO
trail for the goldfelds for another Sc
lex of blue chips.
Course everyone had partner in Sc
em days, and this here Nuggets had co co
g by the name O. Wilkins. One S''
thy KEN into this town with
gget that was a corker. Was as Sl
as your hatred cinnabar. with
inks O. pure gold stickin' out of it :.
around. The jeweler offered EN- I'LL
800 for it, but they wouldn't sell it,
ggets said there was more of it where
rom frnro Id