The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-24

yours, Walker?" Eyes, my little 3year-
old boys lost. Have you seen anything
of him.? Without word the young
miner took the either by tine shoulder
and pushed him into the tent. a
glance showed the child, still sound
asleep, with one chubby hand under
the tangled curls With a cry of Jack,
my little jack" the father had his baby
in his arms, and there were two big
miners crying like women.
Little Jack was as demonstrative as
anybody when he got his eyes open and
found who had him. When he got CON
troll of himself Walker asked Jones
where he found him. As the young man
explained. the father held his boy closer.
'How did you get him out, JonesY'
event down and brought him up; he
lodged just above the jump off. y Who
helped YOU. Benz" "NoboGy. | couldn't
wait to go and wake up a couple of
sleepy heads two hundred feet away
when he was likely to slide off any sec
ond. could II" Ibid you go down that
incline and bring my boy up without
any rcpe on YOU, Benz" "What could /
dor was the answer. You knew the
incline. / could tell he was only a
Eyes, | know the incline, he was gone
il he moved" said Walker, almost I'M
der his breath. well" proceeded
Jones, ''you wouldn't have sat down and
waited for a rope, now would you? lit
amt so awful dangerous"
Walker didn't speak nor look at
Jones, but somehow, got hold of his
hand and if it hadn't been a big
and hard one l ann afraid would have
crushed it. Jones didn't mind, but said
apologeticaly: II didn't know he was
your kid, Mr.. Walker. Il don't care if
you didn't" broke out Walker fercely.
You knew he was somebody's. You
can't lie to me- Ben Jones; you knew
mighty well how dangerous it was. |
tell you it takes a man to walk into
deaths door" He jumped from his seat
and with the boy Rugged to his breast
walked excitedly across the cabin half
dozen times and tried hard to keep
from numbering. As he sat down he
said: ''The grounds yours, Ben, F"
Right you are, said Jones promptly,
glad to get on a subject where he could
defend himself, "and you can't give it
to me. I'll hold it against YOU No,
you won't, Ben; you don't get any fight
ont of me; the grounds yours, | tell
you"
Little Jack was quiet until his father
raised his voice, when he broke in:
"What you scold Uncle Ben for, papa?'
"What is that Jack?" asked his father.
Him my Uncle Ben. papa. You shan't
scold my Uncle Ben" and the little man
put his hand protectingly on Uncle
Ben's big fist.
1t was covered Instantly, and Jones
resumed: Il reckon the courts would
give you the ground, Mr. Walker. I'll
tell you what III do. Ill let the kid
have it; he won't apex me, will you
Jack?". Jack didn't know much about
the arex question, but did know he was
"Uncle Ben's" friend and to show it
climbed over into his lap. mo, Jack
won't apex you, and nobody else will.
You'll keep the apex, and if the vein
turns back under my lines, | hope you
won't apex me- said the boys father.
But this won't do l must let Minnie
and the girls know Jacks safe. I'll see
YOU later. my boy" "Wait moment,
Mr.. Walker" interposed Jones.
Lets settle this business. I'm
tired standing guard. I'll match you for
replied Walker, iovially. Heads you
win, tails ! lose" mo, but honest,
now" said Jones' "Well, heads l lose.
tails you win, that is the only way I'll
match" "Oh, give n.e show, now, Mr..
Walker" "Show," said Walker; come
with me and see, the women folks and
they will give you whole circus
But, seriously, MIR. Walker, lets
settle it On some kind of basis. What
do you say to leaving 1t to some one
in the camp?' That's fair" was the
quick reply leave it to my wife, but
she don't go with the ground, under
stand that" Then, noticing Jones dis
appointed look, he put his hand on the
young miners shoulder and the tears
stood in his eyes as he said: Ben,
am trying awfully hard to hold myself
together; now don't be too hard on me;
don't say any more about that little
half acre OF dart, that's a good boy.
| couldn't take it from you now, could
~ But you don't give me square
deal Mr. Walker; the ground matter
stands just as it did yesterday My
helping out the baby cuts no figure. ;"
Then his face lit up with new idea
'I'll make you ONE more proposition, and
if you don't take that I'll quit you; lets
consolidate"
Walker looked into the frank face
of the young miner moment and saw
how earnestly anxious ne was about
it, and extending his hand, "All right,
my boy. consolidate it is.
That's how the great Minnie Walker
mine" came into existence, and is what
caused Abe Greembaum to make an
assignment to his brother-in-law.
The enterprising little furniture dealer
had wired to Salt Lake for two collins.
They arrived all right, but are still in