The Washington bee., 1899-06-17
OUCH LUCK:
Mike O'Brisn Last Seen in the River
Struck 1t Rich, But Was Drowned.


"The stories Of prosperity in the
land are good enough, and allow that
there are good reasons for the same;
but now and then, gentlemen, you will
hear bit Of hard luck individually,
and where you can't understand why
it should be So"
The speaker was Western man
He was encouraged to tell any story
he had in mind to prove his assertion
And this is what he said:
There was the case Of Mike O'Brien
in the country where lived. He went
into the mines with pick and shovel,
and after the usual experience he
struck it rich, and had about settled
down to take things easy for the bal
ance of his life. Last summer a young
kinsman of Mikes, tenderfoot, went
ont to get Mike TO teach him how to
become q miner. Mike dropped all his
own interests and went with the
youngster into the hills, where there
is that hard but free life which man
finds nowhere else in this world. The
two went prospecting where few white
men had ever been. They staked
claims and dug shafts and found IA
vOrable indications. One day while
they were engaged digging a shaft the
tenderfoot accidentally smashed Mikes
right hand with a sledge. Blood pois-
Oning was threatened. Many a weary
mile lay between the hill where they
were and civilization, but they started
out to the hot springs to get relief. For
long time Mike was unable to work.
and when he got we'll he was down to
hard pan. 1t was about the time when
all our country was making q stanl-
pede for the Buffalo Hump country.
Mike, however, was little too late to
get in with the rush. After every
body else had gone Mike and two of
his friends who were also too late to
get In the stampede, went away to-
gether without saying anything about
their destination. They were gone all
summer and part of the fall. When
they came back they had news of a
wonderful strike: they had rich mill
ing gold ore. The strike was away up
on the Salmon River. The men laid in
a supply of grub for the winter and re-
turned to the country and put in a
winters work. They realized more
than they expected. After they had
settled all doubts as to the richness of
the mine. one of the partners, man
named Smith. came down and closed Il
deal for bond to a syndicate for
100000. Mike O'Brien's interest in
this negotiation was $4,000. 1t was
necessary for him to come down from
the mountains to sign papers to get
his money, and after the hard knocks
Mike had this $4,000 was a fortune
to him.
"Tne tourney from the mines to the
town where Mike was to go is made
on the Salmon River. In some places
the stream is swift, deep and treach-
erouS Four men were in the boat.
After they had gone some distance
they met a man whose business was
boating freight. After a parley this
man agreed if they would help him
with a heavy load which he was lining
up stream. he would bring them back
over the treacherOus waters free of
charge. When they came to boiling
and ugly place in the stream the boat
capsiZed. Two of the occupants sank
at once and were seen no more. \
third occupant struggled and was res
cued. while Mike O'Brien was carried
out by the current. and in spite of his
1espairipg cry, he disappeared, hands
up. Mike had one child. daughter,
somewhere in the States. She will get
his share of the deal whenever she is
found: but. gentlemen. submit to you
that the prosperity of the country did
MT do poor Mike O'Brien much good.
He went down right in sight of it, and
after he had worked mighty hard TO
reach the point from which he saw
it"