Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-09
A MINERS LUCK.
The Curious story of the Discovery of
Nugget.
From the Cornhln Magazine.

Prom the COTnhil Magazine.
This man had reached the very last of
his resources without finding a speck of
gold. and although men IN such extremity
are always kind and helpful to each other
he could not expect any one to share such
fast-dwtndIing stores with him. There was
nothing for IT, therefore, but TO turn back
on the morrow while mouthfui Of food
was still left. and to retrace his steps
best he might to the nearest port. He
dwelt with good deal of rough pathos
OF. the despair of that last days fruitless
work, which left him too weak and ex
hausted 10 carry his heavy tools back TO
the spot they called camp So he just
flung them down and as ne said, "stagger
ed over the two or three miles Of scrub
covered desert, guided by the smoke of
the campfire. Next morning early, after
a great deal # sleep and very little food,
ne braced himself up TO go back and fetch
his tools. though he carefully explained
that he would not have taken the trouble
10 do this If he had not felt that his pick
and barrow were about his only posses
si0ns. and might fetch the price of meal
or two when it came TO the last
| have often wondered since if the i'm
preston Of the Divine mercy and goodness
which was SO strong in that man mind
Just then has ever worn of. He dwelt with
sef-aCcUSiug horror on how he had rallied
at his luck, at fate, at everything as he
stumbled back that hot morning over his
tracks of the day before The way seemed
twice as long, for as he said, his heart
was too heavy 10 carry. At last he saw
his barrow and pick standing up on the
fiat plain little way on. and was YEARLY
dragging on toward them. when ne caught
his toe against a stone deeply imbedded in
the sand. and fell down His voice sank
to a sort OF awestruck whisper as II he
were almost at confession. he said,
Well. ma am. if you'd believe me, I cursed
awful ! felt as If it was too hard alto
t. hX,tx hat 4 4
and nearly break my toe against the only
stone in the district. and with all those
miles to travel back! So / lay there like
Jobs friend and cursed God and wanted to
die. After bit l felt like a passionate
child who kicks and breaks the thing which
has hurt him. and had to beat that stone
before l could feel quiet But II was too
firm in the sand for my hands to get il
up; so in my rage / set out quite briSkly
with the pick to break up that stone, if
IL took all my strength. 1t pretty
deep-set In the ground. / assure you.
ma Fam. but at last ] got IL UP. and here 1t
is-sOlid gold and nearly big as a baby 5
head. Now. ma am. l ask you, did l de-
serve this
He almost banged the rather dirty-look-
ing lump down on the table before me as
he spoke, and il certainly was a wonder
ful sight. and a still more wonderful
weight. He told me he had searched about
the neighbOrhOOd Of that nugget all day,
hut there was not the faintest trace OF
any more gold So. as he had time
10 lose on account Of the Shortness of the
food and water supply. he just started
back to the coast. which he reached quite
safely. and came straight down to Perth
in the FIRST steamer. The principal ba nix
had advanced him t~D on his nugget but
II would probably prove to be worth twice
rs much ! asked him what he was going
10 do. and was sorry To- hear that he in
tended to go back To England at once and
set up a shop a farTl-I forget which
among his own people OF course. it was
not for TO dissuade him. but | felt il
was pity To lose such a good sort Of mar
out of the colony for he was not spendina
his money in champagne and card-playing
az all the very few successful gold-fnder.
did in those first days.