The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1899-01-07
\ "PYRITES SAM" K
s~~~~~~~~S--
BY z. z. BowLEs.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ME all thought Pyrites Sam was a
wv fool the very day he struck the

unIl tnc niEnt ne cafnc IN Win ms
pockets full of pyrites OF iron. and, taxi
ing each man aside. privately informed
him, with many injunctions as TO Sc
crecy, that he had discovered and To-
Gated brass mine. AS rule, we had
grown very tired of initiating every
tcnderfoot that came along into the
mysteries of quartz mining. showing
them the difference between gold-bcar-
ing quartz and country rock; between
n true fissure and contact vein; between
granite, porphyry, schist. spar, scrpen-
tine, quartzite, etc; of trends. dips,
spurs, angles, etc; of shafts, tunnels,
slopes, WINES and drifts; of the mnnip-
ulation of the horn spoon or gold pan;
how 10 distinguish the resultant scdi.
ment, IL gold, from mica, pyriics or sui
phurets; in n word, teaching them in
an hour or two all we had learned after
years OF toll and priyation. We had
reached this stage OF the tired feel
ing" when Sam brought in his brass"
specimens, and not man of rs would
tell him what It was. "Uh-huh," we
said, as he carefully exhibited his de
ceptive-loolSing find. What did we
think OF il? Why. IL was "A great find,
and very high-gradc ore-if 1t was
brass. "If''-why of course il was
brass; look at il, anybody could see
what 1t was. We admitted that they
could; yes, anybody that knew any
thing at all. SO we permitted Sam to
work away in Ignorance of his claim
for two weeks-until he received re-
turns from the samples sent 80 Los
Angeles for assay. Then the BRASS
Monkey" as Sam called II, shut down,
and he went TO prospecting again. ,
lie was so persistent and industrious
ia his determination to "strike IL rich"
that we finally began TO have fellow
feeling for him and 10 appreciate his
pluck; sympathy he did not need. He
was jolly and good-natured, and did not
drink to excess, and was never known 20
turn q card for money. In friendly
game in his tent the suggestion of
"draw" at only a dollar limit was al
ways met by the quiet statement that
he never played for money, that he was
raised differently, and, besides, his
money "came so hard" that he knew he
would be bad loser. He was always
ready with his sympathy when an
Others ledge "pinched," "petcred" or
"brole or" and encouraged him all he
could; always had song or a story for
bad night, and in the event of sickness
or injury had some simple remedy in
tho way of poultice that his mother
FUSED TO use" In fact, he was one OF
those happy-go-lucky, light-henrted
fellows, handy about camp, and friend
to everybody, but one could not get
rid of the impression that he didn't
have any more sense than the law al
lowed" Therefore, il was accepted us
matter of course, when tenderfoot
struck camp one day in the first stages
of desert fever, that Sam should take
entire charge of him and dose him
with wild sage and "squaw" tea and
concoct appetlzlng dishes with bacon
beans, rice and flour.
AS "stayer." malarinl OF chagres fe'
YER is not to be compared 10 desert fe,
yer. The latter drNgs along and hangs
on day after day, week after week, and
although the patient may be able IA
crawl about, he Is weak, debilitated and
nerveless, and don't care a rattle out
of the box" whether he lives or dies
This was the condition of that tender.
foot. During the middle of the day
he dragged himself about the CAM
in tho sun, but tho remainder of tn,
time he spent in his bunk in his tent
One night, when most of the boys wer,
assembled in the Bedrock, sam cam,
in, and, going up to the bar, dranl
alone, contrary to his usual custom
then turned his back on the crowd
leaned his elbow on the bar and gazct
out into darkness, at the same tint
twisting his mustache iiercely as II
worrying over something,
whats wrong, Sam? Patient dead?'
some one asked.
mo" said Sam, ''but he's layin' M
there wishin' he was. tell you, pord
ners," he continued, turning to IN,
crowd. i've been in hard luck mysel
-so've all Of us, ] guess-an' seen 9TH
ers in hard luck, but that poor cugs uj
NhNAN III Nhf holANnN FlAfah VI lNNl
ever see. He's plum down to bedrocl
an nary color"
THAT'S nothin', Sam; we've all beer
there many a time. What's the matter
out Of grub"
NAV, he amt out OF grub, an won
be as longs Sans got any; but IL
somebody else. | got letter for hin
to-day on the stage an took II dow
to him. After he read il he jest turne,
over with his back TO me an laid quiet
but purity soon I shifted 10 where
could see his face, an III be derned /
he wasn't cryin', yes, sir cryin' like Z
baby, hes that weaS, you know. ! say
to him easy like; What's the matter
pardT
'Nothin',' he says, only more har'
luck
"'Girl gone back on your ] said
thinkin' to DE cheerful an maxim VI
my mind to josh him.
mo he says; IL nd a-been bette
for her II she had long go. Read that
he says, an handed me this, conclude,
Sam, ard he drew a letter from hi
pocket. 1t was dated from an Ohio vii
lage and read as follows;
my Own Dear Husband: Your lovin
letter received yesterday, but IL found M
oh. 80 downhearted and wishing for papf
Dear husband, Il seems that our trouble
wiz never end Mr.. Rhoades has change
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