The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-01-24


been a girl of 20.
Agnew treated her as child, aud,
though his ways We're rough aud his
speech shocked her at times, he won
her heart more than the other.
Disappointment awaited hundreds of
the rushers to Woona Walla. One
night, tired and discouraged, the two
men sat smoking their pipes in silence
for an hour. while the child played
about or watched them and wondered
IL they had quarreled. BY and by
Scott looked up quietly and said:
Jim, we are downed here"
For sure,' was the reply.
Lets move on.
"Where?"
up the creek, down, over the hills,
anywhere for her sake. I'm down to
stay down, and the end Is not far
away, but I'd like TO make stake for
her"
In the gray of the morning they tool
their way over the hills, one carrying
the packs and the other the girl. Fifty
miles away, ON the banks of Brawline
creek, they made a camp and tive
hours later were prospecting for gold.
They found sufficient to encourage
them to persevere, but not in quaint
ties to rejoice over On the third day
the men left the girl asleep and moved
farther down the creek
She awoke and went searching for
them up stream. She had walked fer
a quarter of mile, calling as she went,
when in trying to Chamber up bank
she caught at and uprooted bush.
With the dirt and stones n nugget of
gold rolled down into the stream and
lay there like II spot of sunshine. An
hour later Scott threw down his pick
and said:
"Jlm, It's the richest spot ON the face
of the globe. There'll be rush here,
of course, but We'll have our claims
entered first. I'll start for Woona
Walla within half an hour.
In 80 minutes he was on his way
over the hills, and In three days he
was back again. 1t would have been
no use to try to hide the new find. He
had to state its location In order to file
his claim, and the very official who
made good his papers was at his heels
as he made his way back to camp.
I've got It," he said to his partner
after picking up the girl and kissing
her. Here it ls-the Ethel claim.
There'll be enough for both of you
aye, enough TO make n dozen men
riehl"
After supper TINT night the child
climbed upon Scott's knee. and he
stroked her hair until she fell asleep.
For a long time after he had gently
laid her down there was silence be
tween the two men. He was the first
to break IL by saying;
"Jim, the girl is to go back to sgd.
ney and be brought up lady"
yes" replied jim.
"Deal square with her and give her
half"
"For sure, but where do you come
in?D
Scott sat In tile door of the shanty
with his face upturned to the full
moon It was three or four minutes
before he replied
"Jlm, you can't understand.
But we've got gold.-barrels of
goldr'
"And I'm an old mana drunkard a
gambler, swindler, wreck. Money
could only bring new vices-new degra-
dations. Can You understands"
mo, hanged II | CAM
But you were not born and reared
gentleman. | wanted to make a
stake for the girl I've made IT,"
And now WHAT" asked Jim.
Scott knelt down beside the sleeping
child and kissed her. When he arose,
he held out his hand to his partner
and said:
"Goodby, old man; give her n square
divide"
"And you-you'-
"Hush Don't wake herr
He passed out into the moonlight
and up 20 the creek. Next morning
they found his dead body half n mile
beyond the last campfire.
"Yes. he was my partner" said Jim
as they called him TO look Mt the dead
man.
"And why did he kill himself?"
because he couldn't forget that he
was once a gentleman. "-Philadelphia
Press.