The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-01-27
CHAPTER xIII.-(Corr1rusn.)
/ BY B.L FAR JEON.1

CHAPTER XIII. - CoNT1NuHD.)
Having no money at one time, I was
compelled to make q longer stay than
! intended at a new gold-feld, where
I fell in with a mate after. my own
mind. We sunk shaft, and got more
gold than had ever possessed; my
share Of a fortnight's work was two
gAundred and seventy ounces. didn't
like to keep so much gold about me,
nor did my mate, so we gave it into
the charge of man named Richard
Farley, who had opened a deposit
bank. My mate took the gold to him,
and brought back the receipt. I never
set eyes on the man. He didn't act
fairly to us, for &C fine morning he
made himself scarce, and I and my
mate, and lot of others, had to whis-
tie for our gold-and then it didn't
come. We vowed Death to him it he
ever crossed our path; and I got
description of him from my mate; a
short, thin scoundrel, with iron-gray
hair on his face, hanging almost from
his eyes-to hide his villainy I sug-
gested. However, we got more gold,
and saved over a hundred ounces,
which I was not fool enough this time
to part with.
- Well, we had pretty nigh worked
out this claim, when I had a dream
not of my wife and child; no, of my
old mother. It seemed to me that she
was dying before my eyes, and when
I woke, and found, thank God! that l
had been dreaming, the last sound I
heard. from her poor old lips, "Oh,
Amos, my son, my son." came to me
with mournful significance. She had
been good mother to me, and had
but i'll repaid her by leaving her in
her old age with no provision (as now
remembered for the first time, God
forgive me), after these many years.
I awoke in the dark, and lay awake
thinking until the sun rose; and in the
darkness of that night I saw my duty
clear before me. resolved to go home,
make the old woman comfortable TALL
my unjust and bitter feelings toward
her had melted away, and then come
back again, if necessary, and renew
my search. You may say that might
have sent money home, and that that
would have answered the purpose. So
I might have done; but thought that
by going home might perchance hear
news of my wife and child. had not
written a, line to my mother all these
long years. Not that she could have
read it, but she would have got neigh
Dor to read it for her; and it occurred
to me all>of a sudden that in my haste
and hot-headedness I had neglected
the chance that might have restored to
my arms those who were so precious
to me.
I astonished my mate in the morn
ing when I told him was going home.
No inducement that he could offer was
strong enough to hold me back, and
that very day was on my road to Mel
bourne, with my gold in a belt, buckled
round my waist. When reached Mel
bourne I was in no difficulty about a
ship. Hobson's Bay was full of home
Wdiu-UOuuu CldlI, dAu dALcl IuuAluS
my eyes over the names, selected The
Rising Sun, INSTRUMENTATION clip
per, then lying off cambridge, and to
sail in few days. How often have I
thought that a special destiny must
have led me to select that ship out of
the large number that were advertised
for London! I don't believe, as some
believe, that our lives are ruled by
chance.