The Worthington advance., 1900-06-22

hints. His wife was the drst to receive
them. He had heard on / the quiet
that paradise" was panning out to
beat the band and he almost. tore his
hair when he remembered that he had
sold it for song. Mrs. Wharton was
told to keep quiet about it while her
husband planned to buy in, and of
course she tod every body about the
big strike. The news was public prop
erty in two days. The major was sar-
castically commiserated for not hold
ing on, and Clark was. warmly con-
graduated for not abandoning the
hole too soon. There We're a dozen
men ready to buy it if it was really u
good thing, but "Paradise" was not for
sale-not just then.
1t was only when Boston capitalist
who was travelling over the west with
his wife, passed that way and heard of
''the coming" that Clark would even
consent to talk about a sale. He didn't
know much about mines himself, but
from what little he did know he judged
that the niue was fairish Investment.
He might be induced to sell it, but he
had a little rather hang on. He was in
this undecided state when two or three
parties were quoted as offering thump-
ing big figures. That was where the
ajor's fine Italian hand came in. He
was doing his share of the work, but
doing it on the outside. The Bostonian
wasn't averse to picking up good
thing at bargain, even if it was far
from home, and he soon began to talk
business. The bait wasn't jumped at,
however. An expert was secured to
make Investigation and report, and the
Bostonian took a whirl further west
while waiting.
1t was ut this juncture that Mrs.
Wharton was summoned to receive a
legacy left her. 1t was a sum large
enough to permit the major to return
tohis lofty principles and stick to them
for life, or as long as he continued to
buy and sell mines.. but, having taken
hold of 'Paradise." he was bound to
see her through. If he could beat some
body out of $50, 900 by working off that
'salted" mine it would be just retribu
tion for what he had suffered by being
honest. His wife had heard more about
the mine than all others in the state.
Day after day the ma jor had bemoaped
his foolishness in not knowing enough
to hang onto good thing, and be-
walled the fact that he hadn't the mon
ey to buy an interest in the biggest hit
of the decade. If that legacy had only
come a few weeks sooner! If the Bos-
tonian would only turn to redwood
lands or q California fruit farm and
surrender his option On "Paradise."
But things didn't come the majors
way. A few days after his wife left
home the Bostonian returned The ex-
pert's report was ready. 1t was glow
ing. 1t left nothing to be desired ex-
cept a transfer of ownership. A check
was drawn and the papers were passed,
and as the new owner departed for
home to complete his arrangements for
turning out ton or two of silver daily,
Maj. Wharton beamed upon Clark and
chuckled.
Fifty thousand big dollars apiece!"
he said, as he rubbed his hands and
beamed some more. Didn't tell you
so? AS honest, square-toed men we
were going to the dogs. AS up-to-date
chaps we have made scoop at the first
go-off. Let's look around for another
hole"
Mrs. Wharton received her legacy in
Buffalo. All the way from west to east
she was thinking of the 'Paradise"
mine ard wondering if her money
couldn't get the major at least a quar-
ter interest. There was delay of
three or four days in Buffalo, and she
was almost in despair. When she
finally got the money she telegraphed
the good news and advised her husband
not to lose good thing. He laughed
as he read the telegram. He wasn't
missing any good things thus far. When
the wife reached Chicago on her return
trip, she stopped for day to order
some dresses. TO offset the delay she
sent another telegram to brace up the
major. TWAS while she was lunching
and thinking Of bonanza silver mines
and various sorts of dresses. that she
heard a couple near her speaking of the
"Paradise." 1t was the Bost oman and
his wife. The discovery was soon made
that the mine had changed hands. Mrs.
Wharton was overcome with despair
for moment. Then she made move
which business man would have hesi-
tated over. She introduced herself and
wanted to know if the new purchaser
wouldn't sell out for a satisfactory
bonus. For the last day or two there
had been creeping into the Boston
mans mind a feeling that he had bet
ter have invested his hundred thousand
in hides and leather or Back Bay land
That experts report had been little
too fervid. The assay had smacked too
much of Golconda. He was not an i'm
petuous man. He took ten minutes to
think it over, and then said he might be
induced. He was induced, but it took
exactly $150,0OO to- coax him around.
Mrs. Wharton had barely enough mon
ey left to see her through, but para
disc" was hers. What was hers was
also the majors. 1t didn't take Chi
cago lawyer and a commissioner of
deeds two hours to complete the trans
fer, and it was happy, rejoicing wem-
an who went west on the ten o'clock
train. The proper thing to do was to
telegraph her husband again, and she
sent him a dispatch which lifted him
out Of his rocking chair, as he sat
smoking and chuckling in his library
at home. There wasn't much to it, but
| every word pulled his hair on end.
'"Congratulate your little wife! I have
bought the Paradise mine for a tenth OF