The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-03
The LOGIC or
JOHN MILLS, MINER.
A PARTNERsHIP ROMANCE.
BY HENRY ]. AME9,

statement Of the identity Of the man i
necessary. Mills lived near Rocky can
yon and had often aroused the peopl,
thereabouts Tor within a radius of 2!
miles, to state Of interrogative curios
ity which had never been fully satisfied
He dwell. alone in cabin not worth de
scribing, because just such cabins have
often been described before. When he
first appeared, he had said nothing as tc
his origin. A tall, silent man of 40 years
he went at once into his chosen field
prospecting, asking advice and giving
none.
Mills had good eve for "leads" and
had been moderately successful, for sew.
eral times he had developed claims until
they had begun to assume the dignity of
mines, had sold them and moved on. In
1891 he located claim that seemed
promising and for weeks toiled at 1t sin
gle handed. He was strong and skillful,
and his progress was remarkably rapid,
but occasionally he felt pang of solitude
and thought he ought to secure help, not
only for the forwarding Of the work, but
for the sake Of the companionship. One
summer day as this mood was upon him
he heard voice at the mouth Of the
slope marking the spot where he had
started into the side of the mountain.
Hello there" said the voice, may l
come down"
Mills dropped the sledge Just then
poised for blow and turned toward the
patch Of light. NO." he answered; "Ill
come up"
As he walked, curving his long back,
he saw outlined against bit of sky Z
sturdy figure and head surmountad by
felt hat, the tapping brim of which had
been secured In front, and from beneath
which there escaped a wavy mass of
hair tossed on the breeze. The miner
wondered vaguely why boy should be
so handsome. Emerging from the slope.
he Strengthened himself, taking a full
breath Of the sweet mountain air, Then
he drew from his pocket pipe and to.
bacco. filled, lighted, absorbed few sat.
isfactory whiffs and said slowly, "Well?"
"Tm Rube Jackson" said the boy In
return, IAN I'm here for work"
John pulled on. Better come to the
cabin while I yauk little grub together.
l take It," he added, starting down the
path, that ye're prospectin without no
stake"
The boy did not understand this, but
he gave an assent and started with Mills,
who noticed that the sole of the visitors
shoe tapped at right angles with every
step. "Pll cobble 1t after supper" was
his comment.
But about a job, you know" the boy
put in timidly. stepping high on account
OF the loose sole.
"Oh, that's all right" answered Mills;
"ye're hired. Didn't l tell YER And
they walked on.
In the evening they grew in measure
though Rube did most of the
talking, as Mills cobbled the defective
shoe into state of usefulness. Before |
bedtime Rube had told of Susie Camp
bell. She was back in Missouri, where
he himself had been born and raised"
Il didn't have much money after IA |
ther and mother died." he went on sim
ply, and Sue--her father has a pile. I'll |
bet old man Campbell has $1,000 out on
mortgage right now" He paused to note
the effect. Mills drove another neg.
while Rube laughed nervously. II fell
IN love with Sue," be continued, "but she
wouldn't have it. That u.s." he corrected,
recognizing the awkwardness Of the sx-
preston, "she didn't seem to be in ear
lest about it. Not like me, anyhow, but
inly she laughed and said that if I'd get
fortune she'd marry me. 30 l struck
tut west"
Must be fine GAL" said Mills. "Hope
amt serious. Has she got any holt on
yeh?'
RUDE laughed again. IT wish she had"
vas his rejoinder, "but since 1 came
way she hasn't written. Sues Just tryin
ne, that's what she's doin. It's a way
women have. When I 60 back with a
'ocketful of money, she'll be ready. Oh,
know what women are"
John took last stitch In silence and
cid up the reconstructed shoe. Thus be-
an, between John Mills miner, and
tube jackson, boyish, hopeful tramp,
ne of the serene friendships which last
ntil death. Let the limit not be placed
ven here; perhaps, strengthened and re-
ewed, they last forever.
During the days the pair worked,
peaking little. In the evenings they
Fad and talked, or Mills brought out an
ncient fiddle, wherein he discoursed
lelody most fearsome, but duly applaud.
!. The usual theme of conversation
as Sue. Gradually the two built ND an
eal woman and home that she was to
1orn after the Miennium-for such
ley had named the mine-had begun to
roduce. Rube would not listen to any
an that did not involve the member.
Zip Of Mills in the family.
"Praps an old Teller like me 'ud be in
e way Mills would say and regularly
ube would rebuke this view.
Yet Sue never wrote mighty long
lai an slow vcrdick," Mills opined once.
ube convinced him that this bordered
treason.
Weeks went by, and the crucial test of
Millennium was at hand. The hole
the shot" which was to determine
character of the vein toward which
ey had been laboring had been drilled,
powder tamped about the fuse. 1t
Is then, stopping to wipe bis forehead, !
wing 1t CRIME streaked, that Mills I
liyered speech which, so far as re-
rded, was the longest he ever made.
'Rubc, boy" he said, "we're partners :
lderstand? Partners. This shot tells
'ether we find somethin lousy with gold "
goes broke agin barren rock In any b
sc, thar's wages due you an a-comin. q
wouldn't be no squar deal fur me to
rich and you only to draw pay fer .
vs. work. 30 thar'fore, I, John Mills, n
ner, as heretofore and ginerally known, q
hereby make over to you, RUDE jack
J, full half interest In the Ntllennl- n
!, to have an to hold, an yer heirs an h
igns forever, amen. That's a kerrect
m, guess, and no lawyers needed nor I,
)ers neither" -
lube grasped the hand Of Mills. "Not
scrap Of paper, john" be replied. -