Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-02-14
grounds and along the old grass grown

One favorite camp ground is in a small
fiat, where the new growth of frs and
| tamaracks have over-grown the old piles
of tailings that were heaped up by the
placer miners in the early 6o's. The
cabin that was the headquarters OF the
company that dug a long ditch and
worked the big bar has tumbled down.
Trees have grown over the old dumps;
but the wash gravel is bare of grass and
the mounds are suggestive of graves
perhaps of buried hopes.
As the camp fire blazes up and relieves
the gloom of gathering darkness the
tired prospectors who were silent in rev.
erie, talk and laugh and sing. A sense
of relief is common. Speculation goes on
as to the ownership of the old cabin
Then grave is pointed out. The last
owner had died, perhaps alone, and he
was buried just outside the door by the
path that led to the spring Yes, he
owned claim. He may not have worked
it out, Visions OF buried treasure afford
respite to the mind while all review the
history of the occupant of the lonely
grave, the story that is told by the old
cabin the lonely grave, and all is blank
Alter the rich gravel was run through
the sluices the old man remained with his
rocker. After his death came dozen
Cinnamon. They repaired the old ditch
and worked out the dead whiteman's $
claim. Then came Chinese hermit
who lived In the abandoned cabin till il
fell in, gophering about i'll the meantime
gaining perhaps bare subsistence
When the cabin fell in this Chinaman
lived in shed of bark. He mined the
claim as long as lie could save gold
enough to buy his daily rice.
In this region lived two typical pros.
pectors. Smith and Gaunt. They were
the last of their race. They came with
the rush of 1862 and staid till they wore
themselves out prospecting and rocking
out of the abandoned diggings gold
enough to maintain life. Gaunt was
found dead IN his rustic chair some years
ago. Smith, his only neighbor, lived a
mile away. These hermts were too
cranky to be even on speaking terms
most of the time. Gaunt however did
not show up for several days Smith
| failed to see his su,oke so he went and
peeped into Gaunt's tumbled dow
cabin and found the old hermit dead.
He had killed himself in an effort to
perform surgical operation upon him.
self. He died with the butcher knife
sticking in his flesh and the handle still
grasped in his hand,
Lafe Smith lived several years alone
on the silent mountain side He became
palsied and eccentric as the years passed
About five years ago he disappeared
Some of the residents of Elk City visited
his old cabin and found it deserted
They searched for the old man but founC
no trace Of him dead or alive. The re
port was sent out that he waa probabl,
dead. A. + Parker published I.af,
i
notice reached the old man. He becam,
incensed. He regarded the obituary thu
worst form OF insult. He sought out Mr.
Parker, finding him alone in his sactum
The old hermit was einaciated an,
palsied. He carried big rifle and h,
held it to his shoulder cooked white h
demanded of the editor promise of
complete retraction of the insult, As til
the modest demand was fully uuderstoo
the promise was forthcoming. MI
Parker has never forgotten the sensatio
that followed the sight of that cooke
rifle presented in the hands of ma
who was shaking with palsy till h
looked like daucing skeleton.
Lafe Smith went back to the old cabi
after he was assured of the retraction
his obituary. lie announced that Il
would not permit any man to look upo
, his dead body When his time can
he said he would disappear. He furths
said he did not want his obituary pu'
+, lished again, nor did he desire anybod
to search for his body. He intimate
that he might not be dead when the
thought he was and, that if he shou
:, know that the people thought he vi
dead and he should know they we
searching for his body he would sho
the first man that approached the sp
he had chosen for his sepulcher. La
Smith has been gone from his haunt
:, two years Nobody has searched for hil
Nor has Parker published a secoud OBJ
uary. Smith and Gaunt once owned st
, eral claims in the vicinity of the gre
Elk City strike. Gaunt is buried on one
his old claims. Smith is in his selma
- grave some place in the wilderness. Smi
and Gaunt were, perhaps, the first d
covers of the bonanza.
A Fire Last Night.