The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-10-24

e~nicayoring to suppress a smile, ga
gold pan Is what is ased-but," he
added after u slight pause, "pcrhaps a
mills par will do"
But what to do for q mortar? A
happy thought struck HIM. Why not
beat 1t up on Il Hat rock ? 1t took but
little search to find n suitable rock. for
rocks constitute no small portion of the
side htll ranches in Oregon. Having
pulyerized the quartz on the rock with
an old aX, he brushed it INTO the milk
pan. He went down to the gulch, I
which was but a short distance below
the house, and which, typical of the
gulchcs in this country, flowed a lee
water the entire year.
'lacing the pan in the water and
giving it a Shaking motion; then dip
ping the pan in and out of the watu.,
as he had seen placer miners do, the
line particles of quartz were washed
out leaving the gold in the bottom of
tie pan.
1t was Il pretty sight that met their
eyes, and old Mr.. Dilworth who had
just come over to borrow a cross-cuU
SAW, SAID it was as good Il prospect as
he had eve seen.
81 haven't had no great sight of cX-
pcricncc in quartz mlning,n drawlcd
the old man, ''but when | came to this
country in the early %lirtics, gold was Il
heap more plentiful than it is now. |
reckon | seen enough gold in them
carly days to be a pretty good judge of
q prospect"
Mr.. Long, now thoroughly clated,
went hurricdly up to the barn and got
, Il pick anG shovel.
"Im going up there again this
afternoon. | can't rest until | find
; out whore the ore comes FROM said
) he, cvincing pronounced symptoms Of
the gold fever.
Although it was nearly a mile TO the
: place where he had picked up the
quartz, and the hill in places quite
steep, he walked along briskly, seem
l ingly unmindiul that hill climbing is
exceedingly labouous work. Roy,
! whom his father had permitted to ac-
Z company him, when they got To the
place, sat down on the ground and
painted like u miniature steam engine.
= Having found the exact place, he
started directly up the hill, watchin.
;, carefully tor float which became more
lhShNlitI 10 hN duN stJCcu. llc pIOcttil
cd about two hundred feet, when the
Il tloat suddenly ceased, and he could
find none above the place. Taking
the pick and shovel he began to sink 4
"cut' il the dirt that covered the for.
), matlcn of the hill to n depth Of two OF
three feet. Tho shovel ground agains.
;, many pieces of quartz which, he threw
~ aside in n pile. After about tire,
hours work he came to the vein run
vi ming down nearly perpcudi"ularly into
~ the soft rock. The d" formation y be
came harder rs the cut dccpcncd, s,
~ that by evening the cut was onl,
=, about four feet deep.
He was pcrplcXcd to know what tc
W do; he thought it best not to 90 HON,
and leave the "~prospcct" until morn
10 ing for fear some one might carr,
. away the ore or jump his claim.
II 81 should take no chanccs," he soil!
10 oquizcd.
r After several moments of scriou.
cOgitation, he concluded TO remain an,
u guard the prospect that night. Ac
cordlngly, he told Roy to stay thcr,
- while he went down to the house &c
get a lunch and his coat.
-, When he apprlscd his wife of hi
y, intention, she seemed inclined t,
object.
elf you stay up there Tonight
said she, =" you will be tired out so tina
you can't work tomorrow; and dom
sec why it wouldn't be safe to leave
=, the prospect till morning.
= "Thc woods are full of D~rOspcctor,
and hunters, and although | did not
! see anybody this afternoon, they coulC
have passed by near enough to see OF
). hear me at work, and then could re
turn in the evening after | had uon,
home; and seeing that the ore is rich
. they could locate the claim, an
convinced that | should 90 back TO-
night he continued decidedly: Uand
. tomorrow Will put up my notice and
" get some one TO help run The lines and
stake the claim
y 81 don't know but what you arc
right" asscntcd his wife. "but let me
go-and Roy and | can watch the
mine until morning"
4 "l feel it would be better for me 10
:, go; it will be a cold and lonesome
night for you, and you both may feel
. n little nervous there a%lonc,n he said
= app%rchcnsivcly.
" lou can take Roy his shotgun
+, she persisted, "thcn we Will feel rs
i brave as anybody; and why can't we
: build a fire to keep us warm 2"
f Well, | suppose it would do no
1 harm, and if it should be noticed no
doubt they would think that some one
, had set fire to II Hood-rat's nest, which
. IS a very common thing to do, and
{ about the only effective way of keeping
, the pests down. The nests are made
, of twigs and branches of ire IS and are
frequently 4 or 5 feet high. Yes. |
|, presume il will be all right, ;" he con
: scented after a thoughtful pause; "and
, If you insist upon it | suppose there is
l nothing Tor me to do but submit" he
concluded with mock mcckness.
Taking the gun, coat and lunch for
, Roy, they made their way toward the
I, prospcct-Mr. Long going along as
guide and to carry the gun and wraps.
Roy was delighted with the plan.
/, Staying out in the hills over NIGHT.
acting as guard TO protect the mine
was an honor he highly priced, and
with the gun in his hands he felt
equal to any emergency. Mr.. ]
gathered some dead limbs and
and huilt tho five