Frostburg mining journal., 1900-03-10
FROsTBURG, MD, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1900.

If he did not move off. but after his
words to the girl his arIn slowly fell.
There was silence for minute, and
then the boss of the gang said:
"Cuss me, but you've got nerve! Sit
down with the gal and fill up
1t WAS accounted Il strange thing
with the "rushrrS to see IL little girl
among that band of bad THIS" each
taking turn and turn about to carry
her on his back, and both guardian
and ward found themselves among
friends.
Indeed before the new diG%inGS were
reached Jim Agncw and Scott were ac-
counted "partnrrs" 1t was stranger
yet that little Ethel had Il liking for
Jim.
At Woona Walla the child shared the
tent or Slianty with the two men. Child
though she was, Scott treated her with
almost as much formalty as if she had
been girl of 20.
Agncw treated her as child and,
though his ways were rough and his
speech shocked her at times, lie won
her heart more than the other.
disappointment awaited hundreds of
the ruShers to WOona Walla. One
night. tired and discouraged. the two
men sat smoking their pipes in silence
for an hour. while the child played
about or watched them and wondered
If they had Quarrclrd. BY and by
Scott looked up quietly and said:
"Jim, we are downed here"
For sure" was the reply.
Lets move on"
'WhereT"
"Up the creek. down. over the hills.
anywhere for her sake I'm down to
stay down, and the end is not far
away. but I'd like to make n stake for
her"
In the gray of the morning they took
their way over the hills. one carrying
the packs and the other the girl. Fifty
miles away, on the banks of Bra wiling
creek, they made camp and two
hours later were prospecting for gold.
They found sufficient to encourage
them to pcrscvere. but not in quaint
ties to rejoice over. On the third day
the men left the girl asleep and moved
farther down the creek.
She awoke and went searching for
them up stream. She had walked for
a quarter of q mile, calling as she went,
when in trying to Chamber up bank
she caught at and uprOoted bush.
With the dirt and stones a nugget of
gold rolled down into the stream and
lay there like n spot of sunshine. An
hour later Scott threw down his pick
and said:
"Jim. it's the richest spot on the face
of the globe There'H be rush here.
of course. but well have our claims
entered first. I'll start for Woona
Walla within half an hour.
In 80 minutes he was on his way
over the hills. and in three days he
was back again. 1t would have been
no use to try to hide the new find He
had to state its location in order 20 file
his claim. and the very official who
made good his papers was at his heels
as he made his way back to camp.
"Ive got it," he said to his partner
after picking up the girl and kissing
her. "IIcre it is-the Ethel claim
There'll be enough for both of YOU
aye. enough to make a dozen men
rich"'
After supper that night the child
climbed upon ScOtt'S knee. and he
stroked her hair until she fell asleep.
For long time after he had gently
laid her down there was silence be-
tween the two men. He was the first
to break it by saying:
"Jim. the girl is to go back to Sgd
ney and bc brought up a lady"
Yes" replied Jim.
"Dcal square with her and give her
half"
"Tor sure, but where do you come
in?"
Scott sat in the door Of the shanty,
with his face upturned to the full
moon. 1t was three or four minutes
before he replied:
"Jim. you can't understand"
But we've got gold-barrels Of
gold"'
"And I'm an old mana drunkard,
gambler, swindler. wreck. Money
could only bring new viccs-ncw degra-
dations. Can you understands"
"NO, hanged if cam
"But you were not born and reared
n gentleman. wanted to make
stake for the girl. I've made it,"
"And now what?" asked Jim.
Scott knclt down beside the sleeping
child and kissed her. When he arose.
he held out his hand to his partner
and said:
"Goodby. old man; give her a square
divide"
"And yOu-yOu'-
"IIush. Don't wake herr
He passed out into the moonlight
and mp to the creek. Next morning
they found his dead body half mile
beyond the last campfire.
"ies. he was my partner" said Jim
as they called him to look at the dead
man.
"And why did he kill himself?"
because he couldn't forget that he
was once a n."-Philadelphia