The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-10-25

pieces and casually examined them,
Suddenly he uttered an exclamation
of surprise.
"Clara - he cried, "l believe see
gold III this Look here, where il is
freshly broken -
"It certainly docs look like the gold
in my ring" said his wife, holding up
her finger and comparing the ring with
the little bright PARTICLES glistoning in
the quartz. "But isn't there some way
to tell positively whether or not it is
gold ?"
eyes, Jenkins told nc how to de-
tcrminc that. He said TO put the ore
into mortar and pulvcrizc il. then
throw the pulp into Il pan and pan the
quartz oll-thc gold beng heavier than
the quartz settles to the bottom of the
pan. | have no mortar, but probably
| can find something that Will answer"
"Wc have the PAM" SAIL Mrs. Long,
eager to assist her husband in the
apparent difficulty. "GO into the
kitchen and get one of the milk pans,
Roy"
"Wcn," replied her husband, Vainly
cnIcavoring to suppress smile, ga
gold pan IS what is uscd--but," he
added otter a slight pause, "pcrhaps a
milk pan will do"
But what to do for mortar? A
happy thought struck HIM. Why not
beat II up OH Il ilat rock ? 1t took but
little search to find II suitable rock, for
rocks constitute no small portion of the
side hill ranches i'm Oregon. Having
pulvcriZcd the quartz on the rock with
| i'll hn hrnshpI "A bt he II
pan. lie now went down to the gulch,
which was but Il short distarcc below
the house, and which, typical Of the
gulchcs in this country, Ilowcd Il lee
water the entire year.
Placing the pan in the water and
giving it Il shaking motion; then dip
ping the pan in and out Of The water,
us be had seen placer miners do, the
fine PARTICLES OF quartz were washed
out leaving the gold in the bottom of
the pan.
1t was pretty sight that met Their
eyes, and old Mr.. Dilworth who had
Just come over to borrow Il cross-cul
saw, sad il WAS as good prospect rs
he had ever seen.
81 haven't had no great sight Of cX-
pcricpcc in quartz mninG,' dr; wlcd
the old man, ;'but when came to tins
country in The carly liltics, gold WAS Il
heap more plentiful than it is now. |
reckon ! seen enough gold in them
early days TO be a pretty good judge OF
prospect
Mr.. Long, now thoroughly clatcd
went hurricdly up to the barn and yo1
4 pick and shovel.
| Gym going up there again this
aitcrnOOn. | can't rest until lin,
[ out where the orc comes from,' saiC
| he, cvinciny pronounced symptoms OF
the gold fever.
Although it was nearly a mile TO the
place where he had picked up tht
. quartz, and The hill in places quit,
steep, he walked along briskly, seem
ing!y mmindiul that hill climbing i:
, exceedingly labomous work. Roy
whom his father had permitted to nc
, company him, when they GOT to tn,
: place, sat down on the ground m(
: painted like 4 miniature steam engine
5 Having found the exact place, ht
, started directly up the hill, watchin:
C carefully lor float which became NOR,
? plentiful as he advanced. He proceed
| ed about two hundred feet, when tht
$ float suddenly ceased, and he coul'
. find none above the place. Takin!
D thc pick and shovel he began to sink
| "cut' in the dirt that covered the for
nation OF the hill to a depth OF two O.
three feet. The shovel ground ayains
, many pieces of quartz which he threw
| aside in a pile. After about thrc,
= hours work he came to tic vein run
ming down unarly pcrpendiculariy into
the soft rock. The " formation y be
came harder as the cut dccpcncd, 81
that by evening The cut was only
, about four feet deep.
, lie was pcrplcXcL to know What tt
do; he thought il best not to 20 hoMt
= and leave the "prOspcct - until morn
ing for fear some one might carr,
away the ore or jump his claim.
I 81 should take no chamccs," he soil!
) oquizcd.
s After several moments of serious
G cO@itation, he concluded to remain an,
{. guard The prospect that night. Ac
y cordmgly, he told Roy to stay thcr,
s while he went down TO the house tC
get Il lunch and his coat.
: When he appmscd his MtEc Of hi
9 intention, she seemed inclined |,
object.
"lf you stay up there tonight,
said she, "you will be tired out 50 tha
| you can't work tomorrow, and dom
I sec why it wouldn't be safe 10 lcav,
L the prospect TIL morning.'
3 The woods arc full Of prospcctor
| and hunters, and although | did no
see anybody this afternoon, they coul,
l have passed by near enough to see o
/ hear me at work, and then could re
t turn in the evening after / had gon
/ home; and seeing that the ore is ricl
h they could locate the claim, | an
J. convinced that | should 90 back to
0 night" he continued decidedly; " am
% tomorrow | will put up my notice ant
It get some one to help run the lines an,
n stake the claim"
G 6 don't know Inf what Won ~