The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-22
STRUCK GOLD.

STRUCK GOLD
"What a, fool q man can be when he
sets out! What mocFery must the goes
indulge in, who see a puny mortal rear
ing his individual Tower of Babel by
which he is to climb to their estate.
''Well, L started and we reached Aus
traia, bought a claim. started q. sheep
ranch and did we'll; but at what cost! /
saw my wife getting thin and worn, my
children running wild; and what, with the
blazing sun by day and fierce, cold OF
night, the hauling water seven miles
for drinking and washing and paying for
it almost it's weight in silver, the other
innumerable hardships and suffering, L
was almost ready to give up, when
found gold on my ranch. Then we went
/ crazy. Rest food and everything else
were forgotten or overlooked, save the
gold digging, and in Ills my wife and
eldest boy assisted me and we cached
the dust in the ground under the one
room floor, of the shack we called home.
But We're we happy? Oh yes; delirious-
~ happy. A few months of deprivation
and work and then for England. for
luxury! Our children should have. every
advantage wealth could give and we
would live d life of ease. pleasure and
benevolence, for we intended to help 9TH
ers; we We're not misers. on, no!
.'The time approached when we thought
we had enough. We would sell out the
claim at reasonable figure and give
some one else a chance--in fact. we had
almost set the day and hour Of stopp. ng,
when our eldest boy was taken i'll. The
attack appeared TO be something like
cholera. but before I could go for a doc
tor ca long, long trip Of fifty to sixty
oil frJ-, hoN
/ couldn't go and leave her. did every
thing in my power for them both. but
during the second day my wife died and
that night my two other children were
taken One after the other died, till
all lay dead in the house. and ] was
alone. with the bodies ofsall / loved on
earth.
A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE.
':The memory Of those days is hor-
rible nightmare. I have but little reco'-
lection of my action. save that with the
boards from the flooring l built a coffin,
dug a grave and put the open box in it.
laid the remains of my family. one by
one. within it. put on the rough board
cover and nailed it down. sioveled in
the earth and trampeled it fiat took
part of the gold. which was to purchase
a life of happiness for us. from its hid
ing-place and reburied the rest. set fire
to my home and tramned the many miles
to port, where shipped as seaman TO
ENGLAND.
"Often after my fannily's death and while
they lay dead about me was tempted TO
shoot myself and end my misery. and
again and again while tramping the
weary miles to port drew nv revolver
for that conclusion, but my wife was re-
lieious and I feared to go before my
Maker before my call: but no one mo-
Tested me: every one was kind. thoneh
to no one could 7 tell nv story; think
my face told it-that and my gray hair
.sWhen arrived in England l was
lucky enough to strike this berth and
here I shall stay till the end. which
am convinced will not be long. AS for
the ranch and the gold. they are still
In Australia / don't want them. am
satisfied with what 1 ger here. and after
I am gone + don't care who has them.s
This was. his story, as sad one as is
often heard and. as l walked along the
wharves to the office. decided that mar
yelous as it was, it was true; but the
reader has as much right to judge as 1
The Noranmore., its captain and stewart
lie at the bottom of the Black Sea, and
if the story is true the latter is happy
to have found the end of his story as
have of mine.