The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1901-07-06


ONCE She had wisdom enough 70 con
hde her plans TO no one. misleading
Mr. Bishop TO think that she had
friends In the country TO whom she
was going What she did she did
quickly, and not many days later she
found herself nearing her destination.
A forlOrn place enough, In spite OF the
grandeur OF the eternal hills and the
beauty OF a Californian spring. There
were plenty OF deserted shanties. she
might have one for the taking. but for
all that. she was glad she had brought
a tent The heaps Of earth reminded
her Of the abandoned redoubts In her
native county. the battle field OF two
armies. In the War OF Secession. The
Last Chance mine was merely a hole
In the hill. with a derrick and engine
above II. Fortune did not appear 70
smile here. and Mrs Lowry's heart
sank to her heels. The good -natured
teamstsr who had packed her and her
outtt from the nearest town. halted a
stones throw from the we'll which
supplied the camp with water, and
pitched her tent. She bad partly con
ided In him. and he had regarded her
with wonder and pity.
Il wish you luck. marm." he said.
There's plenty OF government land
hereabouts. but nobody amt found no
gold TO pay. 'ceptin' at the Last
Chance. and that amt no bonanza.
He left her thus. with his blessing.
and drove on. as he said, 10 swap
lies with Mr.. Mccarthy" manager and
part owner OF the Last Chance Mine.
He did not say that at least half his
errand was 10 tell Mrs. Mccarthy Of
the new arrival The news brought
that warm hearted Irishwoman over
at once. urged somewhat by curiosity.
but chiefly by kindness
And It's hunting for a mine ye
sre?" she said. Whoever heard OF
the like, Well. wish you luck.
though sure they say there's no pay
dirt In these hills at all "
Just then little Jack, who had been
examining the interior Of the tent
which he regarded as a fine new toy.
hearing voices. came out 10 inyestl-
gate Mrs Mccarthy spied him aud
broke on In her speech. on, the
pretty bye. come here, me darInt
Sure and ia A. like as two peas that
he is 20 me own Terrence. the bye l
lost ran years ago last June
For. day after day. Mrs Lowry
tramped over the hills. or sat on rock
lodges chipping at them 10 no pur-
pose. while Jack gathered flowers. or
berries. or picked up pine cones and
cracked the pinons he found therein.
She had bought him little hammer.
and he did as he saw her do. pecAed
at the quartz lodges, now and then
with the idea that he was rendering
Efficient help
Good Mrs Mccarthy worried over
her. and neighbored her to the extent
OF her power Only Mr. Mccarthy
never lost faith In her ultimate sue
cess
Il was but few days later that
she was returning to camp. worn
out. and discouraged BY long hours
OF fruitless search. She sank down
TO resi- Tor a few minutes at the foot
OF a great sequoia. oh, Ood.' shs
prayed silently. Let the end come.
cannot 20 home 70 eat the bread OF
dependence n die. Mrs, MCCARTHY
will be glad u have my boy 30
absorbed was she 10 her bitter
thoughts. that she did not miss the
child whom she never let DOT OF her
siEht. until recalled to herself BY the
sound Of his voice at a distance.
Mamma. Mamma. come quick" he
cried
She started TO her feet. terrified
The call came again. but the voice
was eager eKulting. not that OF
friEht. aud In moment more he
came running to her. his hand full OF
cleaning quartz.
Look. look. he cried. See. l nave
found some rocks Just like the speci-
men Al home on the dining room man
tel, These are gold. amt they
lie pilotsd her 20 the place where
a ledge three feet wide cropped out
Of the hillside. and behold. the white
rook vas sparkling With yellow where
the little hammsr had peohed rs sur
face She broke Oh a. much OF the
stons as she could carry. filling her
satehel. then covered the fractures
With earth and pine needles. aud has
tened back to camp.
When Mr.. Mccarthy saw the speci-
-
struck Il rich. and no mistake. That
rock will be- afther yielding more
thin $40 to the ton. I'm thinking
Now don't ye tell a living sowl about
u. aud hide thin specimins until we
stake our claims. and have thin en-
tered all right" lie lost no time aud
four claims. one In Mrs lsowry's
name. one In Jacks. a third In his
own. ana a fourth In that OF his wife
were amply secured before anyone
else in camp even suspected the md.
much less knew where II was.
Then there was a rush for the 10
cality. and once more men with pick
axes swarmed over the hills. tearing
up the earth in the frantic search for
gold II was all in vain The Little
lack. like the Last Chance. had no
branches and the four claims had
been staked so iuiicIously that they
protected the lode TO well within the
mountain.
The ore assayed even more than
Nr Mccarthy expected. and Mira
Lowry went back to San Francisco
with comfortable balance In bank.
and a half interest In a paying mine.
with the satisfaction OF knowing that
her partner. though shrewd. was hon
est 20 the core.
And now miners In the Sierras tell
nor STORY a. "a bright aud shining eK-