The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-04-17

vAsh war-liks sstituda n Ean -
- the red shirt marched bold1y - ~
where Ira stood A huee. hairy -
shut OF Ira's view to Everything but
The same menacing fist. and tUe glow
sring eyes. "You. you varminti You
Did red tub! Think you're playing q
nigh hand jumping my claim h the
light o. day? Say, oM wad, just
perambulate yourself and that fe-
male. and the crest Of the kit oh'n
Sarrilege Claim. fore we s.sriflce two
siily old Yankees. Mosey, now!"
Alfred Deremer rolled forth the
words in a fierce tone; his personage
fairly radiated wrath. and Ira Brooks.
judging from the unstesdlness Of his
knees, firmly believed an earthquake
was rocking the whole Of Ruby Hin.
Thoughts OF his own danger vanised.
however, as shrill voice drowned out
the bass growls of Deremer and
Heehe.
jumping on your claimi Jump
ing on Sacrilege Claim! Impudent.
boorish savage! How dare you ac-
cuse me of jumping? II I did jump
on your claim. how could hurt it?
Ira. Ira Brooks. this creature has
insulted me. He tells me that
jump! That l jump, Ira Brooks!"
saw, you amt so cute, madam. Tell
me what that there hole in the ground
means? Amt you smart easterners
trying to get in on good thing
here?" queried Albert Heehe.
''Get on a good thing? Oh. oh, and
right here at my feet lies dear brothe..
Jacob! Insult me over my own
brothers grave? Rude, unthinking
wretch"
Brother Jacobs grave?" interject-
ed Deremer, who had been listening
to Jane Ellen's TRADE. Heehe caught
his partners eye, and the two sud-
denly lost their bellicose air.
"My brother, Jacob o. Marley, lies
buried here, and Mr.. Brooks and are
taking his body out Of this unconse-
Grated desert. Now, sirs, is that any
of your business? l say"
But madam"
"Why-er-er" began the two pros
pectors in the same breath, but CON
fusion got the better.kof them, and
they looked strangelysdocile as COM
pared with the authoritative desper-
ADDE'S of moment previous.
"Of course, you are ashamed, sirs.
The idea of accusing lady Of jump
ing, in what way you mean, cannot
imagine. Oh, my dear Jacob! Poor,
forsaken brother-that should find
him lying here!"
You tell her, Bert" whispered De-
remer, loudly.
"Can't-you break the news" an
swered Heehe.
Muttering tragic swell, here
goes" Deremer explained just how it
happened that Jacob o. Marlcy's me-
mortal slab did not mark the site of
his own grave, but the northeast cor
ner of their Sacrilege Claim.
Jane Ellen Brooks stared at the
men in mute horror. To steal head
stone from grave was quite beyond
her Immediate comprehension; to
realize that it was her own, brothers
grave that had been robbed was
frightful shock to Jane.
"Then, pray tell us, gentlemen,
where we may find Jacob o. Marleys
body" The words came in sar-
castle wheeze from the portly ira.
Neither one of the partners had
the faintest idea which grave in ca
lamity plot was occupied by Marley.
"You shall be arrested! Impris-
oned for life, vandals, ghouls! Oh.
my beloved Jacob. lost forever, for
ever! And in such an ungodly spot!
Oh, dear, oh. dear!" moaned Mrs.
Brooks.
While this scene was being enacted
on the surface, the two men digging
for the remains of Jacob o. Marley
had been unusually quiet. Now one
of them pitched up shovelful of
quartz, saying: Lady, they amt no
corpse here, far as I can see; but
say, you Deremer, what d'you call
that fer rich stuif?"
Deremer and Heehe, always on the
alert for specimens, picked up some of
the rock. and what did they see but
fecks of yellow gold, freely speaking
the quartz. Jane Brooks, her hus-
band, and her hopelessly buried
brother were forgotten. The part
ners danced rafting breakdown.
huggcd one another rapturously, and
took on like foolish school-boys.
'W-what ails them, Ira? Have they
been drinking? | say, have those
creatures been drinking, Ira Brooks?'
Albert Heehe answered James in.
dignant question: "No, you bet |
amt drunk, madam. llurrah for you!
Look here, did you ever see gold
quartz to beat the likes o. that?
We're rich. and YOU say, you didn't
find no buried brother, but the richest
gold mine in all Nevada!"
So carried away was Heehe that he
actually embraced the trembling, hor.