Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-20
a Dream Of Gold
And What Came of 1t
By MARY H. COATES.
M f MUST get out of here-the
Wv sooner the better-that's al


sign of color have 1 ever found on
hat claim
Jim King looked across the gulch
20 4.Prize Bar. claim, which, in the
wake of the latest gold stampede me
kad hastily staked; and to which, in
his haste and premature excitement,
te had brought his family.
Prize Bari We ought to have
FAMED it Prize Humbug,'" he NUT
cred from his seat on a log doing
hair duty, and absently tossed bits
# twigs and fir cones into the camp
ire as he summed up their situation.
s'Don't fret, DEAR" said his wife,
observing his downcast looks as she
anne from the tent where she had
,een putting the children to sleep.
Things may not really be as bad as
hey appear"
Couldn't be worse; grub nearly
gone, money, too, and I've rustled
among the boys for job, but none
If them really need a roustabout.
20, couldn't be worse"
20, yes, they could-but finish your
oipe, and come to bed. It's dark now.
out you know light comes in the
norning-who knows? sleep often
helps the brain to solve knotty
sroblems."
The flames of the campfire fared
up fitfully, giving weird, white high
lights to the trunks of the frs in the
shadow; and above, their plumed tops
we're yelled, in haziness by the wan
nag moon.
Under the influence of the balsam-
laden fragrance that foated up from
the fir boughs spread deep over the
tent floor, the remembrance of their
harassing situation faded from Mrs.
Kings mind. The tired body found
rcst, and the weary brain was soon
luffed to sleep; but the dream-mind
Gtsed on, here and there, weaving
mountain, forest and campfire into a
daedalous met work, which gradual
" narrowed, through the dream
alembic, to fixed distinctness; and the
moonlight on the stretching frtops,
the hollow blackness beneath and
the glowing Goals became a sunlit
valley, a dark cave and down in its
depths glittered crystals-globules-
what2 The brightness of them
pierced her eyes.
With start she awoke and saw the
morning sun shining straight into the
tent through tiny opening in the
folds of the fly. ''Well! What
dream of gold it was!-and woven of
nothing but sunshine. 1t must GER
tainly portend good luck-but. from
earth or sky-which, I wonder-that's
the point. o, for dream book! My
kingdom for dream book!" she said
under her breath, then louder: Jim,
are you there?"
"Yes, and breakfast is nearly
ready You were all sleeping so
soundly I thought 1 wouldn't disturb
you; but it's late enough
well. be there in few minutes.
Come. children, breakfast is ready
Doesn't the coffee smell good?" and
the quietness of the tent was at an
end-drowned in the children's laugh
ing chatter.
Breakfast" called CHEEKY voice
again, and they trooped out. After
all had been served, Mrs. King went
to the fire and began marking in the
cool ashes with a long stick.
''Jiln, is there valley anywhere
near that runs along so? High noun
tsins on this side, and scattered fir
trees on this ridge, and over here a
great spur of rocks that dips into the
ehaparral below?" She illustrated
with the right hand and with the left
carefully held her blue calico skirt
back from the fire.
'sOf course" he answered, care
tessly.
Really? Truly?" She spoke
eagerly, yet doubtfully.
Certainly. You have pictured Bear
canyon quite correctly. 1t is over be-
yond that peak where you see a
broken tree standing alone. Why.
what of it?"
'Just this: I saw it in my dream
last night; and I'm going to ask you
to go over there and hunt for cave
and"
20, yes, I know" anticipating her
recital. "Cave, gold, pocket nuggets
In sand ridge, um-wealthy, healthy.
and happy ever after" checking off
with his fingers and ending in half
trilied bar from a popular mining
Song.
"Well.' you'll CO." ignoring the
TRUSTS.
81 think not. In fact, no use to go.
There's no cave there"
s-Yes, my dear, there is" confident
" smiling.
no, Emily, there's no cave in that
canyon. Have some more coffee?~ as
5 he poured second cup for himself
and set the smoke-blackened coffee
boiler on fresh Goals.
sSBut, jim? If 1 saw the valley cor
reetly in my dream, why should not
E see the cave correctly, too?" she
persisted.
ST agreed to the valley; but to the