New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03

t Pue tne eyes seemed enthralled by a wonder in
Inc tent roof. and the restless hands beat on
inen' gong to the little table by the tent pole
on winch the lantern stood he took from its
drawer paper bag of powder and some shot
battar 80 rus q rusty gun saying. Quail goes
ocCteE IMAM Deans, en-, Bill7' Leaving the bag
| open on the table, he went 70 the occTnied COT
vi W Ing the ceasele5sy beating hand and, turning
hiIeIl loT d moment with his head bowed low on
his brothers bed. Then blowing out the lam
he lay down his own +'
Inc restless hands beat ceaselessIv on The
trlckie of the vapOrous stream sounded IOud
III the outer stiffness, and the fanshed roar of
4 mountain lion, roaming the r0cELZ fastnesses
echoed round the hills and 1nournfullv moaned
! IIseI away into silence. and the beaming moon
S Sno1e p!acldIy on. on, on, though it were
AAeu forever Then indistinct mutterine
arose on the night, and struck on the listeners
cara nuttering of fra gTnents without sense
VI sequence winch gradually rose to a frenzed
9 9Htt+A anu aTrestlng his beating heart, caused
Unky TO leap from his cot. crying flush
WINE hush! He struck match and fumbed
as ne bent over the lantern on the table but
MS hands trembled so that the match went out
ana, as ne cast II glowing aside il dropped into
the paper bag. and a mighty Missing flame
leaped out from the table and lii nm the tent
Tor moment with its binding light There
was me sound OF crashing fall and the air
was charged with a sufocating smoke but the
to the silent night
The moonlight waned and the SIN peaned m
from behind the hills, and glanced through the
wide open mouth of the tent on the form of a
e elack stunned devil or man he sat on the
moor within he was listening to the raving
voice. ana rapidly striking match after match
from box which he held in his hand then
curslng them and throwing them flaming AWAY
Taking the last remaining match from the box
ne struck it. and held il downward until the
flame burned his fingers Then the bIanL ex
preston on his sightless face was horrible to
see Dropping the box he gropingly crept to
me place whence the raving came, and, sezing
a beating hand, cried:
BILL help mel" But the voice ravinp on he
rose 70 his fSet, and, suddenly grasping the fig
u ure on the bed, raised it in his arms and shook
II with fearful force, crying out, Hold your
cursed noise and listen. will you?"
But as suddenly he dropped IT, and gently I'M
said: '
Poor old Willie. what a beast amr' and.
kneeling by the cot he sobbed aloud as Though
IN torturing pain Then he crept TO the place
where the water had stood, and gropinr with
trembling hands, seized in his grasp an over
turned pail and the gardeners line. Taking the
line, he tied its end TO the tent pole, and Crept
grooming and writing from the tent paying out
the line as he went until the stick on which it
was rolled was bare in his hands. Then. pulling
the line taut, he scratched with his fingers in
the sun baked soil until his nails were broken
anu torn, ana planted the stick in the hole so
made Guided by the line. he crept back once
more and, unfastenins it from the tent pole
tied II round his waist, grasped up the bucket
and began 10 describe a creeping circle over the
uneven rocky ground His Journey occupied
iutcrminabIe time: innumerabIe sharp edged
powders rose in his way and barred his passage.
Often he seemed to lose his sense Of direction
and crawled here and there al random. and time
after time he sank on his chest and writhed and
inoaned as though IN mortal pain He reached
the stream bed, and. CirClinS round. strained
ILf me 70 llS tulIeSt stretch as ne felt vain
for the singing. triCklinE stream. Then he tied
the line TO his foot. and. lying on his face.
strcty he'd out his hands. straiuing and striving
until his arms seemed 10 crack and his fiat little
body 10 stretch 70 abnormal length He
touched the water and filled the bucket with a
scream OF JOY, and, turning, commenced 70
crawl again his endless torturing way He
reached the tent and Crept toward the ravinG
voice. Then he arose TO his feet, and feeling for
the sufferers head raised the bucket nearer
nearer until he heard the trckIe of the water
II passed 10 his brothers. throat. and 4 salts
fed sigh the lOlliuE head fell back. Then
Unky drank himself with bestial gIutt0uy.
InCalcUlable time passed away, but the raving
voice shrIeked ever on in the tent, While u form,
like that of tortured devil tied by cord to 4
peg In the ground kept moving. moving in
endless dizzy circle. while the flame Of IN
quenChable pain seemed 10 blaze from his sight
less eyes. Faster and faster the motion became.
willie, Willie, WilIier'
The form had risen, and shrieking the
name. waving its arms and CnashinE its teeth in
terrible frenzy and even IT rose tail gray
haired form in pajamas. with feveTed shining
eyes. appeared in the tent opening and madly
laughed il raised the rusty gun and drew 4
bead on the Circliug thing outside
There was report and cry of terror from n
party Of men as they rushed across the rudy
river bed and then little Unky Broncer was
madly struggling in the strong arms Of his
friend, George Fugard.
Every mining has heard OF the famous
Placer Mines, and the shares are still quoted on
the market. Few know the history OF the dis
covery. but what does that matter2-tBlack and
White