The daily Alaskan., 1904-03-22
AT THE BOTTOM
 OF HIS LUCK
toirlnaLI

In tatters his shoes were minus the principal part of uair soles, and of bis felt hat there was little left but the brlm. He had thrown or his hay ersack and laid lt on the lHiss beside him. It contained no food. for he had eaten the lust morsel that morning for breakfast But it did contain all the prospector possessed in the world-ten pounds Of guupowder and a magnify Ing glass. The former he kept to turn up ground. wherein he hoped gold might be hidden the latter to examine speci- mems Of ore.
 This was the letter he read;
 Dear Ted-I have had no word from you since your letter a month ago. which was full of despoudency. l hope you have done nothing rash. You say Colorado is full of sink holes commemorauug bishted hopes You must remember that there are a few holes commemorative Of the realiza- ti0n of wild dreams. There ls an old say- ing. "When you have put your hand Go Che blow never look back T am sorry that you felt constrained Go undertake
  luck in it. but. since you have, stick co what you have undertaken. Don't de- spaIr tiIl you have hunted an over the state Remember that prizes so to tho few. The commonplace goes Go the many l have agreed Co cast my lot with you, consequently ] 9artake Of your condition ! may not have been wise in doing SO. but have "put hvy hand to the blow. and Tu never look pack Your loving
 
 The young man folded the letter and put it ia his pocket. 'The mistake was in the beginning" be unused. "rhe old man wouldn't conseut>to an en- gagement on my going to work in the regular way because. be said, l would slave an my life. and if success came lt would not come for many years Meanwhile his daughter would be growing old. resolved to stake an in trying to make money in hurry. and have lost. But what splendid indi cation of character there Is in her let ter! l have mo right to keep her ted down to my hard luck tin her beauty is gone. and men, after al, are attract ed by beauty and sentiment There is good stun in Lucy, and she will make some man a treasure of wife. Be cause cant have her shall deny her to anotherg Shall ! be a dog in a manager? No. l have resolved what to do. and Tn do it. My clothes shall be found by the river bank Then, when she gets the news, she'll think of some one else, and there's plenty Of them wanting her.
 His eye lighting on a bit of earth which looked as 1T 1t might contain gold. be took his magnifyiug glass from his haversacl and mechanically exam ined the specimen. meeting with the usual disappointment. It contained gold. but not n paying quantity. With a sigh he hooked the handle of his magnifying glass on to twig that lay without the shude to watch, as he had often done before, the concentrated rays Of the sun move slowly along the surface of the ground The strong light mumincd the soil. revealing small particles of gold. The sun moved slow y, and the prospector was tired and discouraged. He fell asleep
 He was awakened by the smell of burning cloth His first act was to dap his hand to his pocket thinking hat he might have placed his pipe, Iehted iu It. The pipe was there, but .old. Next, he looked about him. On his haversacG was a round spot of bright light cast from the sun through he magnifyiug glass. and a thin film lf smoke indicated that the hayersack was burning. Then he remembered the mpowder
 Several things passed rapidly through he prospector's miud-drst and fore most. that hc would be blown to atoms; secondly. that bona Gde death would euder sham one necessary; thirdly, Lat if he escaped being killed a gun owder sham death would sound more rohablc than a drowning one; at any ate lt would be more original These arce transitions of thought occupied lu, second -a second of nacuon-the IoXt be was on his feet and in two or three more some distance from his laycrsack knocling behind a big stone.
 He was none too soon There was an explosion that threw him on his back md he lay for awhile stunned Then he stood up and viewed a great hole where the explosion had taken place.
 'Now." he said lugubriously, i've got to the bottom of my luck. Ten pounds Of good blasting powder, a rag ged haversack and a first rate magni- flying glass gone mp in smoke. Well, it's better to be at the bottom than the top; at the top you're sure to fall at the bottom you can only rise"
 The force of habit led him to examine the hole Taking up a piece of quartz that had been blown out Of 1t he looked 1t over. It was a mixture of pure gold and rock in proportions of about half and half The moment be saw what it was a light of gladness shone in his face. He was transfgured. Then he began to kick dirt and dry leaves into the hole. not stopping till be had GOV cred it. After this he went to the tree under which he had lain and carved his initials, looking carefully about him and taking note of his surroundings His next move was to wrap his nugget In his ragged coat, and. having taken ooro of oy-arvthfncr hn gnf off fo o town