Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-07-12
MY NUGGET
[Original.l

finally settled into encouragement and
q decision to go home as poor as had
come. This did not relish, for 1 had q
girl there whom had left several years
before with a lordly scorn at her sug-
gestion that / should settle down to
hard work at home, with her to keep
house for me and do the hewing of
wood and drawing of water. l would
go west, make fortune. and she would
have a corps of servants to do the hew-
ing and the drawing.
/ gathered up my camp kit, put my
pick on my shoulder and started off in
in my mind what to do. At home there
was poverty with Sara; where l was,
there was poverty alone 1t was
pride that made me irresolute about re-
turning. Passing a cleft in some mix
ed rock and earth, prospecting instinct
was still strong enough in me to induce
Almost Immediately 1 took out mug
get which from its looks l judged
might be worth $1,000 or $4,000 All
my wild dreams required to me, and
dug on, expecting to make strike;
but, though l spent several days at the
work, / found no more gold in paying
quantities. Then resolved to go home,
1 came to this resolution in the even
ing and after scratching my initials on
my nugget went to sleep. The next
morning it was gone. Some one pass-
ing must have seen me sleeping and
robbed me-
| had thrown aside a few Jumps
from my hole for more careful inspec
ton and now examined them, finding
three of aggregate value sufficient to
pay my expenses to the east. l was
still determined to go home.
In the stagecoach that was to take
me to the railroad among the passen-
gers were two who were noticeable, a
staggering miner with a pistol strap
ped to each hip and a diminutive trav-
cling parson. The miner admitted that
he carried $4,000 worth of dust in his
belt and would like to see the man
who would get it away from him.
The parson was beside himself with
dread lest road agents should attack
us, starting at every sound from with
out The miner was telling how he
had once beaten off half a dozen rob-
bers single handed when a shot was
heard, the driver came tumbling from
the box and the coach came to sud
den stop. A single masked highway
opened it with his left hand, while in
his right he held a short cooked rifle,
and ordered us to alight one by one
This precaution he doubtless took be-
cause he was alone.
The miner, being nearest, was order
ed out first. He stepped out nimbly
enough. The robber took off his re-
volvers and slung them by the belt
over his own shoulder, then ordered
him to disgorge. The miner handed
him lump which at glance l recog-
nized as my nugget. | got out next.
then the others, except the parson.
whD shrank into a corner whimpering:
Spare me- my good man! Oh, spare
me! I'm man of God. with but a
few dollars"
''Come out o. that" roared the rob-
Der. cor I'll make hole in your
This threat seemed to throw the lit
tie parson into spasm of fear. He
still shrank back, piteously begging the
robber to spare his life. The robber
put his head and shoulders into the
stage. seized him by the collar and was
dragging him roughly out, the rifle
meanwhile being lowered, when we
heard shot, and the robbcr rolled
back on to the coach steps face up
ward There was small round hole in
ooZed.
The quickest change ! ever saw in
my life was in the parson. He was
bending forward with a smoking Der
ringer in his hand which he had held In
his sleeve and with which he had,
quick as a flash, shot the robber. Seeing
the latter quite dead. he sprang forward,
kicked the body down on to the ground,
and ordered me to go to the horses
heads and unloosen the reins, which
We're tied around a forward wheel;
then, as the miner stopped to take his
pistols from the dead robber. the par
son dragged him back by the collar
and in a twinkling clapped a pair of
bracelets on his wrists.
Jim Maxey," he said to his prisoner,
II came up from Denver for you.
You're wanted for the Simpson rob-
berry"
The effect OF this sudden change was
reviying TO al save Maxey. who was
sullen enough. | told the detective that
the nugget the thief had passed to the
road agent was mine, and he said that
l could have it if could prove prop
erty. This was easy, for had only to
mention the mark | had put upon It,
He examined il and gave me my prop
erty ar ONCE, being convinced that
owned it and not caring to put me to
the delay and risk of getting II after
his prisoner was turned in
In another week was at home, and
when / told Sara that / had sufficient
capital with which to begin the world
the practical girl declared that ii was
more than she ever expected l would
bring back. My nugget agreeably dis
annojntad me- nv bringing ST 9OO