Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-02-10
an HAD HIS CHANCE.

I oou, h-ys then, but l didn't. had
the MOI -. too. at that time. Last
spring this same corner was assessed
for twenty thousand Funny how we
overlook opportunities, isn't it,"
well, It's peculiar. I'll admit" said
the patent lawyer when he had select
ed one Of the long, dark weeds and bit
of the end. Nbut wouldn't be so rash
rs to say it is funny.
Nov. as a boy" he continued,
scratching one of the druggists safety
matches on the box, II used to blame
my paternal grandfather for his abb
surd lack of foresight He didn't
know that Chicago was going to grow.
He came through here in the '30s with
a span Of likely oxen and a wagon
Somebody wanted his outfit and Of
fered him what is now the First ward
for it. But the old gentleman couldn't
see any bargain in that The mud was
about seven feet deep and grandpa
hadn't a prophetic eye. So he kept
on and anchored for life at Arlington
Heights"
That's why you are in the patent
business now?" asked the druggist
Probably. But | don't blame grand
sire so much as | used to. I've over
looked one or two good things myself.
/ might have been Pittsburg billion
aire Ever bear of the Mesaga iron
range?
81 might have owned half of that.
at was the winter of the big snow
you've heard about--in the early sos"
continued the patent attorney. Snow
was six feet deep all over these parts,
and / was in Ashland, Wis, up on
Lake Superior. Might as well have
been at the north pole. II was case
of snow bound all right, but not in a
poetical sense. There was only one
railroad into that town then, and 1t
went out of commission early in the
season. No steamers, either. Ice,
snow, wind, billiards and lots OF them.
"But plenty to eat. you know. All
kinds of venison and fresh whitefish,
and an abundance of fuel. There was
nothing but woods in that region then.
MacGurrin and / split up our own pine
slabs for the little stove In our room
In the boarding house.
"MacGurrin was bully fellow. He
was a civil engineer, an expert on
mines and a prospector to boot. He
was Scotch and a reformer in his own
way. He had an eccentric idea that
there was too much liquor in Ashland
and so he started in to keep Others
out of temptation. He was booze
punisher and no mistake.
Zone event Mac came up to the
room all tanked UP. l pulled off his
boots for him and got him into bed,
as had done numerous times before.
"'Jarvers,' he said, you're all right.
I like you. Jarvers. I'll make you
rich man mex spring. You know the
Mesaga-' And he went to sleep.
81 thought he would forget all about
1t by morning, but | was wrong there.
When he woke up at noon his head
was clear, and he remembered every
word of his promise. He told me all
about the Mesaga range. He was dead
suro there were unlimited fortunes in
1t. He was perfectly right, too. There
were millions in it then and there are
yet. He'd been out prospecting the
fall before and had found 1t himself.
He was absolutely the first man who
ever knew about 1t. He had gone over
the territory in a rough way through
the wilderness, all alone. Then the
early fall had driven him back to Ash
land. The next summer he had made
up his mind he was going to make a
thorough job of 1t and to make his
fortune at the same time. There was
too much for one man and he offered
me half the work and half the re-
ward"
"Say," said the druggist. why don't
hear about your giving away public
libraries and universities and buying
up legislatures and a seat in the senate
and titled sons-in-law? I know about
that Message range. You ought to be
doing stunts, like Rockefeller and Car
negie and the rest of our national he
roes, you ought"
EYES," said the patent attorney, 81
ought. but you can see that | am not.
Well, what MacGurrin told me made
my eyes stick out some. was game
For many a week there while Ashland
was showed in we talked over our
plans.
"You see, Mac was bachelor and
rather a wild chap. with no friends
anywhere. But long before the snow
had begun to melt In the big woods
the way was opened up to the south
and made bee line for little town
in southern Wisconsin. Yes, there was
q woman in the case-my wife, and q
couple of kids besides. or course ex-
pected and promised to return right
away. One thing and another, how
ever, delayed me and before / could
get back-oh, pshaw! What's the use?
But poor old Mac!"
Il would infer from your tone Of
voice." said the druggist, "that your
friend Mr. MacGurrin was eaten up by
wolves or that be froze to death. Am