Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-10-20

q lCllSI 1IOlu LICK. OuOFu Oh euQedr-
ing epithets and caressing phrases, the
letter said that he was off to the west.
the land of mines, and was determined
that "a mine will soon be mine, and
then you shall be mine again. Always
and forever thine. Dick"
Frances spent an hour in reading
those portions of the letter which we
have omitted, and then plunged into the
delights of shopping with her mother,
for Dick would find his mine and she
might as we'll prepare for the wedding
now, and while her mother shopped
with Mr.. Wyndham in mind, she could
feel it was for Dick.
Such implicit confidence in Dick was
fiattering, but it was doubtful If such
faith in his abilities reposed in his own
mind. Equipped with prospector's
pack snd guide, he arrived at the little
hotel gear the Carstairs mine. He de-
cided 20 explore the country five miles
to the north of "Old Johns" mine and
so informed a miner who had struck
up an easy western acquaintance with
him.
Prospect them there hills to the
north. Why, by the six-shooter of Mo-
ses, yer crazy, pardner."
Why" demanded the crestfallen
Dick.
There amt no gold rocks there,
nav, not even good buildin' stone A
mans plumb leery-eyed foolish to pro-
spect them hills. Better strike a job
wOrkin' in the mines for Old John Car
stairs. Yer a chunky looking speci-
men, pard, and So a days good pay.
Come In" with a perk of his dirty
thumb over his shoulder "Come in,
pardner. the drink'll be on me-"
1t was not long before Dick discov-
cred that he couldn't tell gold ore from
a macadam roadway, and decided to
take the advice of his hospitable friend
with the thirst. Working in the mines,
he would learn enough about ores to
continue his prospecting trip. There
fore, it came about that Dick Leigh.
some time sutton for the hand of Fran
ces, was welding the pick in her ia
theirs mine.
Dick spent all his idle time wander
ing about the property adjacent to the
Carstairs mine, and discovered one day
that it had been staked out as a claim.
Bill, the friendly miner with the thirst,
FASTENED to reassure him.
Don't you worry, pardner, you amt
lost nothin'. 1 knows all about that
there claim, for I've broken more'n one
hammer tinkerin' round them rocks,
and by the broncho of 'Bimelich, there
no gold on the top of that claim. Nav,
nor for long trail down into the
ground neither. But, pardner, yer
good friend of mine, 1 like yer ways,
dye see, and I'll tell yer what'll be be-
tween yerself and me. old Johns
mine," lowering his voice cautiously,
lis likely to have a vein run down I'M
derneath that there new claim"
'Well, then," said Dick, I'VE are too
late"
NAV, nary bit. 'Tain't likely any
thing will happen for three or four
months yet, and they'll get enough of
that claim tore then"
This conversation occurred In late
April, when men were boring in the
new claim. There was excitement in
the camp, however, when it was ru-
mored that some paying ore had been
struck. 1t was later announced that
Wyndham, the mine owner, was talk
ing of buying the property as soon as
an official assay of the ore had been
made.
These were bitter days for poor Dick.
Old Bill would reassure him in his
hours of dependency. THAT there ore
won't assay worth a fioor-scrubber's
cusS yer'll see"
Even Bill was nOnplused by the later
news, that the ore had assayed remark
ably rich and that there was a rush to
buy. Il don't see how it happened.
That there assayer must be gone luny.
l saw some Of that ore myself and it
amt worth a quid of chewed baccy."