Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02

covered in the streams, as so much OF 1t
was in California and the Klondike. comes
from the mountains and was lodged there
by commissions of nature in bygone days
The theory Of the mother lode is that IN
those commissions great quantities OF gofd
were deposited in the mountain ranges and
that what the average miner finds is that
part that has been washed down by the
water. Sounds plausible enough, doesn't
it?
Zone who has set his mind on reaching
the great fountain head Of the stream OF
gold is thoroughly convinced that some
where back in the mountains, where the
mining explorations have not yet been
made. lies the great deposit. To be sure.
he might pick and wash here in the stream
and gather together enough to give him
fair competence for life; but why potter
about with the small things when there.
just above lies wealth that would make OF
him a modern Midas?
Ever hear of Lem HOLSTER? I first met
Lem in California. and found him hot on
the trail Of the mother lode-so he thought
Placer mining was not very profitable then
1T had been played out. I didn't know
much about the mother lode theory then;
nobody did, l guess, for 1t was something
new. Lem had picked up the theory some
where. and he was sure 1t would pay MIN
in the end.
HE was a secretive cuss. Lem was. He'd
work at placer mining for quite spell,
never saying anything to us, but always
seeming to be thinking lot. When he d
mine. whether he'd worked 1t out or not,
and away he'd go up in the mountains,
alone. He seemed to think he could dis
cover the mother lode without assistance;
he didn't want to have to divvy with any
one. OF course he never found 1t. When
his stake was gone he'd come back and dig
In again to make another.
''Next time I saw Lem was at Nome. l
was one of the first ones to go there from
the states. but Lem was there ahead OF me
We staked claims in the same locality and
Lem worked faithfully. and did well.
you'll soon have enough laid by to
make you independent I said to him one
Eyes. I'm doin' fairly well, considerin'."
he said.
lode up here, do you? asked.
Not il I keep diggin. away here, he
replied, somewhat sourly, I thought. won
dered then If he still chung to his crazy
idea, but didn't say any more. A few days
later he disappeared I felt pretty certain
as to where he'd gone. I'd heard others
talking Of finding the mother lode In the
Klondike.
Zone day several months later I met
HOLSTER in Dawson. His first expedition
had failed; he had returned, made another
stake and was going out again. HIS recent
experiences had told on him: he didn't look
fit for another journey into those unknown
Lem told him. don't you be fool
row. You're getting on fairly well here
and you ought to be satisfied
Fairly we'll! he sneered.
BETTER than lots of the boys l argued.
What you've got doesn't look big here. but
down in the states 1t will. You won't have
to work any more If you live to be 150 II
you keep on at placer and hang onto your
findings
IT'S too slow and too hard, he replied.
4 might as well be working on the section.
I've looked into this mother lode matter
carefully, and my other searches have
taught me lot I'd be fool to give up
now. Why, I'm on the point Of finding 1t.
That's straight
.I might as well have argued with the
wind He never came back.
ST got pretty much interested In the
mother lode theory myself. but never got
the idea into my head that could find 1t.
Not I. I'd seen too many of its victims" .