La Junta tribune., 1908-03-21

eouba hing cut 'Nooeymusk' and Ds
xwanee hibt,~r' an git out'n de way
Ole Dan Tucker Ike Jasper could.
Zone Miss his Asidie sJiggi,in' away
Sut on de po'rh oh 4 summer eren.
-Four months after Issl.er's departure
from home stssri. travel stained black
man. slightly gray. walked slowly and
wearily up the trail leading TO Lew
and promising Rccky mountain miHin;
camp.
Ill. carried a little bundle tlei up In
Q red cotton handkerchief The out
lines Of violin could be traced with
in green cotton bag on bss back and
he gave his name. at the mouth OF n
shaft where lie stopped TO get drink
Of water. as Jasper Price.
We'll. old partner said the man
who gave him the drink OF water. YOU
look as II you had walked all the way
from Georgia
'-You done struck pretty close TO de
trewf. sah.- said Jasper ruefuiiy. rs
walked many weary miles oh de way.
an I'd "a done walked de hull OF 1t sf
II hadn't a been for dis yer eddie"
He had heard Wild stories Of the ease
and quiekness with which fortunes
were made In this mining camp. and
in his simplicity he almost expected
TO f,nd nuggets OF gold and silver un'
regarded ON the streets.
He found quite a different state OF
things People here had TO work hard
for their living. "A. elsewhere. only The
reward OF energy and industry Was
perhaps larger and more prompt than
in the older parts OF the country.
jasper could get no farther. and pres
entity he found himself possessed OF
some share OF the restless energy of
the people around him. His dormant
powers seemed to be aroused by the
spirit of activity. that was In the crisp
and exhllarailns mountain air.
No one could lie supInely Idle long In
such place as this great mininG
camp. Jasper was soon busy with aa
and saw and hammer, putting up lit
tie cabin for himself on II corner lot he
had siaked oct as his own.
When the cabin was done JASPER
nailed pine board over the door on
which was the one word .'LAwnDry-"
He could not read or write. but he had
induced an acquaintance among the
miners TO paint his sign for him.
Ia his spaxDodic hours OF industry
when at home Jasper used TO help his
wife with her daily washinxs and iron
ings and had In this way acquired
something OF the wonderful skill that
had given her the reputation OF heing
the finest launtress In nli the country
roundabout her home.
Since Jasper did not know bow to do
anything else. and ms there WIS
great demand for the one Industry In
which he had some skin. he had re
solved to open . laundry.
His success was great and immedi
ate. There were ss yet In the camp
very few women. and the prejudice
against Cinnamon was 70 great that II
was not safe for one Of that race TO
come Into camp.
Before the end Of the FIRST week Jas
per WIS 80 overwhelmed with work
that he hired = Poor boy who had
strayed into the camp as an assistant.
Another helper wns needed early In
the second week and stiii a third be-
fore the month was done.
jasper had hourishing business and
found II necessary to enlarge his
shanty- He developed a capacity for
business that he himself had never
suspected
His industry increased with his sue
cess. There was plenty OF money In
the camp. and II was not long before
Jasper wa. possessed Of ten times az
much money as he had ever seen he
fore. Moreover. his head was not turn
ed by his success.
He had queer habit OF going about
chuckling TO himself and saying: Il
mus write lettah one of desc days
for fac. I mus III. bet hit'li he
= mighty welcome iettah 10 lie pusson