Gilpin observer., 1909-12-02
jim THE JOKER

on the subject of mines. Big ASSAYS.
large mill returns, strikes, possible
quick fortune made the susceptible
realize on these "rumors," he never
confessed.
By some process or other (probably
by the use of gold foil or gold paint)
Jim rugged out two pieces of common
granite that would have defied an
expert. The gold fairly stared one in
the face. 1t was sight to drive an
old miner or prospector crazy with
a desire to 'be in" on the discovery.
Jim first tried it on railroad man,
just to see the effect. He bit to the
extent of one hundred dollars worth.
That is, he would give that amount
to be placed one mile from the find.
The Joker had no use for the money.
The man was told to keep his change
that he might need it.
Then an old miner was let it on
the secret. He went in the air in
minute. He wanted to locate the prop
erty Immediately. No, the claim be-
longed to another. Well, he was will
ing to jump it. No; that was not
right. They must wait until the mans
rights to it ran out, which would not
be till such and such time. The
old miner finding he could do nothing
hunted up the owner CT the claim
and told him Of the rich find. The
assessment was done Immediately.
The miner meant to be on one side
or the other. Well, Notwithstanding
the very rich specimens, others, any
thing like the joker exhibited, could
not be found. The old miner still had
faith.
Then the joker tried it on another.
This man was lately from Denver
His eyes fairly bulged at the sight
of the treasure. Why, the specimens
were worth fifty dollars each. He,
too. wished to jump the property
anything. Where did 1t come from?
The joker would show him. They
went to the mine dump not two miles
from Black Hawk. The joker assured
the Denver man that he procured the
specimens from the dump. With all
eagerness the city man raked the
pile Of refuse from top to bottom. No
matter, he would pick samples and
return to Denver. He created some
thing of sensation when he told
his story. A big company, which
makes it a business to investigate
rumors Of the kind would have had
their experts on the ground in twenty
four hours. Assays Of the rock taken
to Denver showed not even trace
of gold
Meantime the reporter was let into
the secret. He was skeptical. Had he
been shown the rock by sunlight (this
is the only excuse he can make for
being taken in) he thinks he would |
not have been fooled. He told the |
joker that if there was anything to
it, Denver would be depopulated upon |
the announcement of the find of such |
rich ore. OF course the reporter wish
ed to stand next. He only wished to |
locate the adjoining property. OF !,
course he would be favored to that
extent. But he must keep quiet about
the affair until the time of the as
sessment had expired, then 1t would
be all right.
But the first man let in on the find
had gone over to the enemy. That
complicated matters, the Joker said.
He could not do anything now be-
cause the owner had worked his prop
erty.
Three men were rather upset at
the exposure made by the Joker. He
first confessed to the reporter that
1t was all joke. Things had become
serious; he must hedge in some way.
Upon the return Of the man from |
Denver confession was made that 1t |
was all a joke, played simply to
prove that the men taken in were
not SO wise as they would have Jim |!
believe.
The Denver man was Indignant and
resented the farce. Then there was
| meeting with the first victim and
notes were compared and they con-
cluded that the joker ought to have
been punished for his crime. crime
OF the deepest and most shameful
kind inasmuch as the joke was per-
petrated on friends. The two were
| highly indignant, while the reporter,
too, had his grievance.
1t was concluded that nothing could
be done except to shun the man who