The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-04-29

canyon is carried on in a half-serious
manner.
Their nearness to the roadway gave
the three men a glorious opportunity
to indulge in pranks, for aftcl the
gold excitement began there we're
many travellers, sometimes on foot,
sometimes on horseback but more
often in covered wagons Tie cabin,
the timhers, and ne durlp pile ot the
ioviai prospectors ware invisible
rom he road aad adny : ploddins
aGEer.urer they scared out of his wits
wi.h stuffed bearskin or Indian
heaI dress One of their favorite
DastilLes was to sprinkle bits of mica
in a trail beside the road to catch the
eye of the inexperienced gold seekers.
# this trail was followed up over the
rocks and bushes, the bearskin and
head-dress did much better service.
Nothing was greater fun than when
some party camped near them for the
night. The alarmed victims must
have expected each moment to be de-
Voured by the ferocious beasts that
made the air hideOus with shrieks and
howls.
One July day the threG men were
ieisulely working at the shaft Two
above were at the windlass pulling up
the bucket as it was we'll fielled with
rock by the third below 1t was one
of those gentle days so common in
the mountains. wher only The creek
disturDs the silence and the sky
stretches from range to range in one
fiawless sheet Of blue, the sun intOl-
erably hot, but cool in the shadow of
any tree or rock, and enOw always 10
ba seen The younger Of the three,
lazily leaning on the windlass, saw
down the crooked canyon a pedestrian
coming along the road The pilgrim
had the conventional bundl1 swung
on a stick over his shoulder, and pick
and shovel. Unlike others, however,
he did not pursue his course with the
dogged air of one having !. iiAeu Ges-
tinIiaiion, but stopped at times and
craned his neck to look up either side
of the canyon. The young man called
his companions attention to the trav-
eler and together they watched him
Several times he put down his l'urclC,
r-e7nt Up among the rocks and peered
about. At such times he would pick
up a rock or two-sure sign of pros
pector. AS he neared them and kept
intently ]0olsins up, ,le men caught
his eye and beckoned to him. He
forthwith left the road and came di
rectly to where they stood.
; IN Colorado during the early days
personal appearance was ilnot stand
= r;oi,, -t,- 1,1,t q
glance at the man who stood before
r the prospectors on that July day be
5 trayed every secret Of his origin anC
D.. purpose. Where else do such fai
rudiy chdsk6 and ouon serious, blue
, eyes grow, where else do they croI
| their hair short below the ears OF
! wear such caps, except in the Father
D land? His chubby form was stuffed
: into blue shirt and leans that shove,
p tur lille wear. His pick and shove
: were brand new. No further evidenc;
i was needed to the two men, nor t.
) the third. who had emerged from .h'
l. shntt 20 view the visitor; he was
e tenderfoot, landed by some emigran
o train at the mouth of the canyon, an,
Il who was attracted hither by the maj
Il velous reports of gold discoveries
6 How'd ao?" said Tom, the young
r est of the miners.
W The Dutchman, without altering hi
n grave countenance, nodded to each G
the three men separately.
% (which way?" asked Sam, after
D few moments o. oppressive silence j
y which the traveller seemed bereft c
II speech To any one but a tenderfoc
&c the question would have been neet
d less. Pilgrims Of the early west a
d ways volunteered such information.
IS q pc lool1in for a COLT mine wa
At the reply. We're viii / fint ore$'
! The miners looked each other
IL the eyes for an instant. Then eac
Il turned as if to perform trivial dut
~ In reality, it was to prevent an &
- most irrepressible explosion of lauG
- ter. The strain was te:rihl" The
- grew red in the face, and sno
Il from one would have set them g
~ bowling. Several minutes passed b
10 fore they dared look at each other,
- This was the opportunity for o
~ Phineas. He was the arch Joker
- the three, with face as grave as I
49, ancient monk. this unnatural spec
- men of ripened age could play pranl
- and practical jokes with an earnes
~ ness that disarmed the victim of {
suspicion When the case was pa
ticularly choice Phineas was give
~ perfect freedom with It. and lie nev
disappointed his generous partner
n Sam and Tom then awaited with
" half-formed laugh in their throats f
he Phineas to answer the Dutchmar
IA query.
Friend" said Phineas, in an he
he est. confidential tone, placing l
lis hand upon the visitors shoulder, ~
nd are in search of a gold mine. S
ng them two big pines that grow side d
side across the canyon tnere?"
lis The Dutclman nodded.
ho Six feet behind that n on the lt
ey you'll find it, That's the place to dig
tn alright. | vas opliged.' and t
,x- Dutchman, who had kept his pick a
ry shovel on his shoulder, started off.
ad "Wait. friend, said Phine;
ey "There's no use hurryin'. Stay {
Oh eat with u.s. it's purity near dim
- time
~ az cannot" answered the Dutchms
- picking his way down the rude pa
-, II pc in a hurry