Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-23
GRUB STAKED.
BY kINessuRY WEIGH.

I1opNtlGAt. lslss hN American HrcSS ASSO~
ciation.l
jessie" said Tom Wuliston when
she refused him. IF ever you get in a
hole come TO me to pull you out"
That's very noble or YOU, Tom,"
she replied.
"Goodby."
"Goodby."
Ten years passed. Jessie Mason be-
came Mrs. Ashley, and her husband
proved a ne'er-do-wclL Everything
he touched turned 10 dIOss. and. being
OF speculative disposition. he con-
cluded 10 go to the mining regions OF
the west and endeayor 10 gain for
tune all at once. Taking his wife and
children, he went TO the Silver State.
There he spent a year at frultlcss pros
pecting and was about at the end OF
his rope when n strike was made very
near n claim he was working. There
was now a chance for success pro-
vided he could develop his claim.
Not having means while doing so TO
keep his family from starvation. he
tried to get funds from those who had
struck the neighboring vein; but they,
knowing of his condition and believ-
ing that he must soon abandon his
claim for them to pick up, refused
him Fl
one day Ashley told his wife OF the
straits he was in. Not only must they
abandon prospective wealth. but star
walton stared them in the face. Mrs.
Ashley remembered Tom Williston's
Mt
write him. She did so, telling her hus-
band that she wouId apply to an old
friend and they must wait n reply.
Whether the friend was man or wo-
man. relative or otherwise, she gave
no information. Two days after the
time required FOR reply she received
letter from her old lover containing
n check for double the loan she had
asked She had instructed the post
master to hold her letters, to be de-
llvered TO her personally, and her hus-
band knew nothing about the grub
stake till she had drawn the money
Her letter to Williston had been for
warded TO him at mining town not
fifty miles from where the Ashleys
were located. Ashley was too bent on
developing his claim TO trouble him
self about the source from whence
his wife had secured the money. He
worked more persistently than at any
thing he had ever undertaken and be-
fore his grub stalking had been eaten
up struck the vein that was paying so
handsomely near by.
The men. who had hoped he would
be starved out, on being convinced
that he had struck an extension OF
their lead" took him in for an equal
share in n company organized on the
whole property. This In two years
time made the Ashleys very rich.
- Jessie Ashley repaid Wiliston the
loan and made inquiries as to his
financial condition, learning that the
money he had sent her had come from
the sale of Il claim that had made the
purchasers wealthy. Her informant
reported that Willlston was I'm mod
crate circumstances, but that lie seem
ed TO care little for gold or silver.
Ashley, vice president OF the Stony
Gulch Silver company, as soon as
prosperity came put on all the airs OF
newly made rich man. Moreover, he
aspired to own all the silver property
that was valuable I'm the state. He
entered several claims OF known value.
In some using dummies, that II might
not be known he was buying in the
neighborhood, for if so he would be
forced to pay more for other claims he
wanted. 1t was reported that the title
OF one OF the most valuable Cs his
claims was disputed by another man.
He at once rode over TO a little mining
camp called Arlington TO look into the
matter. There be met the claimant.
became angcred with him and insulted
him.
I'LL make you proposition" said
the man coolly. You have called me
a rascal, thief, swindler and other in-
sulting names. For this 1 must have
satisfaction or leave the country, for
the people here would not respect me
If didn't get it. / propose that we
each sign quitclaim deed 10 the prop
erty and the man who lives takes both
deeds"
Ashley was somewhat cooled by the
proposition, but could not very well
decline it. Duels under the code were
unknown among the rude people OF the
west, such affairs usually being set
tied on the moment 1t was agreed
that the principals, each armed with
six shots, walk a mile, the one up, the
other down, the road, return, and
when they met they were to com
mence firing.
Your nameT' asked Ashley.
"Williston. And yOursT'
Ashley"
WillistOn turned pale Ashley looked
at him curiOusly, but as Willston
recovered his outward equanimty
thought no more about It. The two
men separated and started i'm different
directions. On their return they met
near their starting point. awaited by
a crowd Of spectators Ashley fred
first Williston stopped. shuddered.
fired i'm the air and fcil
Ashley returning. told his wife Of