Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-14

! them friends and all suitors for Bess
Purdy's little brown hand!
Bess, working away at her house
| hold tasks in the motherless home,
grew more dreamy-eyed and wistfnl
as the days faded one into the other
| and no word came from the pros
| pectors.
| And then one night, after supper,
when the whole town sat gasping
upon the doorsteps, messenger
whirled madly down the main street
on dripping pony.
"A strike-a strike!" ran from lip
to lip and then it was learned that
the prospectors had indeed struck
gold in Rattlesnake Mountain
1.-THE richest vein hereabouts -
queerest thing that ever happened.
They was all four working at different
point and three of 'em struck the vein
| Il guess it run clean through the
mountain; the other fellow didn't get
a blamed thing for his digging!" re-
lated the messenger.
II reckon the other chaps will let
the unlucky fellow in on the claim,
remarked Purdy casually.
|
ceeding on his exciting journey down
made the find-they was all excite
ment. They'll be here tomorrow,
Purdy. with some stuff for you to
assay"
Bess and her father sat motionless
a long, time. At last the girl spoke.
II wonder who it was-the one who
didn't find anything" she murmured
half to herself.
81 was asking myself that Ques-
ton" said Mr.. Proudly thoughtfully.
The next day, just as John Proudly
reached his house at dinner time,
there was the sound OF hoof-beats
down the sunny street. Bess came to
the inside of the green shattered door
and quite unseen, saw three young
men gallon to the porch and greet
her father with boyish excitement.
There were Bill Melvin and Owen
Ransom and Bert Clayton-but the
fourth, where was he? Bess leaned
/! against the door, pale and still.
The men were talking fast-all to-
gether and John Purdy was asking
sharp, pointed questions regarding
/! the reputed find The assayer nodded
approval Of the samples of ore they
displayed.
where's Jimmy Alvin?' he asked
tersely.
| The three looked at each other and
Clayton pointed thumb in the di.
rection from which they had come
calvin acted that mulish," com
planned the young prospector in an
injured tone; "he was just as near
locating the claim as the rest OF us
but just because he didn't happen to
scratch pay dirt and we did, he won't
touch a thing! He rode on with us
to Horseshoe Rock-and said he'd be
along later. We argued with him till
he started to fight the crowd and sc
we came on"
Hes right, boys" said Purdy
gravely. "You three made the strike
that's all square-and it belongs tc
you. Just guess Alvin's unlucky
Maybe, he'll strike next time!"
1 %Hesays he's going back home ane
4 settle down in the grocery business
alongside OF his dad" remarked Mel
I win ruefully, and then as the three
lucky prospectors moved reluctantly
away, he called back over his
shoulder and voiced the unspoken
words of his comrades: II hope Miss
Bess is well, Mr.. Prudy."
First rate, thank you," said Purdy
watching them ride down the street
with brooding look in his eyes.
He was still gazing when his
daughters white pony pounded
around the side Of the house and on
his back was Bess, her face pale un
der tapping hat.
/, Dinners all ready for you, father
I'll be home by and by-I'm going
after-Jim!"
| She flew up the street and his eyes
followed the cloud of dust In hel
wake until horse and rider blurred
into the gray trail. II knew It," ne
muttered with a satisfied smile. -
knew it was Jimmy-and he's the
cream of good lott"
| Later, at the assay Office. John
Prudy reported on the samples Of
ore that the prospectors had brought
in.
You're rich men every one OF
you, boys. Here's my hand on 1t =
you deserve all of it," he said heart
lily.
II wish you could argue with jim
and make him come in on this =
there's no use in him being poor, said
Melvin.
"Jim Alvins made luckier strike
than any Of you, boys" said Purdy
cody. "Hes the richest man in
town this minute!"
"How? When?" they demanded
eagerly.
Look" said Purdy pointing out
of the window.
Coming down the street the heads
OF their ponies close together. and
with the unmistakable air Of those
who are above all earthly consider
atoms. were two riders; one was Bess
Purdy, flushed and lovely under her
Tapping hat, and the other was Jim
Alvin-the unlucky prospector.
That's Jim's strike-pure gold,
murmured Purdy, without looking at
the three young men.
| One by one, they stole away and