Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-14
THE MISSING GOLD.
By MILDRED 3

San Francisco boy, Ben Hathaway,
of a previous complaint-love. He
wished to marry his sweetheart, Jen-
ME Baxter, but since he had nc fortune
Jennie's father wouldn't listen to his
suit. The couple were both too sensi-
BILE to run away to a life of poverty,
SO they agreed to separate till Ben had
least begin housekeeping. Hearing of
the new found gold fields he decided to
try his luck in them.
Ben spent a year in the Klondike
prospecting, which for him meant
rags and starvation. Then n day
while working alone with his pick he
struck a rich vein. But how get the
benefit OF it? There was then little
capital In Alaska; besides, he dared
not trust any one there with his secret.
His sole possessions were the rags
that covered him, 81 cents, a pipe and
a few ounces of tobacco. However, he
resolved to start on foot for San Fran.
cisco.
On the way to the coast Ben fell In
with a nan who was going to San
Francisco with 300 pounds of gold
dust. Suspecting that he was being
followed with a view to robbery, in
order to throw his p%ursuers off the
track he transferred the boxes to Ben
furnishing him the means for his own
and the COLDS transportation. Ben
gladly accepted the charge. He and
the owner Of the dust Travelled by the
same route, though separately, to San
Francisco.
When Ben turned over the treasure
it was weighed and instead of pulling
down 300 pounds it pulled only 300.
A pound of gold dust had disappeared
1t had been so packed that it was not
possible any leakage could have oc-
Cured. Ben, instead of being permit
ted to hurry to his sweetheart to re.
port his find in Alaska, was arrested,
charged with theft and thrown into
Jail.
Jennie went to see him and, when he
assured her that he was innocent. be-
lieved him. She begged her father to
furnish the means for her lovers de-
Tense, and he, to crafty his daughter,
did so. though there was not the slight
est hope OF an acquittal. A young law
yer was engaged who, upon consulta-
ton with his client, becoming convinc-
e( of his innocence. took a deep inter
est in the case. His curiosity was ex-
cited. How could a pound of gold be
extracted from a box strongly nailed
together and under Ben's eye every
moment and under the eye of its own
err nearly all the while. 1t was the
mystery in the case that excited the
attorneys chief interest.
-Atthe trial . great deal ofr sympathy
was excited by Jennie Saxter. who
was present and eagerly caught al
every word spoken for or against her
lovers innocence. The prosecution
brought in evidence which, uncontra-
dicted, must surely convict the prison
or. 1t was simply a certificate of the
weight of the dust in Alaska when
turned over to Ben's keeping and a
like certificate of a weigher In San
Francisco.
The only hope for Ben seemed to be
in his attorney proving his previous
good character and the mercy of the
court. When his attorney arose to
speak in his clients defense every eye
was directed toward him, curious to
learn if there were any possible de
Tense other than that mentioned-good
character. What was the surprise of
every one when, instead of introducing
any such evidence, the attorney asked
the judge for permission to put On the
stand a teacher of physics as an expert
witness.
Il cannot see." said the judge, "any
relation between physics and theft and
must refuse the
Something In the expression of the
attorney altered the courts intention,
and he finished the sentence by admit
ting the witness.
with what does physics deal?" ask
ed the lawyer.
1.-THE laws Of nature"
"In the revolution of the earth what
two principal forces are at work? ?"
"Gravity and the centrifugal"
81 object" interrupted the prescott
ing attorney, Ito taking up the time ol
the court with such irrelevant matter
Proceed" said the judge to the pris.
oner's counsel.
"What is the centrifugal force?" ask
ed the latter of the witness.
'The throwing off of any object on
the surface of a revolving body"
"Does the centrifugal force on the
earth's surface varyT"
at does. 1t is greatest at the equa
tor. At the poles it is eliminated"
The judge, who was leaning forward,
listening intently, smiled and leaned
back in his chair. He had seer the
drift of these questions.
Gravity is weight, is 1t not?" pur'
suad the l0VVVqr