The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-02-28
tain CT thoughtfully marked with his

lCEk Oh the IdUl9clOtH
HUM he grunted. That's a very
interestin yarn Yes. yes; don't know
/ ever heard a more interestin' one. |
presume likely there amt mite OF
proof that its truey
Not an atom told you it was a
fairy tale. And | mustn't be quoted
in the matter Honestly. the most OF
it is guesswork at that. But perhaps
committee Of one dropping hint at
home might at least arouse some I'M
comfortable questioning OF a certain
great man. That's about all, though.
Proof is quite another thing
The captain pondered. He was fully
aware that the unpopularity of the
COMMITTEE would nullify whatever
good its limiting might do.
"Humph.'' he grunted again. Its
one thing to smell a rat and another
to nail its tail to the floor. But I'm
mighty obliged to you, all the same.
And I'll think it over hard. Say, |
can see one thing-you don't take
very big shine to Heman yourself!'
"Not too big, no. Do your
"Well, / don't wake up nights and
cry for him.
! Everdean laughed.
"Thats characteristic" he said.
/ "You have your own way of putting
things, captain, and it's hard to be i'm
proved on Atkins has never done
anything to me. just just don't
1 like him, that's all. Father never liked
him either in the old days, and yet.
and it's odd, too, he was the means of
/ the old gentleman's making the most
of his money"
"He? Who? Not Heman?''
Eyes, Heman Atkins. But so far as
that goes father started him toward
wealth, l suppose. At least he was
poor enough before the mine was sold. ;"
what are you talkin' about? He
| man got his start tradin' over in the
south, seas, sellin' the Kanakas glass
beads and calico for pearls and copra-
two cupfuls OF pearls for every bead.
i Anyhow, that's the way the yarn
goes
Il can't help that. He was. just a
common sailor who had run away from
his ship and was gold mining in Cali
fornia. And when he and his partner
struck it rich father borrowed money,
headed a company and bought them
out. That mine was the Excelsior, and
it's just as productive today as it ever
was. | rather think Atkins must be
very sorry he sold. l suppose, by
right, should be very grateful to your
distinguished representative.
well. do declare! Sho, sho! Ain't
that funny, now? He's never said a
word about it at home. | don't be-
lieve there's soul in Bayport knows
that. We all thought twas south sea
tradin' that boosted Heman. And youl
own dad. | declare, this is a small
World!''
Its odd father never told you abou
it. It's one of the old gentleman's pc
stories. He came west in 1850 an(
was running little shipping store il
Frisco. He met Atkins and the Other
! young sailor, his partner, before the,
left their ship. They were in thu
store. buying various things. ant
father got to know them pretty well
Then they ran away to the diggings-
you simply couldn't keep a crew il
those tines-and he didn't see then
again for a good while. Then the,
came in one day and showed hin
specimens from claim they had bacl
in the mountains. They were might.
good specimens. and what they sait
q bo11t tha claim copvincnd fatbor tha
they had valuable property. So h
Z went to see a few well to do friend
of his, and the outcome was that ;
! party was made up to go and inspect
The young fellows were willing to sci
out, for it was quartz working, ant
: they hadn't the money to carry it on
4 'The inspection showed that th
claim was likely to be even bette
than they thought, so, after some bar
e gaining, the deal was completed. The,
sold out for $4,000. and it was tn
t best trade father ever made. He's s.
e proud of his judgment and foresigh
t in making it that l wonder he neve
r told you the story"
: HE never did. When was this?"
Gin "a. What?"
]! 81 didn't speak. The date seemed
kind Of familiar to me, that's all
! Seems as if | heard it recent, but
. can't remember when. Seventy-fiv
|, thousand, hey? Well, that want $
: bad, was it? With that for nest egg
no wonder Heman's managed to hatcl
j a pretty respectable brood of dollars"
ooh, the whole seventy-five WASH
his, of course. Half belonged to hi
: partner. But the poor devil didn't liv
: to enjoy it. After the articles wer
signed and before the money was pai'
over he was taken sick with feve
: and died."
.Hey? He did? With a feverY
eyes. but he left a pretty good leg
acy to his heirs. didn't he? For com
mon sailor or second mattel believ
that's what he was-$37 800 is doin'
well. 1t must have come as q BIZ