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


interestin' yarn. Yes. yes: don't know $
ever heard a more interestin' one. |
presume likely there amt mite OF
proof that it's true?
Not an atom | told you 1t was
fairy tale. And | mustn't be quoFed
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 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.
"Humphr 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, l
can see one thing-you don't take
very big shine to Heman yourself.
mot too big, no. Do you?"
"Well, don't wake up nights ana
cry for him.
/ Everdean laughed.
That's 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
/ 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 or
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, | 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.
Anyhow, that's the way the yarn
goes"
81 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, l should be very grateful to your
distinguished representative.
well. | do declare! Sho, sho! Amt
that funny, now? He's never said a
word about it at home. l don't be-
lieve there's soul in Bayport knows
that. We all thought twas south sea
tradin' that boosted Heman. And your
own dad. declare, this is small
World!'
Its odd father never told you about
it. It's one of the old gentleman's pet
stories. He came west in 1850 anC
was running little shipping store il
Frisco. He met Atkins and the other
! young sailor, his partner, before they
left their ship. They were in the
store, buying various things, an(
father got to know them pretty well
Then they ran away to the diggings-
you simply couldn't keep a crew il
those times-and he didn't see then
again for a good while. Then they
came in one day and showed hin
specimens from claim they had bacl
in the mountains. They were mighty
good specimens, and what they sale
! they had a valuable property. So h
J went to see a few well to do friends
t of his. and the outcome was that {
! party was made up to go and inspect
The young fellows were willing to sci
e out, for it was quartz working. ant
: they hadn't the money to carry it on
4 ''The inspection showed that thu
t claim was likely to be even bettel
than they thought, so, after some bar
e gaining, the deal was completed. The.
sold out for $4,000, and it was thu
t best trade father ever made. He's 81
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
n Seems as if | heard it recent, but
can't remember when. Seventy-iv,
a thousand, hey? Well, that want 81
: bad, was it? With that for a nest egg
) no wonder Heman's managed to hatcl
i 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 pail
; over he was taken sick with feve
: and died."
"Hey? He did? With 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 dom;
well. 1t must have come as BIZ
. surprise to them. The whole sum wa