The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-03-19
Golden Queen
Mine Deal
Trick of Prospectors Nearly
Resulted In Disaster
BY HENRI WALLACE PHILLIPS
Copyright by H W. Phillips.
By HENRI WALLACE PHILLIPS
Copyright by II. W. Phillips.

rms Is the story OF the great Cold
en- Queen deal, as Hy Smith told il
after he had. recovered his sanity i'll
manner that has since been a source
of mingled Amusement and suspicion
to the honest and simple minded golC
hunters Of the locality:
Aggy and me were snug up against
it. One undeserved misfortune after
another had come along and swatteC
US till it looked as though we'd have
to work for a living, But we plugged
along at the Golden Queen, taking out
about 30 cents a day-coarse gold, for
tunately-and at last we had bout ar
ounce and a half. Then says Aggy:
I'VE could sell this mine. Hy. if VIC
only put our profits in the right place
Yes" says l. This is likely out
fit around here to stick a gravel bank
on. amt it? Good old Alder GulcE
people, and folks from down AriZony
way, and the like of that. Suppose
you tried it on Uncle Peters, for in
stance-dye know what he'd say
Well. this 'ud be about the size of it:
'Unh, unh! Oh, man! Oh, dear me,
That amt no way to salt mine, Ag
No, no! You'd oughter done this and
that-that's the way we used to do il
Californy. Nice weather, amt it?
That's what he'd say"
Ag combed his whiskers with his fin
gers, Il don't think we could close
out to Uncle Peters," says he.
"Wait a minute" says he I'm
thinking" So he sat and twisted his
whiskers.
give got it," says he, 1.-THE whole
business right down to the dot. It's
the best scheme | ever lit on! Here's
what happened to us: We're two hon
est prospectors that have been gopher.
ing around this country for years
never touching color. grub running
low, and-well. there amt any use both
ering with that part now. l can think
it up when the time comes, Here's the
cream of the plant. We've had such q
hard time of it that when at last, un-
der the extraordinary circumstances
which | have recounted before, we
light on the almost undiIuted gold of
the Golden Queen your mind is Sc
weakened that you can't stand the
strain of prosperity. You're haunted
with decisions that you're still a pool
man. and can't keep any decent
clothes on you-fast as | buy 'em you
tear 'em up. Now I'm willing to sell
the Golden Queen for the merely nom,
inal sum of-what shall we strike 'em
for? Five hundred? For $500, then. SO
l can get out of this country to some
place where my poor pardner will re-
ceive good medical treatment"
81 know you. Ag,"" says |, land be-
lieye you can make it 60" Then we
had to slide down and see if we could
get a small loan off Uncle Peters.
Well, sir, Uncle Peters was that
pleased he forked over cartridge full
without weighing it, My play was to
look melancholy and tear slit in my
clothes once in awhile.
So up to town we goes, and if you
ever see a picture of hard luck on two
feet it was me.
.'I'ln going to strike for a gambling
joint" says Ag.
So when we hit town Ag sails into
the Palace Dance Emporium. where
they had the games running in the
middle of the place. between the lunch
counter and the bar. He had nerve.
had Agamemnon G. Jones.
When we got into the place the folks
gazed at US some. Aggy was leading
me by the hand.
.There," says he very gently. Now
sit down. and Iii tell you story by
and by" -
tore hole in the coat and mum
bled to myself and sat down according
to directions. .7ss .-...-.-..,.. .
Then Aggy walks up to where. the
stud poker game was blooming.
Gentlemen says he, making them
a bow, II trust it won't Inconvenience
you any to have my poor unfortunate
pardner in your midst for awhile. }
can't desert him, and do like to play
a little cards now and then" =.
whats the matter with him." asks
the dealer. --s-
Ag taps his head IL ---.-..,
"Violent?" says the dealer.
"0h, can always handle him." says
Ag.
"Wel, come right in," says the deal.
er. They're only dollar a stack"
"Well," says Ag, 'I'll just invest in
$40 worth to pass away the time
OF course they had to ask him about
his pardner and the rest of it while the
cards were being shuffied, and few
inquiring remarks drew the whole sad
story out Of Ag.
tits mighty tough" says he. "Hy's
a fine looking feller when he's dressed
decent, but the sight of new clothes on,
himself makes him furious. He foams
and rips till he's tore them to gun wad.
ding"
"Where did yon say this here claim
of yours was?'' asks the dealer
up on Silver creek. just below Muir
phys butte answers Ag politely.
Then that dealer put in lot of foxy
questions, making poor. innocent. IN
r