Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-03


turned poverty into affiuence and depend
ence into independence. 1t is, indeed. rare
TO hear the stories of those who by an
accident or incident fully as caprieious
In character have had fortune escape
them and have for all their remaining
days cursed their Ill fortune. Some Of
these are almost pathetic. as in the case
Of poor miner, who day after day for
many years walked from his little home
to his work and home again when his
shin was over.
Alongside his pathway was a huge rock.
beside which he was used to pause from
his work. Many times he would scratch
match upon its rough surface, and often
he would sit In its shade to rest. He al
ways carried a small biologists hammer.
as he was forever on the lookout for ore
bearing rock 1t never occurred to him
to test the big rock" as he called ii. by
the pathside until one morning on passing
he found that 1t had been taken into the
location Of mining property. 1t proved
TO be part of a deposit Of enormous value.
When the old miner realized what he had
so negiigentiy overlooked he went to the
side OF the big rock and took his own
life. .M
| Luck in Many Guises.
Luck comes In many guises and is made
manifest in strange and singular ways.
No power can divert It from its course.
Guided by power superior. it never fails
Of its purpose.
One Of the greatest miners this country
has ever known was the late Senator
George Hearst. At an early period In his
career. before he had become rich and
well known. he was called to inspect a
goId-bearing property located In Utah.
He examined the property and bought 1t
for $4,000. for which he drew draft upon
his associates in San Francisco. The pre-
vious owners of the mine had sailed IT and
rejoiced at having deceived 50 capable q
miner as Hearst. Much to their surprise,
he kept on with the development Of the
property and In a short time encountered
the ore body. from which was afterward
taken more than sl2.oo,oOo.
Some miners in Sierra county thought
that they had done a brilliant thing by
sDtlit AiIt kblu INV a hidN0A
claim. which they then sold to party
Of Chinese for $500. The joke was too
good to keep and was soon generally
known. Poor John received little sym
pa.hy. for the anti-Chinese feeling was
then running high. Whether they knew
they had been cheated or not. the pur-
ehasers made no sign and uttered no
complaint. but kept steadily and patiently
at work. Meanwhile the sellers laughed
heartily and proceeded to enjoy the
spending Of their 5000 Of easy money"
Soon II was discovered that the Chi
nsse were doing considerable business
through the local express office. and In
the course Of time 1t was matter OF
general knowledge that the victims had
taken out and sent away more than $50
600 from the sailed claim.
Queer Capers of Fortune.
young man dressed as miner came
into the Golden Nugget gambling house
lin California mining camp in early days.
Gambling In many forms was In progress.
but the principal interest conferred around
the faro table. He passed bag Of dust
to the banker and asked for chips for
all OF il. They were promptly given to
him. They represented a little more than
600. whats your limit?' he asked as
he seated himself. The dealer turned his
thumb toward the ceiling to indicate
that he could pile on all he cared to. i'Do
you allow douhles?' he asked. "suit
yourself" was the reply. We'll. here
goes" he exclaimed. as he showed all
his chips over on the queen. He won.
The pay out sized up TO his stack OF
checks. when the young man quietly
moved over to the jack and placed a
copper token on top. He did the same
with his original wager. and again he
won. Again he wagered all and again
he won. BY this time all the other play
ers had quit and were watching this
strange duel II did not last long. The
keeper OF the bank closed the game and
announced that II was broke He paid
the young man every penny due him. re-
marking as he did so: II guess my luck
has changed; tomorrow must look for
work" The young man called him aside
and confided to him that he had come
to California TO make enough money TO
pay his way through college.
Work as he pleased. he never got shead
more than few hundred dollars, and he
had decided TO risk all OF II athe gam
bling table. Now he had enough and to
spare, but in saving himself he had ruined
another. Take back half this money and
go at 1t again" he said. IF you make
good you will pay me. II you lose l will
never regret the loss" In the morning
the young man took the stage for Stock
ton and was soon on his way cast. AS he
was going on the steamer on which hts
money would be carried he decided to
save express charges by not giving 1t to
the ships safe in the purser's office.
On the way down this ship. The Great
Republic. was wrecked off the Mexican
coast and burned TO the waters edge near
Mszatlan. The young man was seriously
crippled, and for long time his life hung
In the balance. He finally recovered,
though his money was lost. He had been
sent on to New York by the company,
and when he left the hospital he was
broke. His health was permanently i'm
paired. and he endured great privstions.
He wrotefto the faro banker. who had ac-
cepted the loss Of his money. but no It'd
ings came He learned accidentally that
the place had been robbed by Joaquin
Murietta and the proprietor shot and badly
wosnded Sitting in the park one day he
caught sight Of his name In print. 1t was
an advertisement asking him TO call at a
certain place. Without any thought that
he was the man wanted. he called and
was amazed to find that he was again
rich. The faro banker had stumbled across
a deposit of ore, which he sold for for
tune and in which he declared his strange
friend half owner.-San Francisco Ghron-
f,t~