Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-28

Some years ago when l was little
straighter and had more time to i've
than l have now. went with three men
to a place where gold was said to be ly-
ing loose on the. ground The place was
known as Three Jumps, so named from
the fact that the chap who first found
the pay dirt went down a Hill in three
leaps
1--WE were toEether in our shack one
evening just about sunset We had fin
ished our grub and were smoking. In
the door appea .ed a fgure-yellow hair
Uncovered. a pack over his back, dust
and alkali powder over the remainder.
Good evening. gentlemen. a low voice
said.
when we lad recovered from the
shock of being greeted as gentlemen,
we asked him in. He came in. calmly
arranged his goods around the place and
made himself g.. home.
HE proved to be simple-minded chap
who had popped up from the east, and ii
wasn't five minutes before StetsOn, the
joker of the crowd had him on the run.
We had lot of fun with him that night.
but he rather turned the joke on us be-
fore he was through
1--WE had no idea how the land lay UNI
til he announced that he was tired and
guessed he would retire We simply had
asked him in. but serenelS enough he
prepared to 'bide Wee with us, and
rolled up in Stetson's bunk.
stood in the middle of the place. and
stared at the chap in his bunk, but the
newcomer had dropped on to sleep. Stet-
son was about to chuck him outdoors,
but Williams, a kind-hearted chap. inter-
posed and gave up his bunk to Stetson.
1T was dec ded definitely. however.
that after the chap had had a good
nights rest he was to 'vamoose.' We
didn't have enough room in the shack
any way. Williams almost had to sleep
with his feet out of the window.
1--WE figured with ease, but it didn I
work out so easily. 1t didn't seem to ap-
pear to the stranger that We didn't want
him. We thought We were rid of him in
the morning. but after he had staked out
a claim that wouldn't yield a thousand
dollars in ten years. he came back to US
to stay. 'Stet' quoted something. I don't
know whether it's in the Bible or not. He
said. He sticketh like a burr and that
hit the situation just right.
There were only about fifteen men in
the camp. The place was petering out
and the rest had hit for other places.
But those that remained were a happy
go-lucky lot of fellows. and when Billy
Smile, as we had nicknamed him, walked
into their midst things began to hum. 1t
wasn't long before he was the butt of
every practical joker.
''They put him in as head Of vigilance
committee, and chucked him into the
creek when he tried to carry out some
foolish rule that they Solemnly made. Al
ways it would finally dawn upon him
never seemed to arouse his anger. Even
when the jokes went pretty far he seemed
to see some sport In it.
civilians thought 1T was a pity to
make q goat OF the poor chap and hung
of. His feelings for Billy some way or
other reached the latter. and soon VIII
liams was in for 1t himself. Billy was
bound to stick around Williams whenever
there was chance available. Williams
tried to shake him, but he couldn't any
more than dog can shake flea. Billy
stuck.
THE biggest joke was the place where
he was hunting for dust. He would
patiently plug away there. unmindfuI
Of anything, except when one OF the
fellows higher up. working in the wet
somewhere near him or upon him. Then
he'd look up and grin and cheerfuIly
dodge another
I'VE got tired of his hanging around
our shach' and finally Williams got
weary. too, ano turned to him one night
his face solemn as an owls. Billy he
said, I've get a bunch that l can tell
you where there is more gold than you
realize could be in one place.
BILLY sat up and took notice. The
rest Of US were grinning behind his back
Yes. Billy. You go down to the lower
bend and follow that feeder-a small
stream--up about two miles. and some
where along there / think you'll make
find that will make you a rich man
in q week
I'm do it, announced Billy.
Our first thought was we were about
to get rid Of him, and we jumped to his
aid. We fitted him out and he started
OF.
There, thanks be, we'll have a week
Of peace! Will AIMS said. heaving a sigh
in which We all Joined in spirit IL not IN
truth.
"Ail of us were not sure as to how
long he would stay, and so we began
to lay wagers as to the length Of time
old 'Strawhesd would be gone. The bets
all placed the time at a few days, for
we knew that Billy would plug ahead
without a suspicion that he was the
butt OF another joke.
THE week went by and he didn't show