The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-17
How | Came
to Many
BY ALLAN C. LAMOND

In the gold hunting days | went out
to the gold fields to make fortune.
fell In with young man Of my OWL
age, Elliot Mansfield, and we agreed
to prospect together. Mansfield had
left mother and sister, to whom be
was much attached Unfortunately his
mother had received an injury to one
of her eyes, and since her sons depar-
ture for the west it had extended to
the other eye, and she was gradually
becoming blind.
The letters she wrote Mansfield were
pathetic. She hoped that he might be
with her again, but she did not hope
to see him. His sister wrote him that,
II possible, he shoUld come home that
his mother might see him once more
before losing her sight But he had
no money for the journey, and If he
could get home he would not be able
to get back again. He was a resolute
fellow and averse to giving up what
he had overwhelmingly, to go back,
IL ever he did go back, with a fortune.
| was no better off than Mansfield.
We wandered about with picks ON
our shoulders wherever we believed
there might be gold and at last sue
ceeded in striking dirt that promised
TO pay. While we were getting it into
shape to secure capital with which to
work it Mansfield was taken sick. He
was Ill long while, and during this
time l wrote letters for him to his
mother and sister In these letters, at
his request, | forged his handwriting
that they might not suspect that he
was unable to write them himself.
he charged me to tell
them that he had struck a mine of |
value and would soon go east with a |
view to forming a company to work it.
The poor fellow did not recover He |
asked me before he died to make |
over his share in our mine to his moth
er and sister and IL possible go east,
as he had hoped to do, and either sell
the mine or organize a company. as
might be able Dreading the shock of
his death on his mother, he asked me
to keep up the deception till l should
20 east and arrange with his sister for
breaking the sad news to his mother.
/ found an opportunity to sell out for
$4,000 and awaited myself of 1t. If /
lad held on the property would have
made me very rich, but was tired of
he deception l was practicing and
new my late partners mother and sis
er were very poor. Taking their share
f the proceeds with me, | went at
nee to the town in which they lived.
IN my arrival | sent a messenger TO
Hiss Mansfield to tell her that her
partner had arrived with
ews of him. but cautioning her to say
othing about me to her mother until
had had an opportunity TO see her.
he appointed a meeting with me at
he home Of one of her friends. i went
here and told her the bad news l had
or her.
To her grief was added the fact that
er mother. who had now become quite
lind. was looking for her son every
ay. Her daughter-Mildred was her
ame-was in agony at the idta of i'm
arting the news 10 her. She could
OF think of doing so at the time. for {
lie old lady was not in condition TO ,
ear It. So we arranged between us {
lat until she was better l was 10
rite letters as before, putting of the '
m and brothers arrival. ]
Mildred Mansfield was a very lovely !
ri. / sympathized with her deeply, '
Id IL was a matter Of satisfaction
at was enabled TO turn over 10 her
n brothers share in what had real
ed for the mine.
One day. desiring to consult with \
ildred. went TO her house TO see her. n
could see no risk Of revealing the I.
Ne situation in doing so. But the old a
iy, who was in her room above. 1,
ard my voice below and got it into IA
r head that | was her son. The
"a occurred 10 Mildred Of permit.
x her mother to believe me to be
r son. and l saw no objection to the :,
IN. So / went upstairs and submit :,
I TO a hugging and weeping that :.
re almost hystericai -
The mine is sold. mother I said -
I'd nv share is $4,000. It's all in
nk right here in this town"
Tn yerT. happI. she said through 10