Gilpin observer., 1913-08-07
+ s-'s'i.-r .-rS--t.s+t-tAr4
/ THE PROsPEcToR
+ AND HIS BURRo
(salt Lake Mining Review

"When sit at my cabin door in
the calm evening"" said the prospec-
tor to his burro, "and gaze down in-
to the peaceful looking valley, Of
ten think Of what may be stirring
in the busy cities and towns. call
to mind how the people there have
been sweitering in the heat all day
long, and how nice it would be for
them ii they could spend few weeks
in the parks up here in the montains,
away from the dust and turmoil, and
away from the stuffy office, and free
from all business cares. Then, too,
cannot help bu. think of how very
healthful it would be to many in the
fragrant mountain air, ladened with
the healing odor of the pines, and
what sense of comfort would ccme
to them, when retiring to sleep, to
be compelled to pull thick blankets
over them as a protection against
the cold and chilly hours existing
between midnight and sunrise; and
how pleasurable ii would be to them
to quaff of the ice-cold water which
gushes forth from the base of yon1er
cliff. Why, a few weeks up here
would bring strength and vigor to the
enfeebled, and annihilate that tired
feeling that the strongest are often
afflicted with. / can assure you that
those busy people below have my
deep sympathy. Perhaps they would
net appreciate the feeling l have
for them; but, know one family, AT
least, that always opens the spare
bedroom for me. when l go down, and
who always dish me out the biggest
steak and insist that l take two
cups of coffee when l visit them in
their city home
You want to know continued
the prospsotor, what mourtain air
and big steaks and two cups of cof-
fee have to do with mining and init
mate that if there is anything in
city life. that relates to mining, you
would like to know the connection.
But, do not be too fast, fer while a
burro has about as much idea of a
metropolis as he has cf-the yearnings
of soul, he must remember that
about nine-tenths of all mining men
and prospectors were probably city
bred; and that, therefore, they still
take an interest in their old stamp
ing ground although isolated under
towering cliffs and although wearing
clothes SO shabby and torn that it
would be them to the lookup if they
were brought face to face with the
city marshal, even if in a town no
larger than Santaauin. But, to my
story, for l see that you are getting
impatient and anxious to locate that
old covering of ham l threw away
at lunch time. To talk with you Is
often disconcerting, and, We're it not
for the fact that l often enjoy our
little evening chats. would even
now roll up in my blankets and leave
you to your own moody company and
the ham covering you so secretly de-
sire. The family l spoke of before
you SO rudely interrupted me. con-
sisted of father and mother, daugh-
ter of about sixteen, and two small
boys. The father had been employ
ed as booklkeeper in a big manufac-
turing concern for many years, and
had been let out by the management
because he had developed a very bad
case of consumption, if you know
what that Is: and he was nearly all
in, down and out when / met him
ON one of my valley trips. His was
a pitiful case, and fert so sorry for
him that I bundled the whole fam
lily into the outgoing stage and took
them to the mouth of the canyon.
There I got a string of burros, and
brought them. by easy stages, to our
cabin here.
For a week or more the father
could hardly move around; but, inr
side OF month he was able to walk
out to the crest OF the bluff in front
OF our camp, and with the water,
the smell of the pines, and the bra,-
ing atmosphere, he began to pick up
wonderfully. Color appeared again
In his cheeks, and his appetite be-
came ravenous. From that time on
he began taking quite acng walks in
the hills with his daughter, who low
ed the hills, the forests and the
flowers. Sometimes they
would take a lunch with them and
be gone all day; and, If they were