Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-12-28
CHAPTER 4.

I'D :.
~ Bubble tay strewn all about
the Lodges. To layman this
bubble would have explained nothing;
10 miner it would instantly have eX.
plained the nature of the hole. Pres
emily burly man emerged from the
hole, squirting. He eyed the lump of
quartz in his hand-always a little. but
never quite enough gold to make it
worth while. The prospector flung the
quartz savagely upon the accommodating
Tubble and leaned disheartenedly
against the log support to the entrance
OF the mine. His grubstake was fast
dwindling, and in another four days
BE would have to hike some thirty-two
miles 70 the nearest town for supplies
Done! He had paid $500, every one
of them earned ut the risk of his neck,
for this dannable hole in the ground.
He oiled and lit his pipe and fell TO
dreaming what he would do when he
struck it rich.
by and 10y the dreams faded and
she bitter realities returned. He rose
aamely and carefully picked his way
down to the lrishman's shanty. The
SwO OF them shared their noon meals
on pleasant days.
'Hows she coming"
Same old story" answered Trainor,
erstwhile strong man of the Eclipse
circus.
well, well; it's peggin' away that
brings it got a lump t'day that
don't look SO tad. | should say that
she'll run fifteen tn ton. guess them
wildcatters are tn chaps that make tn
real spOndulix-widders an clerks an
childer"
In Trainors life there had been but
triding monotonies. He had been
sailor In the south seas, a lumberjack
in the north, cowpuncher, fireman
on north Atlantic liner. He had
come from a poor but respectable Ohio
family His father nor his GRANDPA
aher had ever stepped over the state
boundary lines But in him there was
a reversion TO the type of pioneer who
had established the Trainor family
when Ohio was wilderness. He
could not settle down; he must be on
the move continually, and when at
length he Joined the circus he found
that roaming, uncertain life much to
his fancy. There he had met Mimi
keene, known on the handbills ,for
Autographs were far beyond the reach
of this circus) as Mimi La France,
world renowned tight rope walker
Remarkable as 1t might seem, these
two loved each other fondly, and one
day the lust to wander died i'm the
mans heart, and he wanted n roof
over his head. children about his knee
and money in his purse. When the
opportunity to go hunting for gold
came he hesitated not an instant
He bad been hammering away at the
grim. unyielding rocks for eight
months, making only such trips to
town as were necessary for food. Per.
haps the rubble extracted represented
a thousand dollars, perhaps less. He
was discouraged.
One day he staggered ont into the
brilliant sunshine. A lump of quartz
was ciutched tightly in his hand
When he grew accustomed to the daz.
ziing tight he turned the stone over
and over. his heart beating as 1t had
never beaten before There were veins
in it-broad flakes OF it-gold. gold.
gold!
-'Donovan! DonovanI" he cried.
The old Irish prospector came out OF
his hole blinking.
I've got it! I've got itr'
Donovan snatched the quartz from
the band of his friend
Holy Virgin! ieve struck it! If
1ts all like that ye're a rich man
Man. man. there's hundred dollars
in that lump aionev
Trainor collapsed on a pile of worth.
less rubbe and laid his head on his
arms. lie had done 1t all in these few
months He WAS rich rich! And all
his dreams were going to come truel
The lrishman gazcd down at him rue
fully. but philosophically
An me that's been prospectin' TWEEN
o. years an amt hit my pile yet.
Well. God bless ye. man. I'm glad ye
got II An now let's go take look"
Like all men who suddenly stumble
upon "A virgin fortune. Trainor instant
~ began to plan how to protect 1t. He
had some bank attorneys draw up pa
pers leaving the mine to his wife, In
case Of her death to his child, to her
husband 1t was subtly understood
that the brother-in-law. Kecne. should
never be able to touch IL. These west
ern bank attorneys were simple and
honest men.
Before he had time TO write to his
wife Trainor was killed by u prema
tire explosion. He was buried under
thr rubble his own hands had torn
from the mountains side. and the kind
yy Donovan started out to lind the
Eclipse circus.
The caravan was at that time 2y
miles 20 the south. about TO turn II
for the winter But Donovan founi
81 BY mistake he ambled into IN,
mems dressing tent young mnl
with shrewd dark eyes and Siniste