Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-03-20

HIS
EDUCATION:
1t Was In Two Lines,
Both Valuable
By JOHN TURNLEE

Tom Alnsworth was for many years
prospector in western gold fields. He
missed several chances to make for
tune on account Of not being able to
analyze the dirt he took out of his
holes. lie was not even ordinarily
educated. On one occasion he took
specimen of ore to chemist for an
assay and was told that there was no
gold in 1t. A few days later man
came along and offered Ainsworth
500 for his claim. Toms wife was Ill
at the time, and his boy, Charley, was
without decent suit of clothes. The
offer was accepted and a deed to the
property passed. 1t turned out that
the chemist had found some gold In
the specimen he had assayed and had
bought the property through another.
The mine turned out n bonanza.
This is specimen of the way Tom
Ainsworth got swlndled. Neverthe-
less most of the time he kept his son
at school, and when the boy came to
be seventeen years old his father de-
tNi W oOllu w NOhNbSs OhhA~
lie had not shown much proficiency in
his studies. but had manifested fan
cy for science. He was fond of hunt
ing and climbing and all out of door
sports, besides constantly wondering
why some rocks lay fiat and others
stood up on end. His father thought
he saw In this the material for max
ing a mining engineer, and with son
to advise him on his digging opera
lions he might yet strike and hold on
to bonanza.
So Charlie went away to college.
His father feared that his taste for
out Of door sports would overtop his
desire to learn and during his sons
college course kept himself informed
as to what Charlie was doing The
first news of an honor conferred on his
boy was disappointing. Instead of
being given for an essay on some
chemical subject, 1t was an appoint
ment as pitcher Of the university base
ball team.
Charley spent most of his time for
two years in college attending to ath-
letlcs and neglecting his studies. Then,
being two years older than when no
entered, he grew ashamed of himself.
He was ia practical chap at bottom and
began to look at the subject practi-
cally.
His main object was to set him
self right with his father. What was
the surest way2 He decided to leave
the academical department Of the uni
versity and enter school of mines.
To mining engineering he devoted him
self as exclusively as he had to athlet-
les and after taking his degree return
ed to his home, ready for an applica-
ton of what he had learned.
II forgive you, Charley" said his IA
ther, "for the time wasted In pitchin'
balls, considerin' what you done in
larnin' about mines"
you can't tell, father" replied Char
ley, whats going to be most useful to
fellow in this world. During those
two years was practiclng those
curves l was laying the foundation for
good health, though I'll admit that 1t
was the scientific reasons for the
curves that interested me more than
the physical exercise"
Reckon that was it, Charley. You
was always wonderin' why things was
So"
Charley Ainsworth began to practice
his profession about the time that gold
was discovered In n new region, and
nothing would do but that the family
must pick up, bag and baggage, and
seek its fortune in the latest opened
territory. Mrs. Ainsworth, who had
been with her husband through sew
eral experiences In nearby discovered
gold fields and knew that the people
In them were like large pack of dogs
fighting for very few bones, was
loath to go, but the men Of the family
overruled her.
Charley, whose muscles seemed to
crave exertion, resolved to suspend
professional work for others and give
himself solely to repaylng his father
for the education he had given him.
SO the two went to work with pick and
shovel, and Tom Ainsworth found that
what he had always believed about
the Importance of his own assaying
was true, Charley could form opin.
ions from the character Of the rocks
and the soil, the way they lay together
and their tilt, which were very valua-
BILE Resides, he could assay any spec
linens they suspected Of being valua-
BILE and get the result at once without
going TO an assayer, who might deceive
them SO the old man was happy.
even IL they did not discover mine
Whether from Charley's knowledge
OF minerals or from sheer luck very
valuable piece Of property was struck
by the two men. Charley one day as
snyed some ore from a new opening.
and 1t turned out very handsomely.
Moreover, the vein from which It was
taken opened instead Of closed as they
dug down. They kept their secret;
but, as III luck would have II, the par.
ties digging on the next claim struck
a continuation Of the same vein, but
at Its end. Following It toward the
A1nsworth property, they found that It
opened in that direction, showing that,
though their own property was OF lit
tie value, that OF their neighbors was
liable TO be bonanza.
These neighbors were three toughs.
named Harding, Murphy and Gum.
They resolved to drive Off Tom and