Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-08-30

aimed a swipe at me with the wet dish
cloth that caught me across the eyes.
"You tarnation young grizzly BARI
said he.
l wiped the water from my eyes.
Johnny and Buck Barry ran up. Some
how they did not seem to be anticipat-
ing an Indian attack after all. Johnny
ran up to thump me on the back.
\ isn't it great?'' he cried. Fright of
the reel! First pop! Bagsby, old
sport, you're a wonder!' He started
for Bagsby, who promptly rushed for
his long rifle. ..
I'm going to kill the first lunatic l
see," he announced.
Johnny laughed excitedly and turn.
ed back to thump me again.
'How did you guess what it was?" l
asked.
Didn't. Just blundered on it."
"Whatv I yelled. Have you struck
it too?'
First shovel" said Johnny. But
you don't mean .s.
I thrust my three nuggets under his
eyes.
Say" broke in Buck Barry, IF you
fellows know where the whisky is hide
1t, and hide it quick. If see it I'll get
drunkv' $780,.
Yank and McNally at this moment
strolled from around the bushes. We
all burst out on them.
"See your fool nuggets and color
and raise you this" drawled Yank.
And he h1klled from his pocket the
very largest chunk Of virgin gold it
has ever been my good fortune to be-
hold. 1t was irregular in shape, pitted
and scored, shaped good deal like
an egg and nearly its size. One pound
and tiny fraction that great nugget
balanced when we got around to
weighing it. And then to crown the
glorious day which the gods were
brimming for us came Don Gaspar and
Vasquez, trailed by that long and sat
urnine individual, Missouri Jones. The
Spaniards were outwardly calm, but
their eyes snapped. AS soon as they
saw us they waved their hats.
"Ah, also you have found the gold!
cried Don Gaspar, sensing Immediate
,ly the significance Of our presence.
I'VE too. 1t is Of good color, there
above by the bend" His eye widened
as he saw what Yank held. "Madre
do Tios y, ha nt1rmura1
McNally, who had said and done
nothing, suddenly uttered a resound-
ing whoop and stood on his hands.
Missouri Jones, taking aim, spat care
fully in the center Of the fire, missing
the dishpan by q calculated and ac-
curate inch.
''The country is just flowing with
gold," he pronounced.
Then we blew up. We Rugged each
other, we pounded each others backs.
we emulated McNally's wild Irish
whoops, finally we joined hands and
danced around and around the re-
mains Of the fire, kicking up our heels
absurdly. Bagsby, a leathery grin on
his face, stood Off one side. He still
held his long barreled rifle, which he
presented at who ever neared him.
II tell you, look outr' he kept say
ing over and over. "I'm shootin' luna
tics today, and apparently there's plen-
ty game to choose from"
Although we did not Immediately
run into the expected thousands, nor
did the promise Of that first glorious
day Of discovery quite fulfill itself, new
ertheless our new diggings turned out
to be very rich. We fell into routine,
and the days and weeks slipped by.
Bagsby and one companion went out
every day to hunt or to fish. We took
turns at a vacation In camp. Every
night we "blew" our days collection
Of sand, weighed the gold and packed
It away. Our accumulations were get.
ting to be very valuable.
For month we lived this idyllic life
quite unmolested and had gradually
come to feel that we were 80 far out
Of the world that nothing would ever
disturb us. The days seemed all alike,
clear, sparkling, cloudless. 1t was my
first experience with the California
climate, and these things We're q per-
petual wonder to my New England
mind.
Then one day when was camp
keeper at the upper end Of our long
a number Of men emerged
from the willows and hesitated uncer-
tainly. They were too far way to be
plainly distingulshable, but believed
IN taking no chances, so fred my re-
volver to attract the attention Of my
They looked up from
heir labor, saw the men and prompt
y came into camp.
The group still hesitated at the edge
If the thicket. Then one Of them
waved something white We waved
IN return, whereupon they advanced
slowly In our direction.
AS they neared we saw them to be
Indians. Their leader held before him
| stick to which had been tied num-
Der Of white feathers. As they ap-
preached us they began to leap and
lance to the accompaniment of weird
Using and falling chant. They certain
y did not look very formidable with
heir heterogeneous mixture Of cloth
ng, their round, black, stupid faces
md their straight hair. Most Of them
we're armed simply with bows and ar
'ows, but three carried specimens of
he long Spanish musket.
The Indians said they wanted to
rade.
We replied that we saw nothing they
night trade with us.