Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-08-23

5s! :;Ss::A q
svvsii, Il wasn't your turn yesterday
no pointed out.
long hours, beneath scorching SUM-
without food and under strong excite
ment. We did not know when to quit
but the sun at last decided it for US by
dipping below the mountains to the
west.
The following days were replicas Of
the first. We ate hurriedly at odd
times; we worked feverishly; we sank
into our tumbled blankets at night too
tired to wiggle. But the buckskln sack
Of gold was swelling and rounding out
most satisfactorily. By the end of the
week It contained over pound!
But the long hours, the excitement
and the Inadequate food told on our
nerves. We snapped at each other
impatiently at times and once or twice
came near to open quarreling. Johnny
and were constantly pecking at each
other over the most trivial concerns.
One moming we were halfway to
the bar when we remembered that we
had neglected to picket out the horses.
It was necessary for one Of us to 60
back, and we were all reluctant to
do so.
'.I'li be - If I'm going to lug way
up that hill," growled to myself. NJ
tied them up yesterday. anyway"
Johnny caught this.
"Well, it wasn't your turn yester-
day." he pointed out, "and 1t is today.
rye got nothing to do with what you
chose to do yesterday" 7---'@
"Or any other day." muttered.
"What's thaty' cried Johnny trucu-
lently. II couldn't hear. Speak up"
We were flushed and eying each 9TH
er malevolently.
'4Thatll dor said Yank, with an un-
expected tone Of authority. Nobody
win 60 back and nobody will go ahead.
Well just sit down on this log yere
while we smoke one pipe apiece. I've
got something to say"
Johnny and l turned on him with a
certain belIigerency mingled with sur
prise. Yank had SO habitually acted
the part of taciturnity that his decided
air of authority confused US. His
SLOUGH had Strengthened; his head was
up: his mild eye sparkled. Suddenly !
felt like bad small boy, and l believe
Johnny was the same. After mo-
ment's hesitation we sat down on the
log.
'Now," said Yank firmly. ats about
time we took stock. We been here
now five days. We amt had decent
meal of vittles in that time. We amt
fixed up our camp mite. We amt
been to town to see the sights. We
don't even know the looks Of the man
that's camped down below us. We've
been too DANCED busy to be decent.
Now we're goin' to call halt. I
should jedge we have pound Of gold
or tharabouts. How much Il that
worth, Johnny? You can figger In yore
head" %ss.az
"Along about $780," said Johnny aft
er a moment .a -.s~...
"Well, keep on flggerin'. How much
does that come to apieceT'
about $50, Of course"
"And diyidin' eighty by ffve? per
sisted Yank.
sixteen" E.5ru ...$E
SWELL" drawled Yank, his steely blue
eye softening to a twinkle, 1916 a day
Is fair wages, to be sure, but nothin
to get wildly excited over" He sur
veyed the two Of US with some humor
Hadn't thought Of 1t that way, had
youY he asked. "Nuther had until
last night. was SO dog tired
couldn't sleep. and got to dggerin' q
little on my own hook"
( "Why, l can do better than that In
San Francisco, with half the work."
cried. . Eg8
"Maybe for awhile" said Yank, "but
here We got q chance to make big
strike most any time and In the mean
time to make good wages. But We
amt goin' to do it any quicker by kill
In ourselves. Now, today Is Sunday
amt no religious man, but Sunday
Is good day to quit. propose we
60 back to camp peaceable, make q
decent place to stay, cook ourselves w
q squar' meal, wash out our clothes,
visit the next camp, take look at
town and enjoy ourselves"
Thus vanished the first and most
wonderful romance Of the gold. Re-
dtced to wages it was somehow no
longer so marvellous. The element OF
uncertainty was always there, to be
sure, and an inexplicable fascination
but no longer had we any desire to
dig up the whole place Immediately
I suppose we moved nearly as much
earth, but the fibers Of our minds were
relaxed, and we did it more easily and
with less nervous wear and tear.
Also, as Yank suggested, we took
pains to search out our fellow beings
The camper below us proved to be Don
Gaspar, velvet breeches and ALL lie
received US Hospitality and proffered
perfumed cigarettes, which we did not
like, but which we smoked out Of ro-
likeness. Our common ground of meet
ing was at first the natural one of the
gold diggings. Don Gaspar and his
man, whom he called Yasauez. had