Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-06-02

some new energy and interest in life,
MY old friends had programmed
sort of a reception for me in the
town." reported Rufe, after a pleasant
evening with the little ones, "but
shut them off on the happy water end
of it. Now then, friends-for you are
that-I've got some business to talk
over with you. was good deal sur
prised when I got inquiring around,
to find that the Golden Hope mine
had petered out"
Eyes, two years ago." nodded Ward.
"The vein ran short-not until they
had taken out little fortune, though"
$50 1 hear" said Rufe, "and l found
the runway going to ruin and the
stamp mill rusted and broken. Do
you know that the old owner of the
mine offered 1t to me for thousand
dollars?"
Il know it's gone begging, and no
one would touch it at any figure" re-
marked Ward.
WELL I'm going to buy it," an
nounced Rufe. Don't think I've gone
out of my Senses" he added. will
you stake me?"
you mean, will loan you a thou.
sand dollars?"
Just that"
Rose, bring my bank book" di.
rected Ward, without a moments
hesitation.
mot so fast, dear old partner!" in
terrupted Rufe. THE money will do
tomorrow. l want you to help me-
will you do it,"
"You mean work with your"
Eyes"
"Rufe, old friend" spoke Ward, 81
wouldn't give five cents for the Gold
en- Hope. You're buying it for thou
sand dollars. l never knew you to
make yaiss in the mining game. l
don't know your plan, but do know
that you know your business. Use me.
With you for the leader, follow"
Thank you, Ward" replied RUFF
with palpable emotion-"you shant
miss it."
The Golden Hope mine was located
ont of the traversed trails. For a
solid month every day, quietly and
keeping their own counsel, Rufe and
Ward visited the abandoned digging
Every day Rose brought them theiI
dinner. What new glorious life
what mighty throbbing secret those
three talked over, worked over
dreamed over! And every new day
two ardent hearts understood one an,
other better and better. At the end
of the week Rufe Glidden drove out
of town with hired wagon and two
horses. He returned, with a cover
over the heaped-up wagon box, in
front of the assay office. A crowd
gathered. The rumor spread like
wildfire that Rufe Glidden had found a
giant pocket of pure gold at the old
mine.
cts gold, boys" he admitted buoy
antly, "but it came from no pocket
Why, you stupid galoots! it's been
lying before your eyes in the clear
open ever since the Golden Hope
closed down"
And then he explained:
"You see, the careless old workers
let grease drop onto the quicksilver
plate, and the corrugations let about
as much gold slip into the tailings as
they really got We've simply
worked the dump-and PANIED it
pound by pound. If we don't get a
clear fifty thousand dollars out of the
cleanup, I'm tenderfoot!"
He was tender lover to Rose, and
that was all Of his life, and he went
back to the States her proud, loya
husband.
"The treasure we found in the Gold
en- Hope" explained John Ward, wher
he showed his new neighbors minted
bar of the products of the tailings o.
the abandoned mine.
"The treasure worth more than al
the wealth the Golden Hope evel
heidi" added Rufe Glidden, his arm
encircling bonny, contented Rose.