Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-10-19

"We've got to rustic up 1920 EACH"
Frank and me to death. There's our
total assets" said Talbot and laid
ten dollar gold piece and dime on his
knee
well call that dime a curiosity"
said he, ''for l notice a quarter is the
smallest coin they use out here. Now
you see that we've got to talk business.
Frank and l haven't got enough to live
on for one more day.
There's enough among U.s. began
Yank.
"You mean you already have your
share of the partnership finances" cor
rected Talbot quickly. IF we're going
to be partners, and that's desired and
understood, / suppose"-we all nodded
emphatic agreement-"we must all put
in the same amount. l move that said
amount be 1920 apiece. Yank, you can
loaf tomorrow. You've got your share
all made up. You can put in the day
finding out all about getting to the
mines and how much it costs and
what we will need
"An right: I'll do It," said Yank.
"As for the rest of u.s. cried Talbot,
"we've got to rustic up 1920 each be-
fore tomorrow evening"
"How?' | asked blankly.
"How should | know? Out there
he waved his hand abroad at the flick
ic
challenging every man as he enters
her gates. She offers opportunity and
fortune. All a man has to do Is go
and take them! Accept the challenge"
1.-The only way / could take them
would be to lift them off some other
fellow at the point Of a gum said
Johnny gloomily.
We talked the situation over thor
oughly and then turned in, having lost
our chance to see the sights. Beneath
us and in the tent next door went on
a tremendous row of talking, laugh
ing and singing that for little while
prevented me from falling asleep. But
the last month had done wonders for
me in that way. and shortly | dropped
off.
Hours later | awakened, shivering
with cold, to find the moonlight pour
ing into the room and the hunks all
occupied. My blanket had disappear
ed. which accounted for my dreams of
icebergs. At first | felt inclined to
raise a row, then thought better of it
and by careful manipulation abstract
ed two good blankets from the most
unprotected of my neighbors and soon
slept soundly.
We went downstairs and out into
the sweetest Of mornings. The sun
was bright. the sky clear and blue. The
wind had not yet risen: balmy warmth
showered down through every particle
of the air. l had felt some May days
like this back on our old farm. Some
how they were associated in my mind
with Sunday morning and the drawl-
ing, lazy clucking of hens. Only here
there were no hens, and If it was Sun
day morning-which it might have
been-nobody knew it.
We ate a frugal breakfast and sep
arated on the agreed business of the
day. Yank started for the water front
to make inquiries as to ways of get
ting to the mines, Talbot set off at
businesslikc pace for the hotel as
though he knew fully what he was
about. Johnny wandered rather aim
lessly to the east, and | as aimlessly
to the west.
1t took me just one hour to discover
that l could get all of any kind of
work that any dozen men could do and
at wages so high that at first had to
ask over and over again to make sure
l had heard Alright. Only none Of them
would bring me in 1920 by evening.
The further l looked into that propO-
sition the more absurd, of course,
saw it to be. | could earn from 500 to
$50 by plain day labor at some jobs,
or l could get fabulous salaries by
the month or year, but that was diff
ferent. After determining this to my
satisfaction l came to the sensible con-
clusion that l would make what l
could.
The first thing that caught my eye