Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-10-16
THE LIFE OF A PROSPECTIVE
MINOR.

In the ROCKY MOunCdllS ANCu q
boy whose rather was very poor ana
the Oldest child being boy ms tatn-
er put him to work Tor the public
at an early age and did not send hlm
to school put about three months out
Of each year, but the boy made good
use OF his time that he had and got
a very good education.
He then began to study OF being a
miner and set out to lind some miner
al. He was alone In the mountains
for months at the time. AT that time
there were many dangers in the noun
tains for there were not many people
that lived in the mountains. There
were Indians, snakes, lions, and many
other wild animals. In the winter he
would suffer from cold, and in sum-
mer from heat. He would camp in
caves and in these caves he would
build a fire and sit by it, and study
animal that might see fire and cause
them to come in. He would sit there
till he got sleepy then he would put
the fire out, and roll up in his blanket
and go to sleep. Many times he
fought with an Indian or some wild
animal that would creep in his cave.
Some times in the day he would see
number of Indians coming toward
MIN; he would have to flee for some
hiding place until the Indians would
pass. He was captured by the Indians
twice and escaped but went through
many hardships while under them.
He would carry number of things
with him which includes a small pick
with which he was able to break off
the coEer of TO ok or to dig up
some rocks which he thought contain
ed mineral, gun with which he was
to protect himself, a sack for putting
the different oars that he found, a
small pan and cup which he used
washing the dirt and rock from the
metal; and a number of other things
that man might need following the
life of prospector.
After he had followed this sort of
life for about three years he was
called to war by the United States
Government and was general in the
war for two years. He was wounded
twice in the war but this did not
keep him from making a good gen.
eral while he was able to lead his
men. The war ended and he returned
to his old occupation. About year
after the war he discovered gold. At
ter discovering the gold he applied
to the Governor of his state for help
but the Governor would not help him
because the Governor thought that he
did not know what he was talking
about, and because he was poor
thought that he just wanted to get
some money. But this did not keep
the man from trying to get help so
he applied to the Governor of Vir-
GINA for help after telling him what
he had discovered the Governor let
him have the money to mine with.
It took him about six months to
strike the quartz and when he began
to hall the quartz to the factory that
he had built, the people then saw
that he was right and wanted to
help him but he said, "No when l
needed help you would not help me
but now I don't need help and you
want to help me-" In about three
months after he struck the quartz he
payd the Governor of Virginia his
money back and gave him a thirty
five pound nugget for his kindness.
He found many mines after he found
this one. He left the mining in the
hands of his brothers and went to
Virginia where he was elected Govern
or and served one term and was re-
elected but died before he went into
office. He had accomplished many
things in this world before his death
and was loved by all his people. At
his death he left to his heirs several
million dollars. He died at his home in
Virginia. The government
placed at his grave a monument in
honor of him.-R. M. S.
REXFORD SNEED.
oTHE LIFE OF A MINING PROS