The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-01-30


hamlet there Is an old house or cab
in around which clusters romance,
which IL brought to light, fills us with
wonder. sometimes awe. This Is es-
pecially SO with old mining camps.
The city Of Deer Lodge Is no excep-
ton to the rule, being one OF the
early towns Of the territory. not,
strictly speaking, mining camp, YET
near enough to the mines to be the
home of many hardy prospectors. says
the Anaconda Standard
Here, in the western part of the
town, stands an old tumbledown cap-
in. which. in the SOS was the home
Of one of these hardy pioneer pros
pectors who seemed bent on attend
ing to his own business, apparently
DESTROYS of avoiding the society OF all,
living recluse life, quietly attending
to his own affairs, never entering
saloon, where congregates the MINER
prospector, cowboy and others to
while away their idle hours.
Many comments were wont to be
made by these men, when congregat-
ed in saloon, drinking social glass
or filling a place at the card table,
about this shy, close mouthed re-
cluse. No one seemed to know how
he lived, for food and raiment cost
money those days; and no one ever
saw him at work; yet he, at stated
intervals, presented bag OF gold
dust at the bank in the town and re-
ceived coin of the realm in exchange
therefor.
No one seemed to know anything
about him, except that his name was
Springer, and that he arose early
each morning and with shovel and
canvas bag, left town, pursuing an
easterly direction to the mountains,
and in the evening or early night
returned with the bag partially filled
with what seemed to be some heavy
substance.
Sometimes, late in the night, per-
sons passing by his cabin would heal
q clickety- click sound, emanatlne
from within the cabin, like the break
one had the courage to ask him the
cause Of the noise.
Thus the time passed, until 1t was
noticed that Mr.. s. was not seer
vending his way in the early morning
to the east, as was his custom. Al
the saloon the matter was discussed
and 1t was concluded that Mr., S
must be sick. Now, no one is more
ready and willing TO lend helpins
hand to the needy than these hardy
miners and cowboys who frequen
saloons, mostly because there is nj
other place Of amusement than thu
saloon in the average town. 1t wal
determined to appoint some one t.
visit Mr.. IS. the next morning and SCI
what was wrong, and to report to thu
company what might be his needs
4 was chosen as such committee
and next morning | called at Mr.. s.
cabin and knocked for admittance
Come in" was the response On en-
tering 1t was found that Mr.. s. wa
really sick, unable to rise from hi
bunk, but cheerful and apparently
glad to have some one come in an
see him.
II came as committee appointe
by the boys to see how you were fix
ed. We had not seen you for fey
thnt nl
and was to come in this mornin
and inquire whether you needed an
help or not for if you were sick, say
the boys, he surely needs help, an
we do not propose to stand Idly b
and see fellow man suffer withou
our at least trying to help him. l, @
course, do not wish to pry into you
business or anything like that, but
you need help am here to do wha
] can for YOU"
THANK you very kindly for you
interest in me. / know that l hav
not been very sociable with the boy
since / have been here in Deer Lodge
but have an object in my reticenc'
and hope that the boys have taken n
offense a~my peculiar ways, for as
sure you that no offense was by m
intended. l have a loving and nobl
wife and a charming daughter in tn
east, the daughter now nearly grown
broke their hearts by my drinkin
and reckless life, squandering for
tune and bringing down to povert
and degradation not only myself bu
my wife and daughter as well,
could not, when / fully sobered III
bear to see the wreck and ruin tina
had wrought by my folly, so con
cluded to leave home. or what W
called home, a miserable travesty c
a home, and come to Montana and
POSSIBLE make a fortune and retur
to my family and once more plac
them in the social and financial posi-
ton from which ] had 50 recklessl
dragged them.
II first stopped here in Deer Lodg
erected this cabin and then went
prospecting for gold Everybod
seemed TO think that gold could b
found only in placers, but | though
differently / thought that gold coul
be found in lodges in the mountain