Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-10-21

and the bees stung them nearly to death. I beat at the bees to keep them away from the children, but it only made them worse, and they stung me.
 Pretty soon I dropped down and prayed to the Lord: "Oh, Lord, why hast Thou forsaken mel" l prayed in German.
 The bees wouldn't go away, and l couldn't do anything. Then thought of the oil in the machine, so took some from the engine and washed the children's faces. They looked awful all swollen up until could hardly rec ognize them, all covered with the dirty oil. And they were crying with pain and thirst. But the oil drove away the bees.
 That night it seemed as though the Lord was going to answer my pray CTS, for it thundered and lghtening'd all night long. prayed for rain, but no rain came. And it was still terri bly, hot, and the children were crying. 1 took the clothes all off the children and myself, and we tried to sleep, but we couldn't. Along towards morning I got up and put on a new night gown 1 had, for I thought the end was near and wanted to look all right when people found me-sometime.
 Friday morning the children were too weak to hardly move. Their bod ies were all sunburnt and their faces swollen and hurting them. And they wer crying for water and food, but I couldn't give them any, and it nearly broke my heart.
 Digs for Water l started to dig in the sand. It blis- tered my fingers, and l stopped. 1 gave the children some raw pota- toes, jelly and Crisco we had left and it helped them little. But Lillian couldn't eat any of it. Then 1 prayed to the Lord to send water just for the children-but the Lord didn't send any water.
 About 3:3O Lillian began to die. The heat was about 130, guess. She was out of her head, and she kicked and screamed like a demon, Please, mama, help me-" she kept crying, Mama, buy me some ice cream" l knew she was dying, and prayed the Lord to take her quick. But the Lord didn't.
 And the other two children, Ruth and Elmer, began to go out of their heads. They were afraid to die, they said But l told them not to be frightened, for it was so very easy to die. But little Ruth looked up at me and said: Mama, don't want to die; l haven't seen anything of life yet" And l told her: "Ruthie, I'd rather you would die than to have to go through all the experiences of life." And little Ruthie smiled, and asked why the Lord didn't come to relieve them, if He was so good. And l couldn't answer. But l told her the Lord acted as He saw best.
 Then at o'clock. the people came. They were going to Congress Juno tion and had seen our machine about a mile off the road and came over to see if we needed help.
 Rescue Too Late
 Little Lillian was dying, and it was no miles to a doctor. They gave us water and Lillian said: Mama, when is papa coming?" And couldn't tell her, for l knew he never could come. And after we all had little water and bit to eat, we felt better. All except Lillian, and she was dying.
 Then the people took us to the ranch we had been looking for. But there was no word about papa.
 My little Lillian died. We stayed at the ranch till Tuesday, and that day we hard about papa. Some MeXicans had found hinH-dead and within a mile of the ranch houSe-and Watell- only just a little off the road. And he still had some lemons and oranges in his pocket. And then they told we had passed water while we were driv- ing around. But we never saw it, for it was just little bit.
 Deserts Victim
 They wouldn't let me see him. l never have seen him since he lift, and though he's buried here with my little Lillian, l can't believe they're dead. 1 knew he'd never come back. But I'll see him again, for brought him to the Lord before he died. And the Lord saw fit to let me keep Ruthie and Elmer.
 Gro revert to the prospectors' signpost, key to the tragedy, by which the elements had tricked the Kauf- mans: Sun and wind and rain had , during the years washed out the nu- neral "7," so that when the Kauf- mans turned aside to slake their thirst the lying board read:
 l MILES TO WATER [ As Mrs. Kaufman finished her story dry eyed, Ruth and Elmer raced into the yard and to the side of their mother, asking for "some'tin to eat and a drink of water" She went in