The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-04-24

them who did not have made from
Montana gold some bit of jewelers.
work, for a mother, wife, sweet.
heart, or sister. These generally
took the form of rings. 1 do not
know who designed them, whoever
it was showed little originality in his
treatment, as they were much alike,
form of art, by the uncritical miners;
and many of them were really beau
tiful.
The favorite design was a bunch
of grapes and leaves in different
colored gold, next to this was a rose,
the flower, but no leaves. A tiny
ring, with the latter decoration, was
given to my little sister, by Frank
Worden, of Missoula, who was an in
innate friend of my father.
Besides rings, but more uncom-
mon, were brooches. They were
round, and a little over an inch
across, with a raised rim of polished
gold. Within this was a wreath of
grape leaves and grapes, encircled
by a chain of gold. The leaves of
SAO UAO6SA HOA Vi q 1IShkCI AoOC
of gold than the stems, or the chain
and rim. 1t was a good piece of
workmanship. OF these brooches, 1
have known of but threee. One of
these belonged to Mrs. Nathaniel
Merriman; n to Mrs. Wilbur F.
Sanders, and the third, given to my
mother, is now my treasured possess
sion.
There were stories connected with
the ring gifts, that were tragic or
comic as one CHANGED to read them.
One of these was of a professional
mana kindly, gentle soul-who had
become engaged to a very young
maiden shortly before coming to Mon
tana. He loved to tell of his wooing
or being wooed-to any one who
would listen to him; and it was a
common knowledge that he wrote to
his inamorata every day, forming a
bulky letter which he dispatched once
a week.
One summer, although he knew
nothing of mining, this men spent in
prospecting, and found enough gold
scribed, and to pay it's expressage
Ooots IACh LhO CO~u1ul Utility dWdlL6Q, /
in breathless suspense, the denoue-
ment of the story. 1t came in two in
The first told of the safe
arrival of the ring for which the dom
or was thanked. The next brought
news of the marriage of the girl
to the other fellow. A vast amount
Of sentiment, several months work,
and a little good hard gold-Montana
gold-had been thrown away on a
faithless woman. The only comfort
ing thought was that the discarded
discovered her character before,
of after marriage.
While many mined to have their
gold made into rings, chains or
brooches, there was one instance of
some of these being dug up already
manufactured.
I have mentioned my little sister,
hen but six years old. One day in
summer, she, together with a girl of
same age, was playing near the
of III house. Like other chill
lren they were initiative, and imag-
ned they we're mining. Diligently
hey turned up the soil with sticks,
of picks, when they were de-
lighted to find a large gold nugget |
This encouraged them to continue
heir work, with surprising results, as |
hey brought to the surface more mug !
,ets, a pair of gold cuff links, a heavy |
,old chain, and several other articles |
# value.
The children carried what they
ound, into the house, and showed
hem to my father, who at once made
Inquiries to discover how these riches
anne to be buried where they were
discovered. He found the rightfuI
'wner at last, who proved beyond
Ioubt his claim to them. He had
'een robbed, it seemed, while living
n the house we later occupied, but
lie could not understand why the
hief buried his loot, instead of try
ng to realize on it. On regaining
is possessions, the owner gave one
f the large nuggets to my sister.
Whether he remembered as generous
the other little girl, / doubt, and
he was equally deserving of reward