The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-09-06

It was about four In the afternoon
when we reached the creek. Up il our
leader plunged, till he came TO a place
where a rude shaft had been dug. We
| gathered around him.
Here it is, boys" he said. Here's
my discovery stake. Now you fellows
| go up or down. anywhere you've a no.
ton TO. and put in your stakes. May
| be you'll stake million-dollar claim.
maybe blank. INNINGS all a gam
BILE. But go ahead. boys. / wish you
luck"
So we strung out. and. coming In ro-
| tation, Jim and | staked seven and
eight below discovery.
Then l threw myself down on a bit
of moss, and. covering my head with
my coat to ward OF the mosquitoes; in
a few minutes was dead to the world.
| / was awakened by the ProdigaL
Rouse up" he was saying; you've
| slept right round the clock. We've
| got to get back to town and record
those claims. Jim's gone three hours
ago"
| was sleep-stupid. sore, stiff in ev-
cry joint. Racking pains made me
| grOan at every movement, and the
| chill night air had brought on twinges
| of rheumatism, but we started off.
1t was about nine in the morning
when we got to the gold Office. There
was quite number ahead of me, and
l knew | was in for a long wait.
will never forget it. For three days.
with the exception Of two brief sleep
spells. ] had been in a fierce helter-
SHELTER of excitement, and had eaten
no very satisfying food. AS stood in
| that suIlen crowd swayed with weari-
ness, and my legs were doubling un-
der me. l staggered forward and
Strengthened up suddenly. l was near
the wicket. Only two were ahead OF
me. A clerk was recording their
claims. One had thirty-four above,
the other ffty-two below. The clerk
| looked fiustered. fatigued
1t was my turn. Il want to record
eight below on Ophir." said.
"What manner" he asked.
gave it. He turned up his book.
Eight below, you say. Why. that's
already recorded"
Cant be-" | retorted. Il just got
down from there yesterday after plant
ing my stakes"
Cant help it. It's recorded by some
one else, recorded early yesterday"
Look here" l exclaimed; what
kind of a game are you putting up on
me? | tell you / was the first on the
| ground. alone staked the claim"
That's strange" he said There
must be some mistake. Anyway, you'll
have to move on and let the others get
I'D to the wicket You're blocking the
way. All l can do is to look into the
matter for you, and I've got no time
! now. Come back tomorrow. Next
please"
The next man pushed me aside, and
there | stood, gaping and gasping. A
man in the waiting line looked at me
pityingIy.
Its no use, young feilew; you'd
better make up your mind to lose that
claim. They'll fiim-fam you out of If
somehow. They've sent some one out
now to stake over you. If you kick.
they'll say you didn't stake proper.
Them government officials is the
crookedest bunch that ever made fuel
for kell-fre.
was stunned with disappointment.
what you want" he continued. ais
to get pull with some of the officials.
Get a stand-in, young fellow"
well" | said. I'm not going to be
cheated out of my claim. If I've got
to move heaven and earth"
You'll do nothing Of the kind. II
you get sassy there's the police to put
the lid on you. You can talk till
| you're purple round the giIls. 1t won't
cut no figure. They've got US all
cinched. We're just got to take our
| medicine It's no use goin' round
bellyaching. You'd better go away
and sit down"
And did.
|
had to see Berna at once. Already
| had paid a visit to the Paragon
restaurant, that new and glittering
place of resort run by the Wrinkle
stems, but she was not on duty.
In the evening returned. l took
! seat in one of the curtained boxes.
The place was brilliantly Lit up, many
mirrored and f1ashily ornate In gilt
and white. In the box before me a
white-haired lawyer was entertaining
a lady Of easy virtue; In the box be-
| hind, a larrikin quartette from the
Pavilion theater was holding high
reveIry. There was no mistaking the
character of the place. In the neart
of the city's tenderloin Il was haunt
of human riff-raff, a palace of gilt
and guilt.
/ And ii was in this place Berna
worked. She waited on these wan
tons; she served those swine. She
heard their loose talk, their careless
oaths. She knew everything. OH. IL
was pitiful; il sickened me to the
soul. | sat down and buried my face
in my hands
''Order, please"
| knew that sweet voice. 1t thrilled
me, and looked up suddenly. There
was Berna standing before me.
She gave a quick start, then recov
cred herself. A look Of delight came
into her eyes. eager, vivid delight
"Oh. am so glad to see you again.
/ "Berna." ] said. what are you do
ing with that paint on your face?"
"Ob, I'm sorry" She was rubbing
distressfully at dab of rouge on her
cheek. Il knew you would be cross,
but ] had TO; they made me- It's just
little pink-all the women do it II