Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-09-28

~ GVAAD k&0EA A4AfAkzsSEs AND
A DREARE LED HEM no A
TREASURE WHICH WAS
ENOUGH 10 LAST HIN
A LIFETIME
The money was gone and there wa.
nothing that Johnnie Brfnkley coulC
do about Il. The trust officer express.
ed sorrow and was almost apologetic
The committee on investments hac
guessed wrong. Even committees ar
human and liable 10 err. BE was no
the only sufferer. The blame must no.
be put on the trust company, but or
world conditions which had caused the
unparalleled depression.
johnnie Brinkley was strongly tempt
ed to punch the trust officers SNUG
face, but resisted. The fine for doing
lars and with the exception Of some
small change that was all the money
he had left In the world.
He strolIed out of the great trust
company building into the bright sun
light OF Hin street, walked briskly TO
the Athletic club, wrote his resignation
to the board Of governors, left Il In care
Of the clerk, and once more went out
into the sunlight.
he was trying to think very fast.
But thinking fast takes lot Of prac-
tice. And he had given most Of his
young life to the development Of fine,
healthy body and skin In games and
had pretty much allowed his mental
processes to take care of themselves.
He had supposed until that very
morning that he would always have at
least a thousand dollars month TO
1--we on. And the problem Of young
gentleman who has nothing to live on
now presented itself to him for the
first time. He supposed that ordinarily
you got job and went to work, but he
had read the newspapers sufficiently
to know that there were ten or twelve
million men out Of work and that Jobs
were scarcer than hens teeth.
For long time he sat on q bench
In the park and tried TO think things
out. He dismissed the thought of
Hollywood and the movies because he
did not wish to act even supposing that
he had it in him TO do so, and because
he knew himself to be equally inexpe-
rienced In all the other branches Of the
great industry. Furthermore he had
read that all the great companies were
in distress, laying off experienced work
ers by the hundreds and cutting sal-
aries. The park benches were pretty
well filled with men of all ages, most
Of whom looked as If they, too, were
on the ragged edge Of things.
Johnnie Brinkley wondered how long
It would be before his natty and prac-
tically new suit began to shine at the
knees and elbows and his shoes TO wear
out. But he recalled with satisfaction
that In his rooms he had many other
suits and pairs of shoes and shirts and
things. Perhaps he could raise some |
money on some of them. And this re- /
minded him that he must have a talk
with his landlady and explain what had
happened.
ur1uerked his car, and drove home. |
Home was an attractive sitting room, 1
bedroom, and bath IN an old fashioned
house on Franklin street. He had oc-
cupied these rooms since the death OF /
his parents and he was fond OF his
Iandlady because she was what he CALI
ed q square shooter"
mrs. Radcliff heard him out and she
remarked that many other young men
we're in the same boat and she didn't
Know what the world was coming to
anyhow. She told him not to worry
about the rent until he felt able to pay
t. And she wanted to know, II 1t
wasn't indiscreet, what he proposed 70
10 for a living
md never written anything but checks,
lung a water color painting, not too
)ad' Of a rustic cabin sitting among
bigger pines on the bank OF stream
rhis painting caught his eye and gave
lirn an inspiration. To hear him TAX,
.drs. Radcliff might have thought that
le had reached q decision only after
.areful and methodical thought. he
,ointed TO the picture.
spThatis IN the mother lode country"
le said, mot far from John Town. This
ears taxes have been paid and have
.ept the cabin in order out OF sentt-
nent. It's where father got his start. ]
1e found q pocket worth five or SIX
thousand dollars, bought stock IN the
bright Angel mine, and made quite q
Hing. am not hoping for any luck I
ne that but once a mans got the {
mack of banning gold he can make
hree or five dollars a day. It won't
ost me dollar day TO live, it's grand {
ountry and when I was q kid father
bowed me how to work a pan. III be
ndependent. There won't be any boss
nd I am so excited about 1t that I am {
Imost glad I'm broke" k
HIS wardrobe yielded some tough {
cotch tweeds, hunting boots Of good {
sather well broken in, flannel shirt,
nd Of course, sweaters and mufflers. I
Ie made q selection and told Mrs. Rad =
IF to raise what she could on the re-
lainder. She might, they agreed,
1ueeze out for herself a good part OF S
1e unpaid rent. The old lady had \
cen SO kind about everything that he I
ad the impulse to kiss her good-by, i
Ut he was a very shy young man even i
here old ladies were concerned and Il
le impulse ended in handshake and Il
kiss blown from the fingers when he s
as sitting in his car and ready to drive z
Gold fever is the most quickly caught S
. all the great family Of fevers. And
hen johnnie Brinkley came IN sight n
/ Table mountain and began to see Il
aces of ancient diggings and work o
rs he came down with It. a
In Jim Town he bought the regular n
eavy iron pan and the pick and shovel Il
the prospector. He bought also some "
rs Of beef, Of pork and beans, bis q
tits, and sweet stuff. Il
What will these purchases and the e