Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-01-06
ALDER GULCH HAD
OWN ENOCH ARDEN
JOHN STONE LEFT WIFE IN AR
KANSAS WHEN HE STARTED
WEST
Oldest Son Finds Father in Montana,
Breaks News of Mothers Second
Marriage; Odd NIixup Ends Happily
for All.

One Of the well known charac-
tiers of Virginia City in the early
DAYS was a man named John
Stone. He secured a good claim De-
low discovery which yielded him
handsome returns, and after a
couple of successful seasons was
on the road to fortune. He was q
very taciturn man, and made few
acauaintances. He had mined In
California before coming TO Mon
tana. and limited his friends to
men he had known in the gold
diggings OF that state.
One day a fine looking young man
drifted into Alder gulch. He went to
work in the mines and gave 1t out
that he was looking for his father.
He was told that a man named John
Stone was working a claim near town
and he proceeded to look him up. II
developed that the newcomer and
John Stone were father and son. Both
were rejoiced over the discovery.
stones Strange Story
John Stones life story came out. It
seems that he was young man In
Arkansas before gold was struck IN
California. He had been farmer and
has made only an Indifferent success;
He decided to go to California, and
told his wife that if he made for
tune he would send for her and their
little family. He also said that If she
did not hear from him she could marry
someone who was in better shape to
take care of her than he was.
Years passed and no word came
from John Stone. The young woman
concluded that he was dead, and mar
ried again. This time she was more
fortunate, and her new husband made
~ a44H GfnFaafc little
brood of children.
The eldest boy was young man
grown when good news came TO him
of the gold strike in Montana. He de-
cided to make the trip to Virginia
City in search of his father and
A Happy Reunion
The elder Stone was delighted with
his son. They were several days TO-
gether before the boy could break the
news to his father that his mother had
married again. The old man stood the
news well. Finally he asked the boy
to go back to Arkansas and have
talk with his mother. If she was happy
In her new environment, all well and
good; Stone would remain where he
was, and not wander back like Enoch
Arden to disturb the married relation
ship. If she was unhappy, and not
properly provided for, the boy was to
let Stone know. and he would come,
gun in hand If necessary, and drive
the interloper away. Not many sons
have been charged with so delicate
a mission
The boy went back to Arkansas. In
the course of a few months he re-
turned to Virginia City. He was COM
PEELED to tell his father that his
mothers message to spouse No. was
that she was happy and preferred to
make no further changes. So John
Stone remained in Virginia City. A
year later he met a woman whom he
married, His son remained in Virginia
City, where his father established him
self in business.
A few years later the boy received
a letter from his mother, advising him
that her second husband had died.
About this time the second wife of
John Stone passed away conveniently.
Then the boy rose to the occasion. He
suggested that his father go back to
the old Arkansas home, marry again
the bride of his youth, and bring her
out to Virginia City.
Stone made the trip. There was a
happy reunion, followed quickly by a
He brought his wife to Alder
gulch, but she did not like the Mon
tana climate, and In a few years per-
suaded her third husband, who was
also her first husband, to sell out and
go to Arkansas. The son remained In
Montana for many years, when he re-
turned to Arkansas to inherit the
of his mother and her several
husbands