Year: 1878

l


the mountains. Crush it to atoms and re


duce it to ashes, and the winds will gather i


up and propagate it from the fragments. 1t


existance is coveal with liberty. The con


trivence of man may for time pervert jus


tice, but it will always triumph, and come


forth clad in q panoply Of steel.


The sun had almost disappeared, leaving


here and there fow golden traces--the resi-


due of former grandeur. The miners' work


was finished for the day, and the miner:


had gathered in crowd awaiting the arriv.


al ofthe mail-carrier, whose coming to the


district was like shower Of sunbeams after
| gloomy darkness.


The mining district here referred to was
situated on the Pacific coast, where men


made fortunes in the day and lost them at
night. Every class was here represented
the ignorant and the educated, the refined
and the brutal-all on a common level.


As the postman rode up he handed the
miners several packages of letters, and one





in the, district. Mr.. Stanton Immediately
repaired to his cabin door and opened the
package-letters from the old home, from
his father and Eugene Holmes, hisibetrothed.


But here let US explain Henry stanton's
prNence in this mining district. He was
formerly of Cincinnati, Ohio, where his
father still resided, wealthy and we'll yre-
spected. A disgrace had fallen upon Henry
which caused him to leave his home to seek
his fortune away from the scene of his hui
miliations. He had been cashier in the
banking house of a well-known firm in Gin
cinnati, and was trusted by this hrifi with
implicit confidence, frequently being left
in charge Of the bank for months. He was
a skillful manager and perfectly honest in
all his operations. At one of the monthly
examinations by the trustees on the condi-
ton of the bank, he was found defaulter to
the amount of $4,000. The trustees con-
sdered this some mistake in the cashiers
account and gave him week to readjust the
error Henry worked hard to make the cor
.rection, but it was impossible for him to
discover where the error was The evidence
was clear against him, and he was placed
under arrest. His fall was great shock 10
all who knew him. His father paid the
amount to which he was defaulter, believ-
ing, however, that his was guilty. He was
Stunned by his former friends, who basked
in the sunshine of his prosperity, and, when
that sunshine failed, like summer birds, they
sought other climes. The beautiful young
lady to whom he was Engaged 10 be married
within few weeks was forbidden to speak
to him, although in her heart she believed
he was innocent of the crime of which the
evidence against him showed him to be
guilty. As soon as he gained his liberty he
secured secret interview with Eugene, and
there denied his guilt and declared one day
he would be known as an innocent and
honest man. They both pledged to remain
faithful to each other until they should meet
again. They parted, Henry to brave the
dangers Of the "far West" Leaving be-
hind him all that was near and dear, Henry
started west, with no particular purpose or
object in view; but at length drifted with
the tide of humanity Into a noted mining
district, and by dint of hard Work and
good fortune he accumulated an immense
sum Of money, and out of this fortune he |
paid his father the $4,000. Henry had |
just received letters from his old home, and |
among them one from his betrothed. She
urged him to return and establish himself |
in his home, and live down the disgrace |
on his name. The assurance she gave him,
and the clear evidence of her fidelity to him,
shook the resolution he had formed never
10 return home until the stain on his char
acter was completely removed. She urged
as he now had the means he could the more
,fectually prove his innocence.


Her argument was supplemented by the
act that Eugene's father had determined
hat she should wed another, one who had
1een installed in Henry's place as cashier
n the bank from which he had been expell-
d. This mans father, Judge Wilson, was
President of the bank, and made his son
Frank assistant cashier under Henry STAN
on. Henry often thought that his assistant
lad something to do with his account, but
IS he had no evidence he prudently kept
ilent. Now that Frank Wilson had not
'nly secured his position in the bank, but
vas about to deprive him of his sweet Eugene,
le hesitated no longer.


On the following day he sold his rich
mining claims to a company for $4,000,
nd this sum, added to the amount he had
saved while working the mine,
made neat fortune of $4,000. He wrote
0 Eugene that he would be in Cincinnati
hree months from the date of his letter,
nd also to his father, inclosing both letters
0 his father.
Settling his business, Henry started home
0 brave the storm he well knew awaited