A YANKEE GOLD MINE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10986, 8 June 1901, Page 10

A YANKEE GOLD MINE.

'fit Jobs Habbektos. . Gold had never been found in the quarte that abounded In a certain portion of the State of JUawaehnsatts, but aa otl Squire Strayteir frequently said: , "doesn't prove that there's none there. -. No «old war found in California till about fifty years ago, though that country had be£n almost three centuries under the Spaniards—the most per* sistent- gold-hunting ra«e that the world ever knew. Before the California dust was found, New Hampshire had a respectable place among gold-producing States; if there's gold! in New Hampshire, why not in Massachusetts?" Str&yter himself had been one'of the Argonauts of '49, before ha came of age, and for all the years that followed he had been of the opinion that had he not been recalled to the old homestead when his father died he would rich" through finding precious metal. In the very gulch in which he was working when the fateful blackbordered letter reached him his associates afterward found "inddcatione" from which several fortunes were evolved. A shelf in the' Squire's room, in the old farmhouse, was covered with bits of ore from that very gulch, and each piece had been handled contemplatively and often. Like a loyal son and brother be had done his full duty on the old farm. He had married and reared a family that everyone respected: he had been a good citizen, and at times a magistrate, to the entire satisfaction of his neighbours; but y in his' dreams by night-and by day his mind went back to the California gulches, with their golden sands and rusty quartz. In the hilly country near Strayter farm there* was scarcely a reddishwhite ledge that bad not been chipped by the little hammer which he habitually carried. His neighbours laughed at him for his hobby; sometimes he laughed at himself, bufc habits strengthen with age, so, when the old man's wife had passed away, and all hjs children except his daughter Raye, who kept house for him, had married, and the land of the farm had been leased for-enough money to support the father and daughter in the simple manner to which they were accustomed, the Squire's gold-hunting fever was indulged until it became chronic. Even Rave' became infected by it, and found a possible gold mine a delightful subject for her own day-dreams. Suddenly there cam© to Raye and her father a week full of excitement. The Squire had previously, found a thin seam of quartz that looked remarkably like some of his California specimens; be had sent some of the rock to a Boston assayer, who reported a trace of gold. By the very mail-coach that brought this report came Ethan Overford, son of one the Squire's schoolmates, who had gene West before the war, and become a cat-tle-king and millionaire. His son had come East to purchase an estate for his father, who wished to pass his remaining days amid the scenes of his childhood. . Young Overford, who had inherited the money-making faculty, called on his father's [old friend, and; with the manners of a gentfe--1 man, and also the peculiar Western quality of frankness, made himself heartily welcome. Hβ called again to consult the Squire about desirable building sites that might possibly be purchased; then ha accepted a special invitation to call the next day for the purpose of looking at the Squire's promising quartz vein, having admitted that he had dabbled with some success in Colorado gold "prospects." On -the , fourth day he reappeared to Ask whether the Squire knew any trustworthy local stonemasons, for his fatlier had talked of building a mansion of the rough stone of the country. He was back again in twenty-four hours to show a letter from his father. On the sixth day ihe again strolled out to the Stray ter farm, with no excuse that he could put "into words, but by that time the Squire suspected, and Raye the cause of his frequent visits. It was dreadful; it was delightful. There had been no lack of suitors at the old farm, for Raye, besides being handsome and clever, had been a woman several years, and her father was as well-to-do as any of his neighbours. She had always said "No," never with much regret, and always on the ground that her father deserved her entire attention; but never before had an admirer come in" the dress and manner of a man of the world, and with a moderate fortune of his own and another fortune jn prospect,; nor had «tny one brought into the quiet home so many reminders of the great outer world in which New Englanders above all other people are persistently interested. Soon there came a day when, after a long political chat, with the Squire, Overford suddenly and formally changed, the. subject of conversation by asking permission to pay his addresses to Raye. "You're the- eon of an old acquaintance," said the Squire, "and 'tis plain to see that you're very much of a "man, and 'tisn't strange that you should admire Raye, but I don't believe in poor men's daughters marrying rich. I've seen some cases of it, and they all 'turned out bad." "But, Squire," argued the young man, "there's less .difference than you imagine. I don't pass for a rich man out in Colorado. Besides, money counts only for what it buys.' Your house contains more comforts and pretty things than piir place on the ranch, and your daughter probably has better clothes and more refined society than my sisters 'have." "Perhaps—perhaps," the Squire replied; "but young men, when they marry, don't; stick to the simple ways of their parents —not if they can help it, as 'tis plain to see you can. My other gals have been as well off as the men they married; their husbands' folk* and friends couldn't throw it at 'em that they hadn't anything but what their husbands gave 'em. Neither Raye nor any of her folks could ever stand that sort of talk, even if they didn't hear it, but merely knew it went on behind their backs. You're too much of a man ,to lose your head and heart over any one gal —even one as smart and good-looking as my daughter. There are nice gals in every set, and 'tis only lair to youraeif, and to your wife that is to be, that you marry some one who's used to plenty of money and to ways of spending it." Overford protested earnestly, though respectfully. The Squire listened kindly, but remained obdurate. As Overford awked away Raye came upon the piazza and looked reproachfully at her father. "You overheard what was being said?" queried the Squire. ;•■- "No," Raye replied, "but I could imagine it-—I had to send him to you—and he has gone without saying good-bye." J ' "Be hasn't gone far, pet, and what >E said isn't going to keep him from coming here. He's a pleasant acquaintance ; 1 wish we had more of the same kind. I hops his father and the: family will come into the neighbourhood; if 'his sisters are anything like him they'll be good company for you." - ' ■ Rave did not answer, nor did her counte- ; nance change. Her father put his arm j around her and said tenderly: j "You wouldn't enjoy being a poor gal married into a rich family. You're heard talk about some such gals, haven't you?" "Yes," assented Raye, but her expression remained fixed, even after her father had kissed her. True to the Squire's prediction, young Overford soon called again; his excuse was that he thought he had heard the sound of rock-blasting, and it really made hsm feel homesick. He found the Squire at the ledge, looking at some newly-fraebured bits of quartz. " "Your ©yes are younger than mine," said the old man, "and you know far more of this kind of business than I do. Take this magnifying glace and see if you can find any signs." ...-,.• . "I can't see any free gold," Overford replied after close scrutiny ; "but that proves nothing. Let mc send some specimens to an assayer who has done a lot of work for mc. GoW has no end of ways of hiding in rock ; not all assavers find. *it, ' even when it's there." ''That Boston man found it," said tie Spuire, "but I've wondered about ttn times a day whether I didn't accidentally get one of tie little California bits with mv own by mistake. I often compared them "with one another." The young man interested nimself so greatly in tl»a matter that he carried a small sack of the rock to New' York withia a fewdays, and when he returned he-oraight from a prominent assayer a report showing more than a trace of gold; ths 'proportion of precious metal was very saihil—too small to justify working, but OVerford insisted that the outlook was cheering. Said he: "Has report is Sα much better than that

rock ajrthe depth increases; that's the way we should .regard ,it, ifn the vein, were, in Colorado.' -Why not dijU farther back on the . ledge, make a large Wast, open up a big breast of rock, ai>4 get Mill another assay? I'll > helifcyoti, at the wcrk* aod—l stall, feel jißtified'i-in- asking - for ;a reconsideration ityou suddenly find yourself owner of gold, mine-" . '.. - v •"•. " -. - The Squire's face wrinkled shrewdly as he drawled: "Tl "You Western men have a marvellously practical -way of putting things, and ■" Then ha stopped,,for his heart was dancing recklessly. ," He half repented of his decision ; for Rayefs sake might the vein prove, if not a bonanza, at least a profitable producer! - ; . 1 Together the two men worked for several days, and the young man noted with great satisfaction that - when he accompanied the Squire to midday dinner his flannel shirt and reddening complexion did not lessen the . welcoming-loot in Rave's eyes. Near the ' dose of *he ; fourth day. a -great cartridge of giant powder was lowered into the hole, the wire of the battery was carried to a safe distance,- and Overford said: ■ i "Here's hoping! Let's shake hands on it. Now touch ,the button!" i "The Squire's hand trembled so 'violently that twice his finger missed the button; but , immediately-after the third attempt there was a mighty roar, the earth shook, and the Squire humed forward so rapidly that the younger man could not overtake him. Both men stopped an instant'at the edge of the little cliff created by the blast; then both scrambled to the foot of it and began to ' scrutinise the face of the rock. "See'anything—see anything?" asked the Squire eagerly., i j "There's a possibility," Overford replied. ' "You see the rock is not all of the same quality—these joints, where the vein has been broken for ages, and into which water has trickled and stayed, ought to show the free gold", if there is any. Haye you a magnifying glass with you?' f I The Squire's hand shook scr'that it could ' scarcely find his pocket.; meanwhile Overford was stooping over the debris and picking up small bits of partly decomposed quartz. He took the,glass, examined several specimens, and suddenly .placed one of . them and the glass in the Squire's hands, saying: "Look at that!" Quickly the Squire looked. He saw some bright specks; they were tiny, but they ■ were yellow. ' I "Hurrah!" >he fairly shouted. "Thank Heaven! How many dollars—how good is »that?" the Squire asked. "I mean, how ' rich ought it to run to the ton? The grains , j are dreadful small." '; I J "Yes, but if there are even two ounces of ; them to a whole ton of rock- I —two ounces of j free-milling ore—you've struck a remarkably , 1 good thing, considering that it's in a country ■ where labour is cheap, machinery and good fuel near at hand, and transportation charges almost nothing." Then Overford resumed his search, and the Squire, on hm hands and [ knees and with his spectacles on his nose, ■ assisted with such "success that he himself soon found small bits of glittering ore. Suddenly he arose to his feet, and said: "I must go home—at once. Raye must know of this." j "Mayn't I go with you?" asked Overford. I The Squire looked keenly into the * young ' man's eyes an instant * and replied: "Come along. I owe much of this to you, ; but, remember, that this isn't a gold mine— ' not yet." ' ' 'V ''.''. 1 "I shan't take advantage of your kindness," said Overford; nevertheless, he was as happy as the Squire himself when Raye's eyes brightened over the gold arid then melted as'they, looked" gratefully and impartially at both men. ■ '..'..: "Now, Squire," said Overford, after a few blissful moments, "business is business, and as I've had considerable experience in this line, let mc offer you a little advice. You can't do\anytbing "with your find unless you've about ten thousand dollars' worth of machinery and a few thousands for working expenses. If you haven't the money you can do one of trtvo things—form a company and sell stock, or sell a quarter or third interest—keeping tihe controlling interest yourself—to men who are in the business and know how to work such a property. You're welcome to any assistance Hint my experience and acquaintance can give you." "Thank* you—thank you. I must accfcpt it. Which of the two plans would be the better? - ' "That of selling an interest; it's the fairest and ..'safest way. There's never Taeen a great gold yield from any New England mine, so bank what cash you can get, and afterward take jour share of the profits. . Let mc take some,specimens of the .rock—the 'worst as well as the best—down to New York, and see what assays and offers I can get you. My services won't coet you anything, and —well, you know I've personal reasons for. wishing you to make a fortune out" of your find." Overford returned to the ledge, collected more specimens, and hurried to the city. In three days he was back with reports by three different assayers showing a possible yield varying from eight to thirty-five dollars to the tbn of rock. Still more to the point, he brought a letter which the Squire read aloud as follows: — "Lyman Strayter, Esq., "Dear some of the rock from your gold prospect, and having also examined the assivyers' reports, and consulted our old friend "and customer, Mr Overford, we are willing to invest some money in the property on condition that "we shall have the exclusive xontrbl of developing and operating, you ti> have access to the works and accounts at any and aM times, either in person or by, agent. If such conditionsshould be satisfactory to you, we will pay fifty thousand dollars for a third .'interest in the mine. We have placed a certified cheque for the amount in the hands of Mr Overford, the same to be given to you upon your signing papers (also in Mr Overford's hands) spscifying abovementioned agreement./ ■•* "Yours, sincerely. "QtxrcK and Tbuett." "Fifty thousand dollars!" gasped the Squire, staring joyously, at his daughter. Fifty thousand dollars," murmured Raye. "Now, you dear man, you must take a long rest, and a long look at the world." "Not II" exclaimed the old man, whose face had become twenty years younger in a single minute.. • "I'll do some more prospecting at once—yes, this very day." ; "Go easy, Squire; take a rest," suggested Overford, as he displayed the cheque, which the old man and his daughter devoured with their eyes. "Bless mc! If ever I get fifty thousand dollars so easily I shall think I've done enough work for one day." "I really do suppose, Overford," said the Squire, somewhat sheepishly, "that Im acting like a fool, but I assure you that gold mines are scarce in this part of the.'world, and so are big cheques. Do you advise mc to accept this offer?" "Indeed I do. Out West it's the rule to accept whatever cash can be got out of a gold proposition. All that yon or any other man knows of a gold property is what is in sight, so take the cheque, sign, the papers, and.hope for whatever else may be got out of it." . ■ ' The Squire took the cheque. Raye brought pen and ink, and leaned over her father as lie signed the agreement; then ehe looked gratefully at Overford—only an instant, vet long enough to make the young man ridiculously happy. - "Now, Squire," said Overford, as the old man dropped his pen and again contemplated the cheque, "turn about is fair play. I've helped you to open and sell your mine, so why won't you pack a few things, run out to Colorado with mc, and look at a few? prospect-holes of mj own? A man who% smart enough to find gold in this part of New England ought to be worth millions, to em ana to Mmself, in Colorado." "I'd like nothiag better than to be turned loose in a gold country," the Squire replied; 'but I can't leave Raye." "I dWn't ask you to leave her," saidOverford, looking appealinglv at the «H who quickly vanished. ; "T*ake her with you; a young woman of her sense and sp:nt and character would enjoy co great a change quite -as much as you. Besides, I m impatient to have her 'meet her prospective sisters-in-law, and my parents " The Squire smiled quizzically as he %- plied: — to*™" West€nsera "• ver y persistent "There'd ba no West if we weren't." said Orerford, "Returning to the pieriodt

you're rich «f **f^ 1 aWt.yoV to .allow mc to try, to became your son-in-law?"." ' ,_ "* -^A^l ■ "there are lots of other'"fin* gfcs ih-tlw] world. Sure you-wotft change yonrtiftmd some day?" ~ ~,*', ,"'• ' ... '<•>•■ > : "2*6* ttft thread of eternity." -.. .-,- :"KTia! -Well,, I: don't .suppose, it. mat : | tere puchVwhat yoiimay do then. x«-'-' The Strayters went West;. afterwatd all the" Overfords came East td\the wedding,but before that event the Squirt had operated a little, and successfully, m Miking i>roperties, so he'was once more a young man in feeling and longed to go Wesfeonce more and "grow up with,the end so returned'to Colorado and worked and prospered to his liking. A few months after his daughter and her husband hid returned from a long honeymoon trip m' Europe, and the two men sat together one morning over their mail, the Squire remarked that the purchasers of an interest in his New England mine had not yet paid anything on account of his share of the profits. "H'm," said Overford, absent-mindedly, his attention being engrossed by some mining reports of his own from a confidential agent, 'Tve never sent on the pay-rock 1 ! promised." 1 "Son-in-law," continued the Squire, who "what on earth are you talking about?" Overford started violently. The eyes of the two ment met. The Squire's glance was searching, and Overford looked uncomfortable. ■ • "Son-ma-law,, continued the Squire, who had learned "much of the ways of tricky dealers- in mining property, "I do believe you 'salted' that mine!" ' "Father-in-law," the young man replied, "I cannot tell a lie, especially after it has been detected in advance. I did salt- it from the very first. - The day we'ftred the big blast I had two pockets full of small bits of Colorado pay-ore," which had been carefully selected from a .New York, mine-broker's specimens to match your quartz in colour and general appearance. After the blast I slyly sprinkled them where —well, where they would do most good." "And in that way you helped mc, an honest man, to swindle the firm that paid mc fifty thousand for a" third interest. "Oh, jno ; not swindle. The buyers haven't complained, have they?" "Xo, but that makes the operation no less dishonest. I musF return the money," siph-d the Squ r re. "It has trebled in my hands e'nee I've been here, yet I hate to itt the fifty thousand go." "Don't pay it if you feel that way." "But I must. I can't feel ho Qes t again until I've done it." "Must, eh? Well, if you're in such a hurry about it, pay it through your daughter." l '{son-:n-law," said the Squire sternly, "do you ■ mean to tell ,mc that my daughter was a party to'that shameless fraud;" :; "No." "Then, what do you mean?" "Simply that your , daughter Raye's husband was the real and only purchaser of your supposed gold mine. Quick and Truett were merely my agents." The Squire pushed his hat to the back of. h's hear? and toward OverforH as if to strike him. Sudd&nly Jhe droppad { his hands, looked into the manly, smiiing ! face before hini and muttered: . ] "You're a cute one—a mighty caie cue." I "Under the circumstances I to be, I Do you blame mc, considering waat was bi stake?" The Squire gravsped both han-ls of lis son-in-law and replied: ! "God bless her! Kol"