JOE’S LEGACY.

Lake County Press, Issue 2356, 29 December 1910, Page 5

JOE’S LEGACY.

By G. M. H. It -was in the early seventies, several years after the Pile claims had yielded their golden treasure and most of the lucky miners had left the creek. Many had realised several thousand pounds and had now turned their attention to other fields, whilst others engaged in pursuits which their good fortune had now enabled them to attain. The worked-out claims were, however, not allowed long to remain idle, for an army of Chinamen, fully five hundred of them, took possession and converted the township into a veritable Chinatown. The Chinese were doing very well at stripping and sluicing these old workings, and the township, which was divided into an upper and a lower township, with four hotels appeared to be doing a brisk trade. Though most of the European miners had departed, yet about thirty or more, who were well past middle age and the romantic rushing period, remained and pegged out fresh claims either above or below the old workings. Among these were Joe who not only was a good miner, but also the educational authority on the Creek. Whenever perplexity or disputes arose, especially with reference to the defini- . tion of complicated mathematical problems, Joe was sent for and his ; decision invariably accepted as final. ■ Joe prided himself particularly on his ; knowledge of duodecimals and the : mysteries of the deferential calculus. He was really a fine, open-hearted, 1 good natured seal, ready to help any>one in need. Unfortunately, when opportunities occurred, Joe was inclined to become a dipsomaniac. Indeed he used to dip so into alcoholic stimulants that he was constantly very deeply in the books of the publicans. He was, however, very handy to them in making up their books, balancing accounts, and assisting in other literary occupations. About this time, Joe had a tunnel claim up the Creek some three miles above the upper township. Here he worked as a hatter, but used to come in with his bit of gold on a Saturday, stay at a hotel over Sunday, and walk out to his claim on Monday morning. Now it was known or generally understood that Joe was well connected at Home, and that he was the sole heir to a very rich uncle in London. _ Now it happened one bright Monday in November, that a mounted trooper in glittering uniform was espied riding down the bridle track from the saddle of Mt. Pisa. When he arrived at the lower township, he called at the hotel and, in the absence of the landlord, interviewed the handy-man, asking him if he knew Joe. Of course he knew Joe, and he elicited from the trooper that be carried a very important and urgent document for Joe, and that personal delivery was absolutely necessary. The trooper was directed to call at an hotel in the upper township kept by a widow, where he would most likely find him. Off went the trooper at full speed and brought up at the widow s hotel where a renewed inquiry was made ; this time accompanied by the flourish of a large official envelope. The good lady offered to send a messenger with the letter to Joe j hut the trooper declared that he was instructed to deliver the message to none but Joe, so off he galloped up the creek in search of Joseph. While this was going on, a person, who had also come over the range and been passed by the trooper, who had a short chat with him, called at the hotel in the lower township where he let sufficient news drop to warrant the impression that Joe's uncle had died suddenly in London leaving an enormous fortune in cash and real estate to Joe ; and that the news of his death and a letter of credit for £SOO to defray Joe’s passage to the Old Country was contained in the envelope carried b} the trooper. This news spread like wildfire anc the legacy, which started at £SOOO soon went up to £50,000 and befon the end of the week rose to £500,000 All sorts of wild conjectures as to wha Joe would do with this enormou wealth formed the whole theme c

I conversation during tho week. The i widow especially displayed deep solicitude concerning Jog. While she was . bringing down the dusty ledgers from ■ tho top-shelf in the bar, so as to trace r back Joe’s indebtedness with compound interest for tho past six years, she was heard to remark: “People ; may say this and that, and everything that is bad about Jno ; but I have al- , ways found poor Joe to bo a real ■ gentleman, else I wouldn’t let him sum up tho terrible score he has for the last five or six years ; but now that ho has dropped into his fortune, I know he will pay me every cent he owes.” On Saturday evening as Joe was coming towards the township, he was congratulated upon his good forinne by the first man he mot. None could he more surprised at the coi’gratulaiimi than Joe himself. However, he trudged on when he was again and again felicitated on his good luck. But when he arrived at the hotel he was completely overwhelmed by the heartiness of the handshaking and the good wishes of tho crowd that usually assembled there of a Saturday evening. Especially was the dear landlady demonstrative in her admiration for Joe. Joe, who was lost in wonder and bewilderment at tho whole proceeding, said little or nothing,” but a bright idea struck him. Here at any rate was the chance of a lifetime for a big spree. Ho put both hands to bis mouth and con-eed for ail the boys to roll up for an evening’s spree at his expense. It was a mighty spree ; a record spree. They all gathered round i from far and near. They drank the ; upper township dry. In the early ' morning they all adjourned to the ] pub in the lower towng'ip, but the i landlord, who was not particularly en- ’ thusiastic, had his “doots ” about the ] legacy and refused to tick, so the ; jovial party broke up and melted away. It afterwards transpired that the < document which created the pleasant j fiction about the legacy was simply a message from the Registrar of Electors \ at Clyde appointing Joe as Deputy Re- { turning Officer at the local polling ' booth for the election of a member for , the House of Representatives. The episode, however, brought out I prominently the gullibility and folly of 4 human nature and also at the time afforded much amusement as well as \ material in after years for many a i tough yarn. The event further had a l remarkable effect upon Joe, who from . that period changed and became a highly respectable man, who afterwards s filled a worthy and responsible position in Lake County, where he died some * years ago. The "worthy landlady, g whose old hotel is still flourishing on g the Creek, passed out in the North r Island ; and of those who participated in the Record Spree, very few are now c left. Yet I know there are those who still have a fairly vivid recollection of r the big sell and rollicking fun created e by Joe’s legacy. g