Great Falls tribune. [volume], April 09, 1887, Image 3

About Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
LA ER  U.
Wtritt n flor the Tribune by Y. II. I. T S.
CHIIAPTER I.
The hamlet known as Boulder was aI
quiet as any dleepy country village, except
'v:ien an occasional wagon passed by to
the lakes, which were only four miles
further up in tle mounteins. Boulder was
or rather I::d been the camp which in
years ubefore supplied several of the sur
rounding gýulches where placer mnining i
lad been carried on. Into its one long
a!td :-inuouls street had come! the traffic of 1
t whole tominig region. Long strings of I
mt le, teams:, dusty and hot had paused 1
while the thirsly drivers wetted their
parched throats in the bar-rooils. Mu-ic
and revelry, the- laigh and the hitter oath
had been i::u ible on this long street years
ibefore, but t the time of which I write
there was a hui:, a silence as though (
death was in every one of the many de- 1
serted houses which lined the road. Yet.
quiet as it was, dead as it seemed there
was sonme life left in it yet. Up Case creek
there was a mill which worked the ohl
Cat;i gravel mine; further up still there
was a saw mill, and on a mountain called I
the "Bos'" was a quartz lead which pro
duced no small returns. Occasional !ish
ing parties stepped for dinner and restedI
-their teams. The postoffice with its tri
weekly mail brought men from quite a
distance. T'here were a few families in
the neighborhood, so the county school t
board allowed them a school and teacher,
more out of compliment to the former
Igreatness of the place than from a rigid
complimnce with the school laws.
And so Allie Farmer was there in the
quiet out of the way tonw teaching school.
The position was not exactly such a one I
as she would have chosen, but she was a
sea 'ble young woman and she had made
up her mind to accept it and teach the 1
children sent her with just the same faith
fulness as though her surroundings had
been more pleasant.
CIIAPTER II.
California was comparatively a new 1
country for the Farmer family when they
settled on Spring creek. Old man Far
mer, Allie's father, had been in Nevada
county in early days, had made a small
fortune, gone back to Illinois, invested it
in a farm and for a while did well.
One day Joel Farmer put his name on
the back of his cousin's note and finally 1
was compelled to pay the face of it with
interest.
"It's only a formality," his cousin said
when he d:d it, but in two years after- a
ward the formality bankrupted him. lie
had been fortunate in California, why not r
try it again? Gathering the few fragments tl
that were legally his, he and his wife and
two daughters left Illinois for San Fran
cisco. Accustomed to other scenes than
those of a busy, rushing city, Farmer
sought the foothills, and in due time the
Farmer family settled on 160 acres of fer
tile land just outside of Independence
mining district. The nearest town was h
Dry Gulch into which Joel Farmer some
times went alone, at others with his wife
.or daughters. During one of his visits to
Dry gulch he became interested in a con
versation concerning a new discovery of
very rich gravel found the day before up
in the mountains some twenty miles dis
tant. Then the conversation turned upon
quartz, and the subject was being pretty 0
thoroughly dilated upon by a tall, strong b
looking man who, though powerful enough
had not the appearance of a miner. His u
words were listened to with attention and
roepect and Farmer was impressed with
the idea that the man knew what he was S
talking about.
"Excuse me, sir," said Farmer, "do you t
believe quartz is the mother of gold?"
The young man smiled upon his ques
tioner and said:
"Thats a question easier asked than an- s
swered; to me, sir, it is a mystery where n
the gold originates or how it grows if it °
does grow; all I can say is that gold is A
where you find it."
"But didn't you say a moment ago that n
gold was found in quartz, and that they S'
said quartz was the mother of it?" persis- q
ted Farmer. h
"I did say that gold was found in quartz, n
but aid not assert that all quatz bore gold, d
-and as to the mother business I only spoke i
of that as a theory," was the young man's a
reply.
Farmer saw that he had misunderstood n
him, and as the man walked toward the h
-the store door he overtook him and said: a
"I hope you'll excuse me, sir. I didn't t'
quite understand you at first." d
Receiving a hearty assurance that he s
had said nothing to be excused for, Far- a
mer returned to the store. '.Who is that
man?" he asked Boyd the storekeeper.
"Don't you know him? Why thats Allan
4. Blake, the assayer."
Farmer nooded, and then after gather- s
Ing up his purchases started for home. All o
-the way home his mind would wonder ii
.sway to the mountains, to the gravel banks e
and deposits, to quartz leads, and then a
back to the old placer claim in Nevada tl
county. N
When he reached home it was still day- a
light, but his gardei, the trees and the I
young grain did not appear as green and ii
as welcnP.-: as in the morning. le was h
not so chetrful that evening as usual, nor A
!7 could the kind words of his wife nor the tl
pt caresses of his daughters ristre hiii to ii
to his usuai humor. Next day lie found a t
es pretext and was in Dry gulch again. seek
is ing out 0ilake in hi< lat--:1at:y Ih pro- w
in pounded ,i e tioW-l l s ef r (<., . tioni, .g t a rE
r de ,cription of tie cotu i ry f, r milelaround
g learned (oz new pr .e, c s and of n.w ores. 1
Ii Blake'. i',,rmation wa;,S all now to Far
mer who.e knowle ise of on1inh' htad
ef hitherto been limited to placers and ithe
Id long tom. When he returned hm ie that I
ir night he was in splenedid humor. and aftr to
c super told the assem:abled fatniln of ia ihi
h wonderful man whom he had met that
as fternoon at Dry gulch. 1ie ' n< lthusi
e astic upon the new dic,-overie. iln the '- - tr
h el claims, gr1 w eloqu:iint upon q(a:'tz, andi
by hli fervid descriptiont, inpl'ed to the
t, group some of his o il .-:tion of spiriit's.
.e -
SC'HAPTEII Iii.
ti It was late in the evening, and as Blake
e rode alongl musing on his hem'eward way, di
d his horse, pricking up his ears, _'ye evi to
decell that omething was x wrong. i't-lring
intoth e darkness and guided an xvll in ti
i the horse's preference for the right s.ide
- of the road as by his own eye-ight, he V
l discovered something i.,!ack lying by the I
n roadside. Dismounting he alpproahed u]
t1 the object, and bending over it dipc'v-evred
r,a prostrate female form. A li'hted m:lati
,r revealed the pallid features of a girl of il
d about seventeen. At first Allan believed hi
her dead, but though faint her pulse beat
e regularly. l)ropping the b hridlIe broiught
1. water from a small stream, and bathing in
le her temples soon restored her to consciious- nI
a ness. At lirst bewildered, then frightened fc
Le she uttered a faint cry of alarm followed -'
e by one or pain. Allan's hind tones reas- Pi
sured her, and he soon discovered that her v'
d ankle was sprained, she had fainted, that
her name was Iletty Farmer and that her o0
home was on the other side of Spring I
creek. fletty was no etherial being, but Ai
w that did not prevent Allan from picking F
'Y her up in his arms and placing her on his:
r- horse, who, with cautious steps, carried his
Ia burden with a sense of tihe responsibility i
.1 which rested on his back. Mrs. Farmer a:
it was gently apprised of the catastrophy sI
whichi had befallen Hetty, and though i
in warmly and repeatedly urged to sit down ci
1y bade mother and daughters good night as a
th soon almost as he had carried the girl into a
the house, promising, however, to come fi
id again at some more seasonable hour. By SI
r- a word and the mention of his name they
le knew him to be toe wonderful Allan G. T
ot Blake so well spoken of by the head of 1 t1
ts the house. st
CIAIPTE:I i-.
Joel Farmer was absent at the time of
Hetty's mishap, in fact twith tie exception
of occasional visits he had be1, - aw .,,
two months. The gold fev r had bri}. aI
out again upon him, anti he spent days of
hard expectant work and nights of vision
ary dreams. lie had taken up a claim
some forty miles from home, and was
working away with :night and main, hop
Sing once more to secure a golden for tine.
His family, though not in needy circum- q
stances, felt severely the effect of hi.- iro
longed absences. There wvas a hirind nman
on the place, but even though lie did hii
best he could not manage as well as Joel
Farmer. So the women folks tried to dis
uade him from going out again each tine
he went, but it was useless.
Allan rode out and asked after Iletty.
She in person replied to his knock on the
door, and thoughlame was radiently beau
tiful and did not offer such a study as did I
Allie whose quiet, unassuming manner
took him completely.
If Hetty was beautiful she was not
solidly sensible. There was a frivolous
manner about her that showed no depth
of character. Though plain and homely,
Allie spoke from the heart and did not at
tempt to msake an impression. Mrs. Far
t mer seemed to defer to IHetty,and at times.
so Allan thought: talaly overlook-.d the
quiet daughter wi:a titoLe only w li-n she
had something to say, a:.d said ~ hat she
meant. Allan had been a wild boy- in his
day, but now at twenty-nine he was sober
ing down, had determined to be a man
s and would not any longer play the boy.
In sucn a frame of minI Allie's demure E
manner was exactly wli.t suited him. tHer
honest expressions cau.ht him, and after -
a visit which lasted over an hour he said j
to himself that he would win the elder
daughter for-his wife and secure for him
self a quiet future which no storm of dis
agreements would overset.
t. (
CHAPTER V.
Farmer came home with a chunk of
rock in each pocket, each of which :he q
submitted to Allan's inspection. In one
I of the pieces Allan foind a trace of gold,
r in the other, nothing. The trace was E
a 'enough to keep the old man's hope alive :
en and send him back, after a day's stay, to
ida the elaim. It was no use, Joel Farmer
lwas no longer a farmer he was a miner,
iy- and with a that fixe.d determination which
he snakes an earnest man the more foolish,
ud he continued to work the quartz vein he
as had found with the assiduity of ,t votary.
or Allan's warning that, "I wouldoin't work
he that lode too .t ong Mir. Farmer," made no
to inpression on hhni nor did the fact that
a the trace wht.lhy disalpoar ,( ri-'ia-ge the
,k- ol m:n a bit. ih i,- ,v.irie at.ins serious
o- with the arm.er fnil. pl ay Boyd
a refu-d Ii-.tv l five- yard of ba.k tape, and
Id wI !: q-estoned b- h in, irate ii'l told her
s. thit h -n th, O70oc-r' bill was paid she
rcould then have whal e r dry doods she
id wild. . oe ihal h:rdly -ai. his when
ot 1'.1 tears. It was an on;, matte'r for him
or to c:il :1oy . t one .id a d: ,iuietly ge i t at
it -"Let her have it," said Allnhm, ,ant the
i- tape was wrapped up and h-anded to the F
- .i1 who suppo-ed thia her tears had pa
1d -cfte: n,i the odu:r he:a ritt : if che tore
keeper. Hlavingn s.,cttred 1 l.,r wi,_"i she
is. p Ou a p mile, and with a c'foo tish
ow -- ---ed out of the 'tare. llan was
nt" :',.f ths -taoe inv woi,;t peuale confide.
e Iloyd, ti.- .tou a tlhorouit"l h tuies-s Inma n,
did n-t fear to repose his bu iness secrets
i e told Allan that Farmer's .;rocry bill
- lll amounted to over a hundred dollars.
Sthat the ranch would pay if the old mian
e would tay at hu-n. and attend to it, de
ie prec-tt d iis; mining slhee arid wacusnd
-d up by :-eying:
e: "ile ought to have lett.r stn e."
I• Allen nodded a iquiet acq1 ,ie ,een and
of made up his mind that the arumers munt
sd have help.
,at lie was not rich. his business did not
ht bring him in a very great return: he had
g mouch upon his books which he would
is- never collect, but he muanaed to have a
ed few dollars on hand, paid ca:sh for all he
ed got, and owed no man a dollar. Ie was
is- p)rudent without being mean, and saving
er without being stingy.
at That day he sddled up his horse and
or out to Farters claim he rode. Farmer
ng was glad to see him and if Allen was dis
ut appointed in being unable to divert Joel
ag Farmer from his hobby, he was more than
is satisfied with the earnestness of his work.
mis The tunnel which the old man had run
ity was a splended piece of work, following
ter as it did, the lead to the walls, making only
lv such a showing of perfect mining that
gh none but an enthusiast in the business
vn could do. Timbers there were none; none
as were needed, the strong unbroken vein
ito was mined out without a break and the
ne foot and hanging walls of granite were
By smooth and even.
Cv The old man's work surprised Allan.
G. The care and order of everything about
of the tunnel showed that the man under
stood his his business.
To succeed in diverting such a man
from his purpose required more tact than
Allen was possessed of that day, so with a t
few words of encouragement he left Farm
o er to a further prosecution of his work.
Boyd was ameliorated by a twenty paid
o on account, and Allan gave himself up to
an assay of a stolen piece of rock out of
the Allie mine.
n (Co, tiued.)
'as
JOY & FRITZP ATRICK,
58 Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul
E P. ROLFE,
e Attornoy-at-Law,
- Special attention'given to land entries of all
id kinds and to contests in the land office
er U 8 DeDuty Mineral Surveyor
Helena and Great Falls
F.ADKINSON,
, Attorney at Law.
Gives special attention to G
j Business in the U S Land -
e I Office,
W HELENA, MONT.
2 D R. A. F. FOOTE,
DENTIST, F
re Broadway, - - - Helena, Mont
er (CAOVE HERALD OFFICE)
or
id J. D. McINTIBE, CHAS. MOINTIrE,
er Chief Engineer Sun R. Canal. Co. Surveyor
SMcITIRE BROS.,
SURVEYORS.
GxzAT FALLS. - - - MOrntANA
of JOHN W. STANTON,
A Attorney-at-Law,
- - And Notary Publie.
id, w practice i all courts of the territory.
as Special attention given to realeetateand mining
e Great Falls, Mont.
to ECLIPSE
ner
Livery, hStl
he
he An SAnd
,he Antl And 0 0
O Accommodations
in 0 For
lteIs FEED
he Furnished free to _ : FEE)
(1 anchnad all otr , 'A nim als.
lai.on o of th U cl' r p ,- '..
I Broken and Unbroken orses For Sale.
BEN. E. LAPEYRE.
-Lt ----DEALER IN
oresh Fi g Patit dicines, Stationeg Wall ain
SBUILDING PAPER, PAINTS,
e 0
'L Oils, Glass Lamps, Cigars, Etc., Etc.
P're~criptions arefully Compounde& at
Us all EHours.
oel
Irk.
ink LT"k -lotel,
`l' GREAT FALLS, MONT.
ne The Only First-Class Hotel in the City.
ein Open Day and Night.
Bar and Billiard Room
out In Connection, Stocked With the Finest Brands of Liquors and Cigars
er
8 D. C. Ehrhart, Prop.
ian
CASCADE HOTEL,
to IB.E.AT FALLS, MONT
f The Only First-Class Restaurant in the City
Centraily Located, Good Accommodations, Convenient to Ranchmen as it Adjoius the
Eclipse Stables
STEVE SPITZLEY, Manager
ZE-Furnished Rooms in Connection. 1st. Ave. South.
HORSES FOR SALE Well Broken
u! Saddle, Work and Driving
- IIORSES.
Address, CHAS. BREWSTER, TRULY, MONT.
Range-Smith River
BEACHLEY BRO. & HICKORY,
General News Dealers and Stationers.
CANDIES, NUTS, TOBACCO AND SMOKER'S ARTICLES.
Prices to Suit the Times.
o Great Falls, - - - - Mont.
Great - Falls - Exchange,
JERRY QUESNELL & HERMAN WILDEKOPF Prop.s
Fine Wines, Liquors and Cigars. BILLIARD and POOL Table.
GREAT FALLS, - MONT.
Across the Missouri River above
or P the mouth of Sun River is now
running. A new wagon road con
necting with this Ferry whibh in
tersects the Helena road near Eagle
Rock, and effects a saving in distance of TEN MILES oetween
Great Falls and Helena. The road is plain and good.
SExl -Tonsori rtis. . , nm ...
"Expert Tonsorial Artist . ma-r.z