OCR Text |
Show THE MINING EXPERT. 133 sharp rheumatic pains, still another of neuralgia, but such minor damages count as nothing when we take into consideration the magnificent view. CHAPTER XXXI. THE MINING EXPERT. The next morning found us on the train for Denver, well and happy. Here again we met the mining expert. As my mission was to gather stories, I endeavored to improve each shining hour, so commenced a lively conversation with him. " I was sitting in my office one morning," said he, "reflecting over the old adage, ' all that glitters is not gold,' when I was suddenly awakened from my reverie by the salutation, 'Well, boss, how does you do?' Looking up I recognized the intruder as my old colored friend, Jim Boyd. Jim came to the country in an early day, and cast his lot with thousands of other fortune-hunters of the then wild country of Colorado, and being from the South myself, Jim often came in to talk about the old home, the fried chicken, sweet potatoes, and the many good things to us then 'non-come-at-able.' "' Well, Jim,' said I, ' I'm glad to see you; sit down. What can I do for you? '"Golly, boss, struck it rich; no, I thank you, boss, drudder stand up.' Pulling out of his pocket an old dirty handkerchief, with something heavy in it, he produced therefrom some specimens of rocks. ' Here it is, boss; right out of de bottom of de shaft. Here's de wealth for you, sho'!' |