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Show THE MINING EXPERT. 135 replied: ' De fact am, boss, dar's many a good mine in dis country spoilt by working it. Sell de mine, boss.' "Since that morning I have frequently had occasion to recall to mind Jim's remark,.' dar's many a good mine spoilt by working it.'" Georgetown is a great place to get a pocket full of rocks; the windows are full of specimens, views, etc. This expert had a valise full of mountain souvenirs. A specimen is an expert's jewel, treasure, sweetheart, and everything that is delightful. He talked rapturously of the auriferous, cupriferous, galenous, argentiferous and ferriferous, and seemed delighted to find a sympathetic ear. His metaliferous voice softened into mellifluous undulations as if speaking of his first love, when he showed us a beautiful specimen of smoky quartz. Holding it at a proper angle to catch the sun's rays he said: " Quartz is an essential constituent of granite, and abounds in rocks of all ages." He had beautiful amethysts, carnelians, jaspers, agates, and so on, and he lingered affectionately on the perfections of each and every one. Hal. smuggled a wink to me and asked him, " What makes quartz ? " He contemplated her contemptuously and replied: " Twice as many pints, Miss." Then, feeling, perhaps, that he was casting pearls before swine, he drew himself away and looked .dreamily out of the window. I took her to task for it, but she said it provoked her to see me looking as wise as an owl, absorbing that man's intellectual knowledge, when I didn't know or care anything more about rocks and minerals than I did about Sanscrit. I reminded her of the trite adage, "it is never too late |
