Mother-Lode

She went along with the group through the ghost town. She wasn’t totally interested, just old buildings and dusty wind pulling at her.

She felt eyes watching her on the porch of one of the dilapidated buildings. She turned to see who it was. Her eyes met ancient eyes, wise one, an old Indian. He must be a resident here. Why was he so far from his reservation?

She went up to him. Is there something you wish from me?

He showed little emotion. But he spoke in riddles.

“You wish to find gold? I show you?

She was taken aback. Daddy had told her about a ghost town that he had been to and discovered gold dust. The mother lode was never found. How did this native know she knew about the gold? She nodded, but said nothing.

“You come. I show you.

She followed dazed by the thought of finding the mother lode.

They must have walked for miles, because she found herself in a canyon filled with rocks and boulders.

There was a water fall at the end of it.

He pointed to the spot, “you find.”

She went to the spot that he had pointed out, and looked around and then she saw an opening in the falls. She entered the opening and saw something shinning. She reached down to pick it up and found it was much larger then she thought. I have to find something to pry it up.

She went out and found a firm branch. She went back and worked to lose the rock free.

When she did, the water bubbled more wildly and out popped the rock. Sure enough it was a gold nugget. She was too shocked to say or do anything. She picked it up and put it in her pocket. She kept finding more rocks. She thought to herself, it’s just fools gold, I will have to take it into town to have it appraised.

When she took it in, the man was astounded, "where did you find this, it is the best gold discovered yet."

She put in a stake on the land. Daddy had bought part of it, but not the spot she had found the gold.

She would be rich and would be able to buy the house she had always wanted.

Julia was repaid by the Indian that daddy had befriended. How did he know she was his daughter? Was he real, or a ghost of the past? She never found the answer. She had found the "mother lode."
She was grateful to daddy and the old Indian.

End