Digging for Gold: Adventures in California - R. M. Ballantyne

“You are wrong, uncle, in supposing that I have seen little. During my wanderings in foreign lands I have seen much, very much, of poverty and sickness, and have felt something of both, as my friend Joe Graddy can testify.”

Joe, who was sitting by, and had been listening to the conversation with much interest, bore testimony forthwith, by stoutly asserting that “that was a fact,” and slapping his thigh with great vehemence, by way of giving emphasis to the assertion.

“The fact is, sir,” continued Joe, kindling with enthusiasm, “that your nephy has gone through a deal o’ rough work since he left home, an’ I’m free for to say has learned, with myself, a lot o’ walooable lessons. He has made his fortin at the gold-mines, kooriously enough, without diggin’ for it, an’ has come for to know that it’s sometimes possible to pay too high a price for that same metal, as is proved by many an’ many a lonely grave in the wilds of Californy. Your nephy an’ me, sir, has comed to the conclusion that distributin’ gold is better than diggin’ for it, so we intends to set up in that line, an’ hopes that your honour will go into pardnership along with us.”

Mr Allfrey, senior, received Joe’s invitation with a benignant and patronising smile, but he did not accept it, neither did he give him any encouragement to suppose that he sympathised with his views on that subject. There is reason to believe, however, that his opinions on this head were somewhat modified in after years. If report speaks truly, he came to admit the force of that text in Scripture which says, that as it is certain man brings nothing into the world, so he takes nothing out of it, and that therefore it was the wisest policy to do as much good with his gold as he could while he possessed it.

Acting on these convictions, it is said, he joined the firm of Allfrey and Graddy, and, making over his cash-books and ledgers to the “rising generation,” fairly and finally, like his new partners, renounced his ancient habit of digging for gold.

The End.