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<v Speaker 1>This is section forty nine of The Gilded Age. This

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age,

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<v Speaker 1>A Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and Seedy Warner,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter forty nine. We've struck it. This was the announcement

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<v Speaker 1>at the tent door that woke Philip out of a

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<v Speaker 1>sound sleep at dead of night and shook all the

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<v Speaker 1>sleepiness out of him in a trice, What where is

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<v Speaker 1>it when coal? Let me see what quality is it?

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<v Speaker 1>Were some of the rapid questions that Philip poured out

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<v Speaker 1>as he hurriedly dressed. Harry, wake up, my boy, the

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<v Speaker 1>coal train is coming. Struck it, eh, let's see. The

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<v Speaker 1>foreman put down his lantern and handed Philip a black lump.

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<v Speaker 1>There was no mistake about it. It was the hard,

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<v Speaker 1>shining anthracite, and its freshly fractured surface glistened in the

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<v Speaker 1>light like polished steel. Diamond never shone with such luster

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<v Speaker 1>in the eyes of Philip. Harry was exuberant, but Philip's

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<v Speaker 1>natural caution found expression in his next remark. Now, Roberts,

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<v Speaker 1>you are sure about this? What sure that it's coal? Oh? No,

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<v Speaker 1>sure that it's the main vein? Well, yes, we took

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<v Speaker 1>it to be that, did you from the first. I

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<v Speaker 1>can't say we did it first, No, No, we didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>Most of the indications were there, but not all of them,

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<v Speaker 1>not all of them. So we thought we'd prospect a bit. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>it was tolerable, thick, and looked as if it might

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<v Speaker 1>be the vein. Looked as if it ought to be

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<v Speaker 1>the vein. Then we went down on it a little.

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<v Speaker 1>Looked better all the time. When did you strike it?

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<v Speaker 1>About ten o'clock and you've been prospecting about four hours? Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>been sinking on it something over four hours. I'm afraid

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<v Speaker 1>you couldn't go down very far in four hours, could you. Oh? Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a good deal. Broke up nothing but picking and

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<v Speaker 1>gatting stuff. Well it does look encouraging, sure enough, But

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<v Speaker 1>then the lacking indications. I'd rather we had them, mister Sterling.

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<v Speaker 1>But I've seen more than one good permanent mind struck

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<v Speaker 1>without them in my time. Well that is encouraging too. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>there was the Union, the Alabama, and the Black Mohawk,

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<v Speaker 1>all good sound minds, you know, all just exactly like

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<v Speaker 1>this one. When we first struck them, Well, I begin

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<v Speaker 1>to feel a good deal more easy, I guess we've

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<v Speaker 1>really got it. I remember hearing them tell about the

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<v Speaker 1>black mohawk. I'm free to say that I believe it,

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<v Speaker 1>and the men all think so too. They are all

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<v Speaker 1>old hands at this business. Come, Harry, let's go up

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<v Speaker 1>and look at it, just for the comfort of it,

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<v Speaker 1>said Philip. They came back in the course of an hour,

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<v Speaker 1>satisfied and happy. There was no more sleep for them

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<v Speaker 1>that night. They lit their pipes, put a specimen of

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<v Speaker 1>the coal on the table, and made it a kind

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<v Speaker 1>of loadstone of thought and conversation. Of course, said Harry,

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<v Speaker 1>there will have to be a branch track built and

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<v Speaker 1>a switch back up the hill. Yes, there will be

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<v Speaker 1>no trouble about getting the money for that. Now we

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<v Speaker 1>could sell out tomorrow for a handsome sum. That sort

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<v Speaker 1>of coal doesn't go begging within a mile of a railroad.

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<v Speaker 1>I wonder if mister Bolton would rather sell out or

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<v Speaker 1>work it. Oh, work it, says Harry. Probably the whole

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<v Speaker 1>mountainous coal, now you've got to it. Possibly it might

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<v Speaker 1>not be much of a vein after all, suggested Philip.

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<v Speaker 1>Possibly it is. I'll bet it's forty feet thick. I

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<v Speaker 1>told you I knew the sort of thing as soon

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<v Speaker 1>as I put my eyes on it. Philip's next thought

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<v Speaker 1>was to write to his friends and announce their good

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<v Speaker 1>fortune to mister Bolton. He wrote a short business letter

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<v Speaker 1>as calm as he could make it. They had found

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<v Speaker 1>coal of excellent quality, but they could not yet tell

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<v Speaker 1>with absolute certainty what the vein was. The prospecting was

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<v Speaker 1>still going on. Philip also wrote to Ruth, but though

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<v Speaker 1>this letter may have glowed, it was not with the

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<v Speaker 1>heat of burning anthracite. He needed no artificial heat to

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<v Speaker 1>warm his pen and kindle his ardor when he sat

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<v Speaker 1>down to write to Ruth. But it must be confessed

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<v Speaker 1>that the words never flowed so easily before, and he

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<v Speaker 1>ran on for an hour, disporting in all the extravagance

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<v Speaker 1>of his imagination. When Rue thread it, she doubted if

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<v Speaker 1>the fellow had not gone out of his senses, And

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<v Speaker 1>it was not until she reached the PostScript that she

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<v Speaker 1>discovered the cause of the exhilaration. P S. We have

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<v Speaker 1>found coal. The news couldn't have come to mister Bolton

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<v Speaker 1>in a better time. He had never been so sorely pressed.

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<v Speaker 1>A dozen schemes which he had in hand, any one

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<v Speaker 1>of which might turn up a fortune all languished, and

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<v Speaker 1>each needed just a little more money to save that

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<v Speaker 1>which had been invested. He hadn't a piece of real

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<v Speaker 1>estate that was not covered with mortgages, even to the

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<v Speaker 1>wild tract which Philip was experimenting on, and which had

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<v Speaker 1>no marketable value above the encumbrance on it. He had

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<v Speaker 1>come home that day early, unusually dejected. I am afraid,

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<v Speaker 1>he said to his wife, that we shall have to

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<v Speaker 1>give up our house. I don't care for myself, but

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<v Speaker 1>for THEE and the children. That will be the least

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<v Speaker 1>of misfortunes, said Missus Bolton cheerfully. If THEE can clear

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<v Speaker 1>thyself from debt and anxiety, which is wearing THEE out,

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<v Speaker 1>we can live anywhere. THEE knows. We were never happier

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<v Speaker 1>than when we were in a much humbler home. The

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<v Speaker 1>truth is, Margaret, that affair of Biggler and Small's has

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<v Speaker 1>come on me just when I couldn't stand another ounce.

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<v Speaker 1>They have made another failure of it. I might have

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<v Speaker 1>known they would, And the sharpers or fools I don't

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<v Speaker 1>know which have contrived to involve me for three times

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<v Speaker 1>as much as the first obligation. The security is in

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<v Speaker 1>my hands, but it is good for nothing to me.

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<v Speaker 1>I have not the money to do anything with the contract.

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<v Speaker 1>Ruth heard this dismal news without great surprise. She had

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<v Speaker 1>long felt that they were living on a volcano that

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<v Speaker 1>might go into active operation at any hour. Inheriting from

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<v Speaker 1>her father an active brain and the courage to undertake

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<v Speaker 1>new things, she had little of his sanguine temperament, which

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<v Speaker 1>blinds one to difficulties and possible failures. She had little

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<v Speaker 1>confidence in the many schemes which had been about to

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<v Speaker 1>lift her father out of all his embarrassments and into

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<v Speaker 1>great wealth ever since she was a child. As she

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<v Speaker 1>grew older, she rather wondered that they were as prosperous

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<v Speaker 1>as they seemed to be, and that they did not

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<v Speaker 1>all go to smash amid so many brilliant projects. She

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<v Speaker 1>was nothing but a woman and did not know how

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<v Speaker 1>much of the business prosperity of the world is only

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<v Speaker 1>a bubble of credit and speculation, one scheme helping to

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<v Speaker 1>float another which is no better than it, and the

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<v Speaker 1>whole liable to come to naught and confusion as soon

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<v Speaker 1>as the busy brain that conceived them ceases its power

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<v Speaker 1>to devise, or when some accident produces a sudden panic.

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<v Speaker 1>Perhaps I shall be the stay of the family. Yet,

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<v Speaker 1>said Ruth, with an approach to gaiety. When we move

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<v Speaker 1>into a little house in town, will THEE let me

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<v Speaker 1>put a little sign on the door, Doctor Ruth Bolton,

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<v Speaker 1>Missus doctor Longstreet. THEE knows has a great income. Who

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<v Speaker 1>will pay for the sign? Ruth asked mister Bolton. A

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<v Speaker 1>servant entered with the afternoon mail from the office. Mister

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<v Speaker 1>Bolton took his letters listlessly, dreading to open them. He

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<v Speaker 1>knew well what they contained. New difficulties, more urgent demands

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<v Speaker 1>for money. Oh, here is one from Philip, poor fellow.

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<v Speaker 1>I shall feel his disappointment as much as my own

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<v Speaker 1>bad luck. It is hard to bear when one is young.

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<v Speaker 1>He opened the letter and read. As he read, his

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<v Speaker 1>face lightened, and he fetched such a sigh of relief

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<v Speaker 1>that Missus Bolton and Ruth both exclaimed. Read that he cried,

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<v Speaker 1>Philip has found coal. The world was changed in a moment.

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<v Speaker 1>One little sentence had done it. There was no more trouble.

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<v Speaker 1>Philip had found coal. That meant relief, that meant fortune.

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<v Speaker 1>A great weight was taken off, and the spirits of

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<v Speaker 1>the whole household rose magically good money, beautiful demon of money,

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<v Speaker 1>what an enchanter thou art. Ruth felt that she was

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<v Speaker 1>of less consequence in the household now that Philip found coal,

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<v Speaker 1>and perhaps she was not sorry to feel so. Mister

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<v Speaker 1>Bolton was ten years younger. The next morning he went

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<v Speaker 1>into the city and showed his letter on change. It

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<v Speaker 1>was the sort of news his friends were quite willing

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<v Speaker 1>to listen to. They took a new interest in him.

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<v Speaker 1>If it was confirmed, Bolton would come right up again,

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<v Speaker 1>there would be no difficulty about his getting all the

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<v Speaker 1>money he wanted. The money market did not seem to

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<v Speaker 1>be half so tight as it was the day before.

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<v Speaker 1>Mister Bolton spent a very pleasant day in his office

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<v Speaker 1>and went home, revolving some new plans and the execution

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<v Speaker 1>of some projects he had long been prevented from entering

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<v Speaker 1>upon by the lack of money. The day had been

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<v Speaker 1>spent by Philip in no less excitement. By daylight, with

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<v Speaker 1>Philip's letters to the mail, word had gone down to

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<v Speaker 1>Ilium that coal had been found, and very early a

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<v Speaker 1>crowd of eager spectators had come up to see for themselves.

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<v Speaker 1>The prospecting continued day and night for upwards of a week,

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<v Speaker 1>and during the first four or five days the indications

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<v Speaker 1>grew more and more promising, and the telegrams and letters

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<v Speaker 1>kept mister Bolton duly posted. But at last a change

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<v Speaker 1>came and the promises began to fail with alarming rapidity.

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<v Speaker 1>In the end, it was demonstrated, without the possibility of

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<v Speaker 1>a doubt, that the great find was nothing but a

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<v Speaker 1>worthless seem. Philip was cast down, all the more so

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<v Speaker 1>because he had been so foolish as to send the

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<v Speaker 1>news to Philadelphia before he knew what he was writing about,

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<v Speaker 1>and now he must contradict it. It turns out to

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<v Speaker 1>be only a mere seem, he wrote, but we look

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<v Speaker 1>upon it as an indication of better Further in alas,

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<v Speaker 1>mister Bolton's affairs could not wait for indications. The future

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<v Speaker 1>might have a great deal in store, but the present

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<v Speaker 1>was black and hopeless. It was doubtful if any sacrifice

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<v Speaker 1>could save him from ruin. Yet sacrifice he must make,

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<v Speaker 1>and that instantly, in the hope of saving something from

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<v Speaker 1>the wreck of his fortune, his lovely country home must

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<v Speaker 1>go that would bring the most ready money, the house

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<v Speaker 1>that he had built with loving thought for each one

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<v Speaker 1>of his family. As he planned its luxurious apartments, and

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<v Speaker 1>adorned it the grounds that he had laid out with

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<v Speaker 1>so much delight in following the tastes of his wife,

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<v Speaker 1>with whom the country. The cultivation of rare trees and flowers,

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<v Speaker 1>the care of garden and lawn, and conservatories were a passion.

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<v Speaker 1>Almost this house, which he had hoped his children would

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<v Speaker 1>enjoy long after he had done with it, must go.

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<v Speaker 1>The family bore the sacrifice better than he did, they declared.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact, women are such hypocrites that they quite enjoyed

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<v Speaker 1>the city. It was in August, after living so long

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<v Speaker 1>in the country, that it was a thousand times more

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<v Speaker 1>convenient in every respect. Missus Bolton said it was a

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<v Speaker 1>relief from the worry of a large establishment, and Ruth

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<v Speaker 1>reminded her father that she should have had to come

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<v Speaker 1>to town anyway before long. Mister Bolton was relieve exactly

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<v Speaker 1>as a water logged ship is lightened by throwing overboard

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<v Speaker 1>the most valuable portion of the cargo. But the leak

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<v Speaker 1>was not stopped. Indeed, his credit was injured instead of

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<v Speaker 1>helped by the prudent step he had taken. It was

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<v Speaker 1>regarded as a sure evidence of his embarrassment, and it

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<v Speaker 1>was much more difficult for him to obtain help than

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<v Speaker 1>if he had. Instead of retrenching launched into some new speculation,

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<v Speaker 1>Philip was greatly troubled and exaggerated his own share in

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<v Speaker 1>the bringing about of the calamity. You must not look

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<v Speaker 1>at it, so mister Bolton wrote him. You have neither

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<v Speaker 1>helped nor hindered, but you know you may help by

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<v Speaker 1>and by It would have all happened just so if

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<v Speaker 1>we had never begun to dig that hole that is

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<v Speaker 1>only a drop work away. I still have hoped that

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<v Speaker 1>something will occur to relieve me. At any rate. We

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<v Speaker 1>must not give up the mine so long as we

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<v Speaker 1>have any show Alas the relief did not come, new

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<v Speaker 1>misfortunes came. Instead. When the extent of the Biggler's swindle

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<v Speaker 1>was disclosed, there was no more hope that mister Bolton

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<v Speaker 1>could extricate himself, and he had, as an honest man,

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<v Speaker 1>no resource except to surrender all his property for the

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<v Speaker 1>benefit of his creditors. The autumn came and found Philip

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<v Speaker 1>working with diminished force, but still with hope. He had

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<v Speaker 1>again and again been encouraged by good indications, but he

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<v Speaker 1>had again and again been disappointed. He could not go

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<v Speaker 1>on much longer, and almost everybody except himself had thought

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<v Speaker 1>it was useless to go on as long as he

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<v Speaker 1>had been doing. When the news came of mister Bolton's failure,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, the work stopped, the men were discharged, the

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<v Speaker 1>tools were housed, the hopeful noise of pickman and driver ceased,

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<v Speaker 1>and the mining camp had that desolate and mournful aspect

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<v Speaker 1>which all was hovers over a frustrated enterprise. Philip sat

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<v Speaker 1>down amid the ruins and almost wished he were buried

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<v Speaker 1>in them. How distant Ruth was now from him, him

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<v Speaker 1>now when she might need him most. How changed was

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<v Speaker 1>all the Philadelphia world, which had hitherto stood for the

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<v Speaker 1>exemplification of happiness and prosperity. He still had faith that

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<v Speaker 1>there was coal in that mountain. He made a picture

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<v Speaker 1>of himself living there, a hermit in a shanty by

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<v Speaker 1>the tunnel, digging away with solitary pick and wheelbarrow, day

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<v Speaker 1>after day and year after year, until he grew gray

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<v Speaker 1>and aged, and was known in all that region as

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<v Speaker 1>the old man of the Mountain. Perhaps someday, he felt

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<v Speaker 1>it must be so, some day he should strike coal.

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<v Speaker 1>But what if he did, who would be alive to

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<v Speaker 1>care for it? Then? What would he care for it? Then? No,

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<v Speaker 1>a man wants riches in his youth when the world

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<v Speaker 1>is fresh to him. He wondered why Providence could not

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<v Speaker 1>have reversed the usual process and let the majority of

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<v Speaker 1>men begin with wealth and gradually spend it and die

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<v Speaker 1>poor when they no longer needed it. Harry went back

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<v Speaker 1>to the city. It was evident that his services were

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<v Speaker 1>no longer needed. Indeed, he had letters from his uncle

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<v Speaker 1>which he did not read, to Philip desiring him to

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<v Speaker 1>go to San Francisco to look after some government contracts

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<v Speaker 1>in the harbor. There, Philip had to look about him

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<v Speaker 1>for something to do. He was like Adam. The world

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<v Speaker 1>was all before him. Where to choose? He made before

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<v Speaker 1>he went elsewhere, a somewhat painful visit to Philadelphia, painful

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<v Speaker 1>but yet not without its sweetnesses. The family had never

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<v Speaker 1>shown him so much affection before. They all seemed to

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<v Speaker 1>think his disappointment of more importance than their own misfortune.

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<v Speaker 1>And there was that in Ruth's manner, in what she

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<v Speaker 1>gave him and what she withheld, that would have made

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<v Speaker 1>a hero of a very much less promising character than

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<v Speaker 1>Philip Sterling. Among the assets of the Bolton property, the

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<v Speaker 1>Ilium Tract was sold, and Philip bought it in at

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<v Speaker 1>the vendue for a song, for no one cared to

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<v Speaker 1>even undertake the mortgage on it except himself. He went

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<v Speaker 1>away the owner of it, and he had ample time

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<v Speaker 1>before he reached home in November to calculate how much

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<v Speaker 1>poorer he was by possessing it. End of Chapter forty nine.