The Letters Of Mark Twain, Complete


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gold. I refused it--not because I think the claim is worth a cent for I  
don't but because I had a curiosity to see how high it would go, before  
people find out how worthless it is. Besides, what if one mining claim  
does fool me? I have got plenty more. I am not in a particular hurry to  
get rich. I suppose I couldn't well help getting rich here some time or  
other, whether I wanted to or not. You folks do not believe in Nevada,  
and I am glad you don't. Just keep on thinking so.  
I was at the Gould and Curry mine, the other day, and they had two or  
three tons of choice rock piled up, which was valued at $20,000 a ton.  
I gathered up a hat-full of chunks, on account of their beauty as  
specimens--they don't let everybody supply themselves so liberally. I  
send Mr. Moffett a little specimen of it for his cabinet. If you don't  
know what the white stuff on it is, I must inform you that it is purer  
silver than the minted coin. There is about as much gold in it as there  
is silver, but it is not visible. I will explain to you some day how to  
detect it.  
Pamela, you wouldn't do for a local reporter--because you don't  
appreciate the interest that attaches to names. An item is of no use  
unless it speaks of some person, and not then, unless that person's name  
is distinctly mentioned. The most interesting letter one can write, to  
an absent friend, is one that treats of persons he has been acquainted  
with rather than the public events of the day. Now you speak of a young  
lady who wrote to Hollie Benson that she had seen me; and you didn't  
mention her name. It was just a mere chance that I ever guessed who she  
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