CHAPTER XIX 
OTHER MINING SECURITIES 
J OSH was a prospector of the type so common 
ly seen in Arizona, the land of sand and sage 
brush. He was a tall, slim creature of the 
soil with skin as tough as leather, but with a 
big bounding heart. Originally, Josh was a boss 
miner working at a fair salary in one of the well 
known mines; but as he became more prosperous he 
mixed with the temptations of Bisbee, Tuscon and 
other mining centers and, unfortunately, became ad 
dicted to drink, losing his good position. The rest 
of his life has been similar to that of the average 
prospector; work for a few months was only to be 
followed by dissipation for a month or six weeks, 
and then a period of repentance and discourage 
ment. At the end of one of these periods, some 
good friend for whom he formerly worked, “grub 
staked” him and sent him into the mountains to 
prospect. 
Practically, this was simply a matter of charity 
because only one prospector in a hundred makes 
good. Josh returned from one of these pros 
pecting excursions lasting a couple of months, 
with some samples of ore, claiming he had “almost 
struck it rich” (which is the common report re 
turned by most prospectors as they come in). The 
ore was thrown into a box, and he was told that he 
had done first-rate. Josh, however, was not quieted 
319