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EXCERPTS FROM THE 
 
 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 A Mysterious Manuscript 
 
 BY 
 
 J. CALVIN MITCHELL 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 CRATER OF GOLD PUBLISHING CO. 
 
 4016 N. PAULINA ST. 
 CHICAGO, ILL. 
 

 Copyright 1918 
 
 BY 
 
 THE CRATER OF GOLD PUB. CO. 
 
 PRINTED AND BOUND BT 
 W. B. CONKEY COMPANY 
 HAMMOND • INDIANA 
 
 OCT i4 idid 
 
 ©CI.A506300 
 
 Illustrated By 
 M. H. NATWICK 
 
 O^o . 
 
 I 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The author of the extravaganza, The Crater 
 OF Gold, pictures nature as the teacher of truth, 
 gives personal experiences in the struggle of life, 
 advances scientific propositions and prophesies, 
 theorizes on the science of government, and closes 
 by holding out the Absolute Faith to all and a 
 plea for the universal brotherhood of man. There 
 is no intention to mislead or tear down, but to 
 build, and establish the truth in its simplicity. 
 
 The Author. 
 
Much of The Crater of Gold is drawn from 
 actual events in life. 
 
 Many of the characters have not been allowed 
 to talk as strong as did their prototypes and 
 some have been choked out. Archy Umbrage 
 was taken by the throat and choked till he was 
 blue in the face, but he just would spit out what 
 he had to say. 
 
 The Old Man of the Crater said much more 
 than appears in this volume. 
 
 If any of the characters insult you, talk to 
 them kindly and they will forgive you — for so 
 they have been instructed. 
 
 The Crater of Gold, unhampered by parties, 
 precedents or dogmas, is a warm range that turns 
 out flapjacks of Truth hot from the griddle 
 aimed at the inconsistencies of mankind. 
 
 The Publisher. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 Pitiful Man _ _ . . 6 
 
 An Air-Castle - - 7 
 
 War Is Murder ----------- 46 
 
 Freedom of the Seas --------- 47 
 
 Our Flag's Unfurled --------- 48 
 
 Uncle Sam Must Fight - -------- 49 
 
 Jingo Land — a Dream Verbatim ----- 51 
 
 The Law ------------- 56 
 
 K. Zackley's Statement -------- 57 
 
 The Prospector's Letter ----«--- 58 
 
 Mountain Life Song --------- 65 
 
 The Struggle --_.-. 67 
 
 Something New ----------- 142 
 
 Old Custom ------------ 143 
 
 The Future Government -------- 144 
 
 No Chance for the Old - -------- 191 
 
 The Homesteader's Hope -------- 192 
 
 The Cabin Dwellers --------- 193 
 
 Found the Way ----------- 221 
 
 The Absolute Faith ---------- 223 
 
 Keep the Law ------------ 246 
 
PITIFUL MAN 
 
 Did you ever in your life 
 
 Realize how weak is man. 
 Sadly pitiful in the strife 
 
 Of life's short span? 
 
 Most any day my time may come 
 
 To give up life and work no more ; 
 The mind at rest, it will be dumb. 
 
 All toil and fret will then be o'er. 
 All worry o'er financial loss, 
 
 Or falseness of pretending frien' 
 No more will vex or make me cross. 
 
 No more I'll suffer pain again. 
 
 No more I'll have to work so hard 
 
 To get a bite to eat each day. 
 No more I'll have to vice discard 
 
 Or watch the tricksters in their play. 
 Then I'll be free from cheating deals 
 
 To take the coin away from me. 
 No more I'll know just how one feels 
 
 When cheated out of property. 
 
 Then back to God the soul returns. 
 
 We know not how or why it may. 
 But as the human heart so yearns. 
 
 We hope, believe and pray that way. 
 And back to earth from whence it came 
 
 The body goes — to end the story, 
 It mingles with the elements 
 
 In Nature's restless lab'ratory. 
 
 Did you ever in your life 
 
 Realize how weak is man. 
 Sadly pitiful in the strife 
 
 Of life's short span? 
 
AN AIR CASTLE 
 
 Introduction to "The Crater of Gold" 
 
 "What is the matter, Mr. Zackley? You have 
 ceased dictating for five minutes and have been 
 staring at the ceihng." 
 
 "I was just thinking," said Mr. Z. to his steno. 
 
 "I hope you are not ill. I must say I fear you 
 are in some difficulty and make free to offer my 
 assistance if there is anything that I can do for 
 
 you." 
 
 To explain, this conversation took place in the 
 real estate and loan office of K. Zackley & Co. 
 at Glenden, California, 1917. 
 
 Though the office sign was K. Zackley & Co., 
 and all business papers were signed K. Zackley 
 & Co., no one had ever known how or why the 
 "Co." was used, as K. Zackley was to all appear- 
 ances the proprietor and sole owner of the busi- 
 ness. 
 
 Miss Ainie Bonner had been the stenographer 
 in this office for one year. 
 
 Though her stipulated wages were only $15 
 per week, Mr. Z., without explaining, had paid 
 her $30 per week. Her father, Robert Bonner, 
 came from Scotland some forty years back when 
 a young man. He was successful in amassing 
 a considerable fortune, but not until past forty 
 
8 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 did he think of marriage. A charming widow, 
 Mrs. Richmond, a rehct of an army officer, struck 
 his fancy and he built for her the palatial resi- 
 dence which is the home of Mrs. Bonner and her 
 daughter. 
 
 When Ainie was a baby the question of a name 
 for her became an all important problem to the 
 Bonners. The baby must have a name. As usual 
 Mr. Bonner, when deeply moved, fell back on 
 the Scotch dialect. 
 
 "She's oor ain ainie wee tot — ain ainie. Mither, 
 we name her Ainie." 
 
 "No one was ever named 'Ainie/ said Mrs. 
 Bonner. 
 
 "That's just it, she is something new in this 
 world and deserves a new name. Why handicap 
 her with Mary, Jeanie, Anne or any such name 
 that is the name of thousands. Let her name be 
 Ainie, oor ain Ainie." said Mr. Bonner and so 
 she was named Ainie Bonner. 
 
 Before the big war commenced, Mr. Bonner 
 had a few thousand in loose change and a desire 
 to make a haul before he died, caused him to 
 attend a town lot sale in a new town in Canada. 
 The town he selected had such a promise for the 
 future that he had no doubt but what such an 
 investment would win. He bought so many lots 
 one-fourth down, the balance to be paid in three 
 equal annual installments, that it became neces- 
 sary for him to mortgage his home and all his 
 property to secure money for subsequent pay- 
 ments. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 9 
 
 The price of his lots in the new town at first 
 advanced rapidly, which was very encouraging 
 to Mr. Bonner to spare no exertion of his neces- 
 sary to hold on to his lots until a great fortune 
 was realized. The new town incurred much 
 bonded indebtedness to build water works, sewers 
 and street improvements, a financial flurry and 
 the big war all combined to cause a slump in 
 prices, and so many speculators who had taken 
 on more than they could carry were compelled to 
 throw their lots onto a falling market, that there 
 was a total stagnation in the sale of their lots. 
 
 Mr. Bonner was unable to get the money for 
 the last payments and his lots were taken from 
 him. Now discouraged and heavily in debt, Mr. 
 Bonner suffered as only those suffer who see ruin 
 staring them in the face, and to add to the mis- 
 fortune of this family, he took sick and died, 
 pneumonia the doctors said, but the general 
 verdict was that he died of a broken heart. 
 
 Mrs. Bonner was helpless with grief and unable 
 to have any idea how they were ever to be able 
 to live or save anything from the wreck. She 
 worried more on account of Ainie's future than 
 she regarded her own welfare. 
 
 Ainie investigated their affairs and found suffi- 
 cient property to bring a yearly rental of $2,000, 
 which was plastered with mortgages amounting 
 to $25,000. This called for a yearly interest of 
 $1,500. She had learned stenography and type- 
 writing and resolved to get a job of work and 
 possibly make a living and slowly pay off these 
 
10 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 mortgages. That is why we now find her at work 
 in the office of K. Zackley & Co. at the time of 
 the conversation noted at the beginning of this 
 story. 
 
 K. Zackley was a quiet, strictly business man, 
 rather fair complexion, jet black hair, dark gray- 
 ish piercing eyes. He had an appearance of 
 sagacity and business judgment superior to most 
 men. He was of athletic build, over six feet in 
 height and tipped the scales at nearly 200 pounds. 
 
 He might have been a favorite among the 
 ladies, but he had disregarded society and at- 
 tended to business, always business, living a 
 bachelor life, rooming and boarding at the Glen- 
 den Hotel. He was nearly 35 and not egotistic 
 enough to push himself into the notice of the 
 ladies. The ladies had never appealed to him. 
 They were too uncertain, too frivolous, too past 
 understanding. He feared that intimacy with the 
 fair sex might lead to complications, so he stuck 
 strictly to his business. 
 
 But this young lady stenographer had shown 
 him that there are women who are not frivolous, 
 designing creatures, but that are as true as steel, 
 kind hearted and ever desiring to do just what 
 is right. 
 
 Ainie's gentle, honest eyes penetrated to his 
 heart. Her kind treatment of old and young, 
 rich and poor, with no pretentions of superiority, 
 but just is if she were only one among many of 
 suffering humanity, had convinced Mr. Z. that 
 a good woman is a blessing to the world. He 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 11 
 
 admitted to himself that he loved Ainie — no 
 doubt of it — but he thought, "I am thirty-five, 
 she is only tv/ent}^ She is beautiful, pure as the 
 white snow. I cannot win her so I will never let 
 her know, but an unseen hand will always be 
 ready to assist if she is ever in need." 
 
 He was extremely reticent in regard to his 
 business affairs, or his many acts of generosity. 
 He never told any one about how much money he 
 was worth or bragged about wonderful things 
 which he had done. He was a heavy contributor 
 to all charity funds. Many poor people had their 
 rent paid by some hidden hand and no one knew 
 whence the money came. Some of Ainie's renters 
 had notified her that they could not pay, and must 
 move, but no one had ever been compelled to 
 move, the rent was always paid. 
 
 Ainie had become convinced that the hidden 
 hand was no other than that of her employer. 
 All this worked on her imagination. She had 
 been treated so kindly and liberally by her em- 
 ployer that ere she was aware she confessed to 
 herself, "I love Mr. Zackley, but I have no chance 
 to win his love. He is above me and only treats 
 me kindly as he is treating all poor people here 
 in Glenden." She thought "I must not let him 
 know that I love him and continue to make good 
 in my work. He is a wonderful man. Time will 
 tell." 
 
 So these two, man and woman, who loved each 
 other with a love that was more than love, for it 
 was reverence for each other, sat in the same 
 
12 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 office one year after Ainie had been forced to 
 condescend to the onerous duties of a common 
 stenographer in a real estate office. 
 
 "Oh, no, I am in no trouble," said Mr. Z., 
 "except I — have made — a great discovery." 
 
 "Have you discovered something that will de- 
 stroy the German submarines ?" 
 
 "No and yes. It may be the means, in time, 
 that will put an end to all warfare if what I have 
 discovered is true." 
 
 "It must be true if you have discovered it. Is 
 it a secret or can you trust me?" 
 
 "That was just what I have been thinking 
 about. What I have in mind I fear to tell any 
 one. If what I have discovered is true, I will 
 need much help. I know of no one I am more 
 willing to trust than you, Ainie." 
 
 This confession caused Ainie's eyes to sparkle 
 with a new-found joy — a fleeting impression that 
 she, only his steno, might be the winner of this 
 man's love. 
 
 "It is a long story, Ainie, I hardly know how 
 to tell it, and it may be of no interest to you. 
 What I do tell is in confidence that you will keep 
 it as a profound secret." 
 
 Ainie's curiosity was getting the better of her, 
 but she held down her impatience and settled back 
 in her chair and assumed an air of strict attention. 
 
 Mr. Z. said: "To begin with, four years ago 
 an old prospector came to the Glenden Hotel. 
 He was ailing and soon became bedfast. I visited 
 him in his room and saw to it that he was well 
 
I — have made — a great discovery. — Page 12 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 13 
 
 supplied with nurses, doctors and delicacies. He 
 was non-communicative but very considerate and 
 thankful for the attentions that were given him. 
 
 "One day he sent for me and after being 
 propped up on his pillows in almost a sitting pos- 
 ture he informed me that he did not expect to live 
 long and that he was in need of some one whom 
 he could trust, and that he had intuitively selected 
 me to carry out his plans. 
 
 "The landlord and a notary were called in and 
 this man made an acknowledged statement which 
 turned over to me all his effects and named me to 
 carry out all settlements of his sickness and 
 funeral expenses. He wanted his body cremated 
 and the ashes scattered upon the public lawn in 
 order that the substance of his body would be 
 returned to the economy of nature at once. 
 
 "When we were alone, he showed me a manu- 
 script which he said contained important informa- 
 tion. He said to preserve the original manuscript, 
 for only in it would be found the information that 
 would set the world free from debt, superstition, 
 envy, unjust government, and foolish customs. 
 
 "The next day he passed away. I carried out 
 his instructions to the letter. He had plenty of 
 money on his person to pay all expenses and to 
 spare. 
 
 "I brought all his effects and the manuscript 
 here and locked them up in a closet by themselves 
 and there they remain. 
 
 "This story may be tiresome to you, Ainie," 
 interjected Mr. Z. 
 
14 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Oh no," said Ainie, "I am anxious to hear it 
 all. May I take it down and type it at my 
 leisure?" 
 
 "Yes, you may do so. I expect you to be my 
 sole confident for some time. 
 
 "Well, this prospector had written a long let- 
 ter of instructions in which he divulged the infor- 
 mation that he had several million dollars in 
 certain banks which had been made payable to 
 the order of K. Zackley & Company, for me to 
 use in charitable undertakings and for carrying 
 out the development of what was to be found in 
 the manuscript. This fortune was made a sacred 
 trust and I was the sole trustee with full power 
 to use my discretion in its expenditure. 
 
 " *Let him who would know investigate, 
 ponder, and scrutinize with diligence,' 'If ye seek 
 not, ye cannot find,' are some of the sentences 
 from this letter. 
 
 "I unrolled the manuscript. At the top it 
 read *The Crater of Gold.' Enclosed within I 
 found another letter written by the prospector, 
 an explanation of how he had come into posses- 
 sion of the 'Crater of Gold' manuscript. It was 
 signed 'J. Calvin.' 
 
 "This letter said that in one of his prospecting 
 trips, he had wandered up a deep canyon to an 
 almost perpendicular wall of a low mountain that 
 was unscalable. Here he concluded to camp for 
 a few days, and while gathering some brush for 
 a fire, he uncovered what at first he took for a 
 cave, but which proved to be a subterranean pas- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 15 
 
 sage. With his pack burros he ventured in on 
 an adventure that tested his mettle, but deter- 
 mined to solve the mystery, he trudged on for 
 about one mile, when he came out into a circular 
 pit, the crater of a long extinct volcano. He dis- 
 covered a stone dwelling where dwelt a very old 
 man. The old man made him welcome but he 
 was much surprised that any one had found the 
 way into his retreat. He reasoned that the 
 stranger's visit was a Divine Providence. 
 
 "Mr. Calvin was at this crater home but a few 
 days when the old man was taken seriously ill. 
 When near death he confided in Mr. Calvin and 
 turned over to him a huge bunch of manuscripts 
 with the instructions to publish the same when- 
 ever it seemed advisable for the benefit of the 
 world. The old man died and Mr. Calvin placed 
 his body in a tomb which had been hewn in the 
 solid rock. 
 
 "Now, this Calvin is the prospector that died 
 in the hotel here four years ago, and you know 
 as much as I do about the origin of this writing 
 which contains that which has led me to the great 
 discovery. 
 
 "It has been kept secret because Mr. Calvin 
 was very insistent that no attempt be made to 
 find out his antecedents and requested that every- 
 thing in connection with him and his demise be 
 kept secret and nothing sent to the papers for 
 publication. His letter explained that his name 
 was not Calvin, but that there was nothing in a 
 name. 
 
16 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "It made no difference to him whether his name 
 as Calvin, or any other name, survived or not. 
 The important thing was to leave in the world 
 that spirit, writing, invention, or information that 
 would best tend to the evolution of man, ameli- 
 orating conditions and alleviating the suffering 
 of humanity. 
 
 "He desired no honors for himself. *What 
 good can honors do me after I am dead? It is 
 the living now and in time to come that have to 
 suffer for the misdeeds of man, not the dead. 
 The dead feel no pain. It is the living of the 
 futu]-e who will be benefited by the information 
 to be found in the manuscript if you decipher its 
 message.' " 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Zackley, excuse me! Then you have 
 deciphered this message and you are now about 
 ready to give to the world a great revelation?" 
 broke in Ainie. 
 
 "Yes, I have found in what in itself is a most 
 remarkable story, a cipher message which inter- 
 prets the true meaning of this writing and gives 
 information, if true, will free the world from 
 debt, and bring to pass a mighty evolution in the 
 affairs of man." 
 
 Here Mr. Zackley unlocked the private closet 
 and brought out the original MS. just as it had 
 been turned over to him and proceeded to show 
 Ainie how in certain lines on each page some word 
 was written more vertical than the other words, 
 and by finding and arranging these words in 
 order the sentence developed "Search that the 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 17 
 
 truth may be given to the world when Providence 
 so directs." 
 
 Ainie was peering over Mr. Z's. shoulder and 
 gazing with awe at the MS. and the sentence thus 
 brought out. 
 
 "When I discovered this I had no doubt but 
 what I had found the key to the hidden message. 
 I was disappointed. The vertical words are found 
 no more. 
 
 "I read this writing hundreds of times. I 
 studied every page, line and word, trying to find 
 a clue that would lead me to decipher the mes- 
 sage, the existence of which I had no doubt. I 
 tried every fifth word, then every seventh word, 
 everything I could think of until I was discour- 
 aged and gave up in despair, but the idea of 
 unravelling this enigma got the better of me. 
 I dreamed about it. I prayed to High Heaven 
 for light. I was imbued with the intense feeling 
 that some way I was destined to bring to the 
 knowledge of man, an understanding that would 
 make a new epoch in the history of man's strug- 
 gles. I knew not what, but I must find this mes- 
 sage and so I prayed and pondered. All my 
 spare time I spent in my private room pondering 
 over the strange mystery. 
 
 "At last I noted that some of the t's were 
 crossed with a pronounced downward slant. I 
 picked out the words thus marked, but they made 
 no meaning. I tried the first and last words in 
 these lines and so on with no success. I tried the 
 next to the last word and to my unspeakable joy 
 
18 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 the enigma was solved. The great mystery was 
 revealed and now I am inclined to believe that 
 I am the instrument in the hands of Providence 
 to carry out what has been planned by the old 
 man of 'The Crater of Gold' and J. Calvin, his 
 messenger. 
 
 "This message tells of the existence of a great 
 mass of pure gold and directs the way to find it. 
 It estimates that there are millions of tons of 
 pure gold in this crater. It reasons that the 
 specific gravity of gold causes it to sink to near 
 the earth's center and that there is an immense 
 amount of it here which accounts for the great 
 density of the earth ; that at this particular place 
 the eruption came from the center of the earth 
 and this pure gold was squeezed out. Some will 
 say gold is never found in a volcanic crater, but 
 let me tell you, gold is where you find it." 
 
 "Why did not these men give this information 
 in plain language instead of leaving it so dark 
 that it might have never been known?" asked 
 Ainie. 
 
 "They both believed in Divine Providence, and 
 had faith that they were doing the will of the 
 Most High. They both believed that man would 
 receive the truth in regard to all things as fast 
 as he was capable of understanding and that He 
 who doeth all things well, would bring forth all 
 things needed in the evolution of man. 
 
 "Well, Ainie, you see what I meant by my 
 great discovery, and you may contemplate the 
 awful changes that will come to this world if this 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 19 
 
 message is true. You may take this afternoon 
 for rest. Tomorrow I have more to tell you." 
 
 Ainie's curiosity was satisfied. She had no 
 faith in the mass of gold proposition. She 
 thought that "The Crater of Gold" was a sym- 
 bolic writing representing nature as the teacher 
 of truth, that canyons referred to creeds, pros- 
 pecting to investigation, and debris was a sym- 
 bol of assumed revelations that hinder mankind 
 from accepting the truth when proven. She 
 hastened home for lunch. When she reached 
 home the mail had been delivered. She noticed 
 a large, well stuffed envelope and picked it up. 
 The address showed it was from her bank. It 
 was too thick for a bank statement, a dun for 
 the interest then due on the Bonner mortgage 
 would be no thicker than an invitation to a society 
 event. "What is it?" She hastily tore open the 
 envelope, disclosing to view the whole bundle of 
 cancelled notes and mortgages released, that were 
 signed: "Robert Bonner, Jeanie Bonner, his 
 wife." There was the stamp "Paid" on the notes, 
 and written across the mortgages "Released" 
 staring her in the face. "No doubt of it ! It is no 
 dream! I am wide awake," she thought. "Paid 
 by whom? K. Zackley, of course." 
 
 She blushed with shame to think that she was 
 the object of charity. She called her mother and 
 explained it all. Mrs. Bonner stared at the notes 
 and mortgages bewildered and sank limply into 
 a chair and moaned, "Dear Ainie, how have you 
 ever been able to pay this great debt?" 
 
20 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Ainie told her that some one had done it 
 secretly and as she suspected her employer, it was 
 best that nothing be said, as "People will talk, 
 and talk too much." 
 
 Ainie enquired at the bank that afternoon as 
 to her bank balance. She was received with much 
 respect and informed that her balance was 
 $1,579.25. The president of the bank, I. L. Got- 
 rocks, was so profuse in his reception of her that 
 she was disgusted with such sycophancy. She 
 realized how different is the treatment accorded 
 the well-to-do as compared to the cold reception 
 given to one in adversity. She was the same Ainie 
 now as she was while she was scrimping to save 
 her money, wearing her old garments and hats. 
 Gotrocks thought Ainie had raised the money and 
 she was careful to give him no reason to think 
 otherwise. She checked out a hundred dollars and 
 left the bank to make purchases of much needed 
 dresses and hats to take the place of the old ones 
 for herself and mother. 
 
 She mused on life. Something wrong in a sys- 
 tem that caused business men to toady and kow- 
 tow to one with money, however insignificant that 
 person might be, and to disregard those without 
 money, however talented. She knew such was the 
 case from experience. "I am the same Ainie now 
 as then, but now I will be received with open arms 
 where before I have been ignored," she thought. 
 
 That evening she found her mother light 
 hearted and cheery, her eyes shining with love for 
 her child and questioning how such a great debt 
 could be paid so secretly. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 21 
 
 After supper Ainie requested her mother to 
 listen to her for a short time. "I want your 
 advise, mother," she said. Her mother sat in her 
 easy chair hstening as only a fond mother can 
 whose only care is the welfare of her child. 
 "Mother, I have fallen in love with Mr. Zackley. 
 I could not help it. As I have thought I had no 
 chance to win his love and did not wish to embar- 
 rass our relations, I have in no way given him 
 any reason to suspect that I loved him, but now 
 that he has paid our debts, I fear to return to 
 the office. I might give way to tears, reveal my 
 love and be humiliated. Mother, I want your 
 advice, and I will do just as you say." 
 
 "My dear child," said Mrs. Bonner, "jou are 
 sweet and sincere. You have been doing your 
 work so well that it may be that Mr. Zackley has 
 fallen in love with you and this may account for 
 his liberal use of money. Being an honorable 
 man, he is afraid to venture to declare himself for 
 fear of a refusal. Such men would rather face 
 a cannon's mouth than a thundering 'No' from a 
 woman. You have given him no reason to assume 
 that you care for him." 
 
 "If you love him, my advice is that you go back 
 to the office tomorrow and do not act so formal. 
 Place your hand on his arm carelessly, let a little 
 love light shine in your eyes and say in a cheerful 
 voice, 'I am ready for work again, Mr. Zackley.' 
 Instead of cultivating a stiff demeanor, assume 
 a companionable attitude. This will break the 
 ice. If Mr. Zackley, as I suspect, has serious 
 
22 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 intentions, he will meet you half way and soon 
 both of you will be happy in each other's love. 
 
 "Your father acted very much the same. Hon- 
 orable men are not bold to declare their love. 
 He ! Ho ! Ho ! I had to bring your father to his 
 senses. Act your part. Let him see that you 
 are not afraid to touch him. Let him know that 
 you trust him. If you fail, no harm will be done." 
 
 The next morning Ainie arrived at the office 
 on time, determined to play her part. "Of course, 
 mother would advise her right." Mr. Zackley 
 welcomed her with a cheery "Good morning." 
 Ainie replied, "Good morning, Mr. Zackley. You 
 are looking fine." She put her hat away and 
 tripped over to her employer, placed her hand 
 on his arm and said, "Well, Mr. Zackley, my rest 
 has done me good. I am ready for work again." 
 
 This friendly action of Ainie's touched Mr. 
 Zackley to the heart. He could hardly control 
 his desire to then and there have done with it and 
 declare his love, but such men control themselves 
 until they feel sure of success. The touch of her 
 hand caused him such exquisite thrills of pleasure 
 that he was reluctant to speak for fear of driving 
 that little hand from his arm. As he did not 
 answer but just sat and gazed, Ainie took her 
 seat in front of the typewriter, facing her em- 
 ployer and awaited his pleasure. 
 
 He dropped his head in thought and then ques- 
 tioningly said, "I have had a vision, reverie, or 
 dream which I want to dictate to you. I have 
 not built air castles since I was a lad. Then I 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 23 
 
 used to build air castles of wonderful things that 
 I would do. This may be only an air castle, let 
 the title be 
 
 An Air Castle 
 
 A few hours dictation for the "Air Castle" 
 and several business letters dispatched, and Ainie 
 was on her way home again. She was very happy. 
 She had seen enough now to know she would 
 land her fish. She planned how she would con- 
 tinue to let out the reel or pull in fast on the line 
 until her fish was landed. She thought the pro- 
 posal would be blurted out with such vehemence 
 that it would require all her tact to accept with- 
 out being too precipitate. 
 
 You know young ladies spend much time fig- 
 uring out how to accept without showing haste 
 and often after they are sure of their game, they 
 take great pleasure in tantalizing the poor boob. 
 Beware, Ainie, this strong, diffident man might 
 take your dally for a refusal. You know that 
 he is not egotistic enough to presume upon his 
 worthiness. Ainie, take it from me, you had 
 better make sure at your first opportunity. 
 
 When she reached the palatial residence which 
 was her home indeed, free and unincumbered, she 
 found an invitation for her and her mother to 
 attend a social at the home of banker Gotrocks 
 that evening. 
 
 Her mother was delighted to be able again to 
 attend such functions, Ainie cared little about it, 
 as her mind was occupied with air castles about 
 
24 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 the great things she would do and how happy 
 she would be with the man of her choice. 
 
 However, she accompanied her mother to this 
 society event and took part in the dancing. Her 
 face radiated the joy that she felt, which made 
 her appear very beautiful and she was easily the 
 most sought young lady at this fastidious gath- 
 ering. 
 
 The cashier of Gotrock's bank, Wm. Felter, 
 tried to monopolize her attentions, danced with 
 her repeatedly and escorted her to the banquet. 
 After the banquet, he prevailed on her to visit 
 the conservatory to "hold communion with the 
 flowers" as he said with an air of lofty sentiment. 
 Though Ainie kept her distance and gave Mr. 
 Felter no possible excuse for silly love making, 
 he asked her to be seated and popped himself 
 down by her side and tried to take both her hands 
 in his. She gently removed her hands to a place 
 of safety, and gradually moved over in her seat as 
 he nudged closer to her. She tried not to appear 
 to understand his movements. Undaunted, Mr. 
 Felter got down on his knees and poured out a 
 woeful story of eternal love. She knew that he 
 had lied and that he was attracted by his desire 
 to show off, or further his financial success. Ainie 
 despised his pretensions, and begged to return 
 to the parlor. "Mother will want to go home 
 soon," she said. "Mr. Felter, it is impossible for 
 me to give you any encouragement. I am sorry, 
 but you will soon find another." Mr. Felter was 
 only performing his most effective style of flirting 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 25 
 
 and he was of such temperament that it was no 
 difficult matter for him to return to the parlor 
 highly elated with the idea that he had beat all 
 the other young fellows to it, he strutted in with 
 a lordly bearing and viewed the other nincom- 
 poops with a lofty air of superiority. 
 
 Ainie was disgusted with these shallow, society 
 egotists and could but see the contrast between 
 them and her ideal of a *'man," a manly man who 
 meant what he said and said what he meant, a 
 man who under no consideration would prove 
 false to a trust and ever before her mental gaze 
 was the image of her employer, as the one who 
 filled the specifications. 
 
 After a few days of congenial work and 
 friendly chats in which Mr. Zackley had been on 
 the edge of a declaration of his love several times, 
 the Air Castle was finished, all typed and edited 
 as thoroughly as could be done in a newspaper 
 editor's office. 
 
 Ainie in a rich, mellow tone of voice, read the 
 composition to her employer as follows : 
 
 An Air Castle 
 
 "It was along in June. I had become tired of 
 office drill and business in general. I left this 
 office in your charge, Ainie, and announced that 
 I was off to the mountains for a vacation. 
 
 *'I put into my suit case such articles as I 
 needed to follow out the instructions given in 
 this cipher message including a transit, and left 
 
26 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Glenden on the train. In due time I landed at 
 the mountain town in Arizona, near the Mexi- 
 can border, designated in the directions given to 
 find the mass of pure gold. 
 
 "Here I bought a sure footed horse and hired 
 two Mexican sheep men with their burros to assist 
 me. We loaded these pack burros with a good 
 supply of grub and camping outfit. We struck 
 out in an easterly direction over a mountainous 
 trail. I kept a close outlook and after a few miles 
 of travel, we came to a reddish mass of rock 
 standing up in perpendicular layers, as if the 
 strata of the earth had been blown up and set 
 on edge. I examined this, apparently pros- 
 pecting. As I expected, there were the marks 
 which notified me I must get out the transit and 
 determine a course 24° North of East over a 
 rough, rocky, mountainous expanse. 
 
 "We kept the course for several hours and 
 came to a deep canyon in which we found a small 
 stream of pure mountain water as noted. We 
 were quite tired and I gave my men orders to 
 pitch camp. 
 
 "These Mexicans thought 'Another foolish city 
 chap out on a prospecting trip.' They cared little 
 what I did. They watched me wander up the 
 canyon with a wink, 'There goes a tenderfoot who 
 will soon tire of these rocks.' 
 
 "I wandered on and soon came to a place where 
 two canyons joined, one bearing to the right, the 
 other to the left. Here I looked for a lone pine 
 among the junipers, located on the point of land 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 27 
 
 jutting down between these canyons. Sure 
 enough the pine was there towering far above the 
 junipers. On a ledge near this pine, I found an 
 image of a human hand pointing up the left hand 
 canyon, carved in the solid rock. 
 
 "I was getting restless to see the end of this 
 mystery. I struck up the left hand canyon as 
 fast as I could urge my horse forward, without 
 thinking of supper or having any fear. On I 
 went for an hour, the low steep mountain ap- 
 peared in sight, and just at dusk I reached the 
 perpendicular wall and found hidden by brush 
 an entrance into this wall. I had located *The 
 Crater of Gold' without a doubt. 
 
 "How I wanted to go on! A hungry gnawing 
 in my stomach urged me to turn back. 'Plenty 
 time tomorrow,' I thought. It was night, but the 
 moon was shining bright. 'Good old friend. 
 Moon, you will light me back to camp,' I said 
 aloud. 
 
 "Well, I got back to camp about nine o'clock. 
 The Mexicans had supposed that I was lost and 
 had a big fire going in an old dead juniper to 
 show me the location of our camp. I allowed 
 them to think I had been lost to allay all suspi- 
 cions. 
 
 "I ate some supper and soon lay down to sleep. 
 My mind was stirred up with imaginations and 
 calculations of what great things I would be able 
 to do. I lay awake for hours. I prayed as I never 
 prayed before. I prayed for Divine guidance. 
 I prayed for strength and courage to carry out 
 
28 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 my intentions to the betterment of man. Along 
 in the late hours of the night, I fell asleep and 
 rested quite well though disturbed by visionary 
 dreams. 
 
 "I was awakened the next morning by my men 
 for breakfast. The sun was shining bright. I ate 
 my meal and then informed my men that I wished 
 to remain in the canyon for a few days but would 
 not need their services. I bought their burros 
 and paid them for what they had done. 
 
 "They took it all as a common occurrence, 
 wished me success, bade me good bye and de- 
 parted. I waited till they were out of sight. I 
 made sure that they were gone. Then I broke 
 camp, loaded up my stock, and made my way to 
 the stone wall. I cleared away the debris that 
 choked up the entrance and led the horse into the 
 passage. The burros followed just like dogs that 
 cannot be driven back. My faith was sure. I 
 had no fear but what all would end according to 
 instructions. 
 
 "After traveling about a mile in this subter- 
 ranean passage into the mountain, I came out into 
 a circular pit or crater. There was the stone 
 dwelling! The old man's tomb! I found the 
 great mass of pure gold, and a pile of thousands 
 of tons of gold nuggets gathered together by 
 some one, possibly the old gentleman who had 
 lived there so long. There was the gold ! Enough 
 to pay all the debts of the world a hundred times. 
 I can buy all the railroads, all the bonds and 
 stocks I 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 29 
 
 "I will own the world ! A titantic undertaking 
 to accomplish which will test my ability, for if the 
 capitalists learn of this mass of gold, they will 
 raise a hue and cry and the law makers of the 
 world will demonetize gold. My work must be 
 done secretly. 
 
 "I soon formulated my plans to own the world. 
 I would get a large force sworn to secrecy. I 
 would have secret agents to travel all over the 
 world visiting the banks and big money centers 
 to contract options on land, estates, bonds, stocks 
 and mortgages of all kinds, paying one per cent 
 down, the balance to be paid any time within a 
 year. 
 
 "I got my pencil and figured it out in avoirdu- 
 pois weight, 7,000 grains to the pound, 23.22 
 grains of pure gold to the dollar, approximately 
 $300 to a pound, one and two-thirds tons to a 
 $1,000,000. 1666^ tons in $1,000,000,000.* It 
 would take $200,000,000,000 to pay all the debts 
 of the world. I would need at least $100,000,- 
 000,000 to buy a controlling interest in big busi- 
 ness. The first year of my work would call for 
 $300,000,000,000. As they are one and two- 
 thirds thousand tons of pure gold in $1,000,000,- 
 000, $300,000,000,000 would weigh 500,000 tons. 
 This would make 25,000 car loads 20 tons to a 
 car, a train load 160 miles in length. 
 
 "I found that a cubic foot of gold weighed 
 
 * Note. — If calculated on the basis of coined or standard gold, 
 the results would be % greater or 1^%^ tons to the $1,000,000. 
 — Author. 
 
30 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 nearly 1,200 pounds. Then a space of 1^ cubic 
 feet would hold one ton. I wanted a warehouse 
 at the railroad station to hold $180,000,000,000 
 as a working capital. This sum in pure gold 
 would weigh 300,000 tons. Each ton of gold 
 would occupy 1% cubic feet. This sum would 
 occupy 500,000 cubic feet of space. A warehouse 
 100x500 feet and filled to a depth of 10 feet 
 would hold this amount.* 
 
 "I got back to the city as quick as I could. 
 I found a stamping machine that could be ad- 
 justed to stamp out this pure gold into bricks 
 4x4x9 inches. Each brick would weigh 100 
 pounds, or 20 bricks to the ton. This machine 
 would stamp out 10,000 tons a day. I bought 
 narrow gauge rails for a double track tram-way 
 from the crater to the warehouse, brick for build- 
 ing and ordered 100 cars, each to carry six tons, 
 to develop a copper property, I claimed, to pre- 
 vent inquisitiveness. I now proceeded to engage 
 my secret agents, all sworn to eternal secrecy, to 
 travel all over the United States and the world, 
 to secure options. I worked rapidly and selected 
 1,000 workmen under oath to say nothing about 
 my business. This force I put to work building 
 double track tram- ways and warehouse. Within 
 a month the work was done. During the same 
 time my agents had wonderful success in securing 
 
 * Note. — 2% eu. ft. of pure gold weighs 3298.611,'^ lbs. instead 
 of 1% tons (3333.33 lbs.) and is $994,412.50. The warehouse 
 100x500x10 ft. would hold $178,994,250,000.00 in pure, gold— 
 $1,005,750,000.00 short of $180,000,000,000.00. 1% cu. ft. of 
 pure gold weighs 19791/^ lbs., 20% lbs. short of a ton. — Author. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 31 
 
 options on a controlling interest in the stocks of 
 all railroads and other syndicates including great 
 land estates, Miller & Lux and others. 
 
 "Up to this time the entrance to the crater had 
 been kept hidden, but now I took all the men up 
 to this entrance, the obstructions were removed 
 and the most surprised crowd of men you ever 
 saw marched through the passage to the mass of 
 gold. I explained my intentions of buying the 
 world, pay off all the debts and form a Tounda- 
 tion' with all this property to be used in the 
 interest of all the people for all time. I made 
 it plain why nothing should be told until the 
 exchange deals were consummated. I promised 
 each man a home or 160 acres of land wherever 
 it suited him. I explained that each would be 
 required to pay 4% tax into the Foundation, but 
 that from this any other taxes would be sub- 
 tracted, i. e., their total tax should not exceed 4%. 
 
 "Everything worked fine. We got out 5,000 
 to 10,000 tons of gold a day and in less than two 
 months the warehouse at the station was filled. 
 $180,000,000,000 ready for options. A good 
 working capital. 
 
 "I had secretly turned over to the Government 
 $5,000,000,000 for coinage and had received gold 
 certificates in payment. In large sums I de- 
 posited this in banks all over the world for the 
 use of my secret agents, who by this time had 
 secured options that would require over $200,- 
 000,000,000. In this work they had spent over 
 $3,000,000,000 in expenses and first payments 
 
32 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 upon options secured. This great addition to 
 the money of the world had caused prices to 
 double, that is the purchasing power of gold 
 had depreciated rapidly, not that the value of 
 property had increased. 
 
 "No one was able to understand what was the 
 matter, and as is always the case, the pay of 
 labor was not advanced in proportion to the de- 
 preciation in the purchasing power of the pay. 
 There was much contention, much fault finding 
 with the Government, strikes, disturbances and 
 the use of soldiers to suppress riots. 
 
 "It appalled me to contemplate what an up- 
 heaval would come when I had thrown into circu- 
 lation $300,000,000,000. It was plain to see that 
 a twenty-dollar gold piece would then buy no 
 more than ten cents would buy now. A day's 
 work would pay off a $1,000 mortgage then. 
 
 "Man must invent a new medium of exchange. 
 It is up to man to find an unfluctuating standard 
 of value on such a basis as will best prevent 
 capitalistic control and peculations and give labor 
 full credit for its product. 
 
 "Thus far labor and capital were battling 
 away, each trying to get the better of the other 
 under a hog-and-dog system — sl battle royal in 
 which the weak and poor unfortunates were 
 crowded to unbearable conditions by the strong 
 and cunning. 
 
 "Representatives to make laws for the people 
 had failed. Represent the people, bosh! These 
 legislators of the world represent their masters, 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 33 
 
 the intrenched capitalistic interests. So I rea- 
 soned, but the great task of shipping all this gold 
 to all parts of the world stared me in the face. 
 
 "I must get busy and get this first batch of 
 options paid before these sleeping moneybags 
 wake up and block my game. 
 
 "The big war was over. The cause of Liberty 
 had triumphed and all nations had formed a com- 
 pact to disarm and to submit all differences to 
 an international tribunal, and I easily arranged 
 with the railroad magnates for the continuous use 
 of 5,000 freight cars for six months at the rate 
 of 500 empties brought in and 500 loads taken 
 out each day. 
 
 "By this time I had increased my force to 2,000 
 men in order to keep a constant stream of gold 
 on the move from the crater to the warehouse, 
 and from the warehouse to the payment of my 
 obligations. I sent ten men with each trainload 
 of fifty cars to guard the valuable cargo until 
 delivered to the consignee. Each train took about 
 one-half a billion dollars and with ten trains, of 
 fifty carloads each, out each day, I succeeded in 
 shipping about $5,000,000,000 a day. 
 
 "It only takes a layer of gold four feet wide 
 and twenty-five feet long and four inches thick 
 to make a car load of twenty tons, and this cov- 
 ered with sheet iron nailed to the floor of the car 
 prevented discovery of the nature of the ship- 
 ment. 
 
 "Within one month I had all my land, rail- 
 way and syndicate stock options paid and was 
 
34 . CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 the controlling owner of a vast property. I did 
 not care then if a car load or a train load of gold 
 were stolen. 
 
 "Prices of all commodities had gone sailing 
 upwards, and, as an example, wheat was $100 
 per bushel, eggs $25 per dozen — everything in 
 proportion. The country was in a great furore 
 of labor troubles — politics raging, newspapers 
 filled with theories and scathing denunciations 
 of K. Zackley for bringing on such a catastrophe 
 as paying the debts of the world had brought, 
 and lurid appeals to Congress to demonetize gold. 
 All the wise men were dumfounded. Thou- 
 sands of suits for damage were brought against 
 me in all parts of the country. 
 
 *'Rosenpelter was President of the United 
 States. I was forthwith ordered to the White 
 House. I went and found the President a very 
 nice gentleman, and condescended to shake hands 
 with him. I explained fully that since the debt- 
 ors of the world only owed so much gold, and 
 that when the creditors received this amount of 
 gold they got all that was due them, if the value 
 of gold had depreciated, the debtors were not to 
 blame. 
 
 "I gave the President an outline of what 
 should be done and rejoiced that it was now pos- 
 sible for this mismanaged planet to institute a 
 system of government that would remove envy 
 and crime from the hearts of the people and 
 establish justice on the earth. I told him that 
 all people were naturally good, but that ages of 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 35 
 
 capitalistic misrule and greed had perverted 
 many; still if given a square deal, they would 
 naturally do right; that the animal struggle for 
 the mastery in all hues had caused many a good 
 man to yield to bribe temptations, but that they 
 were only victims of a vicious and unjust system, 
 and not to be blamed — ^the system had made them 
 what they were. 
 
 "Mr. Rosenpelter's eyes lighted up v/ith under- 
 standing. He brought his fist down on the desk, 
 and said, *Bully ! I see it all now. You must 
 go before Congress and show them what to do. 
 These wise Congressmen are only wise in their 
 own conceit, wise in routine and known quanti- 
 ties, but just as soon as a new condition confronts 
 them, they are a puny, inefiicient bunch of lob- 
 sters, with weasel words and weasel understand- 
 ings.' 
 
 "I was paying my men with day labor certifi- 
 cates. A certificate for one day's work — eight 
 hours of common labor — I called a 'Daylor.' 
 Each daylor was guaranteed to buy at least 100 
 pounds of flour, 5 bushels of potatoes, 30 pounds 
 of meat, and other things in proportion, at my 
 stores. A daylor was now exchanging for $200 
 in gold and no doubt would soon bring $1,000. 
 
 "I laid my plans before Congress and agreed 
 to turn over all my property to the Common- 
 wealth if my plans were accepted and ratified by 
 the States. 
 
 "It was not without much debate and threaten- 
 ing opposition that any resolution could be 
 
36 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 brought to a vote. To get the thing started, I 
 had Senator Blowhard, the leader of the Progres- 
 sives in Congress, to push to a vote a resolution 
 which provided that each party select an Initia- 
 tive Committee of ten men to prepare their 
 party's proposal of a new form of government 
 for the government of the country. This carried 
 and the work commenced. The proposals were 
 all to be published and distributed to the people 
 in time to hold a general constitutional election 
 on June 4th following. A majority vote was 
 required to ratify the new law. 
 
 "The Progressives and Socialists committees 
 harmonized their efforts and called me to assist 
 them in preparing a Constitution, Code of Laws 
 and a Code of Law Procedure for the Common- 
 wealth of America. 
 
 "This proposal ignored the rights of States, 
 and instead of forty-eight State laws, United 
 States law, common law and city ordinances, a 
 multiplicity of systems of law and law procedure, 
 a tangled mess in mongrel Latin to harass a 
 long-suffering people, and require a host of law- 
 yers and judges to handle litigation and interpret 
 all these jungled laws, we proposed one law for 
 the whole country in simple American. This 
 law was made so plain that any one could be his 
 or her own lawyer. Under this plan, lawyers 
 could not twist the law to cover up the tracks of 
 the soulless corporations in their nefarious and 
 outrageous peculations and exploitations of the 
 resources of the people. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 37 
 
 "This constitution provided in part that the 
 executive department of the Government shall 
 consist of an Executive Council of ten men ; that 
 the Legislative Department shall consist of party 
 initiative commissions to propose laws to be sub- 
 mitted to a vote of the people; that the Judicial 
 Department shall consist of a supreme judiciary 
 of ten men and United States district judges; 
 that an Utility Department shall be instituted 
 and that the supervisors of the utility depart- 
 ments of the Government shall constitute the 
 Utility Board. 
 
 "All legislatures were abolished. All execu- 
 tive officers or public servants, as they were 
 called, must be elected by the people. All other 
 positions were filled by competitive examinations 
 and judged by the performance of their duties. 
 
 "It provided for an Inspection Board of ten 
 men authorized to examine the books and pro- 
 ceedings of any public servant, high or low. 
 
 The Code of Law provided that the Common- 
 wealth shall engage in all kinds of business and 
 public ownership of utilities, but should not inter- 
 fere with private enterprise; that every laborer 
 shall be given work and not be compelled to 
 spend half his time with a roll of blankets on 
 his back looking for work ; that public dispensa- 
 ries shall be established in every town that shall 
 furnish the people with the necessaries of life at 
 cost (this would regulate the speculating syndi- 
 cates automatically) ; that the sale of all drugs, 
 narcotics and alcoholic stimulants shall be imder 
 
38 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Government control ; that diseased persons whose 
 disease threaten the health of posterity shall be 
 quarantined until cured; that sanitariums shall 
 be maintained for the free treatment of all dis- 
 seased and disabled persons in need of such treat- 
 ment; that no one shall be prosecuted for crime, 
 but that persons with perverted intellects shall be 
 detained on detention farms and in schools for 
 teaching and reform ; that Commonwealth schools 
 shall be maintained for the instruction of Com- 
 monwealth employees; that eight hours of com- 
 mon labor shall be the unit of value; that all 
 citizens of the Commonwealth, irrespective of sex 
 or color, shall have the right of suffrage, and 
 many other useful provisions. 
 
 "The Democrats, standpat Republicans and 
 Conservatives united. They proposed the old 
 Constitution with a few changes, demonetized 
 gold and remonetized silver. 
 
 "These two plans were printed by the millions 
 and distributed. Candidates for all offices pro- 
 vided in these plans were named, and the most 
 exciting campaign in our history raged with fury. 
 
 "The Conservatives felt sure of victory. They 
 banked heavily on the influence of 'Old Custom' 
 and the prestige of our grand old Constitution 
 that was born in the stress and storm of the for- 
 mation of the Republic. 
 
 "The Progressives had named Rosenpelter and 
 nine other far-seeing men for the Supreme Coun- 
 cil and used much tact in the selection of all 
 candidates for all other positions of trust. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 39 
 
 "The contest was bitter. Capitalists were de- 
 termined not to lose their grip upon the throat 
 of Labor and Humanity; but as the campaign 
 progressed many great and good men and women 
 saw the Light of the better day for the human 
 race. The people had suffered long enough from 
 misrule and bloody wars, and to cut it short, the 
 great reform won. The Commonwealth of 
 America, a new form of government, was estab- 
 lished. 
 
 "I turned over all my property to the new 
 Government, so it was out of debt. It was 
 owner, in the name of the whole people, of the 
 railroads, telegraph and telephone lines, big busi- 
 ness, and broad acres of land. Land in five to 
 forty acre tracts was rented to poor citizens at a 
 4 per cent rental. Many of the large estates 
 were used to employ the surplus labor. 
 
 "Everything moved along smoothly, much 
 better than had been expected by the most san- 
 guine. 
 
 "I had been elected Chief Inspector with a 
 salary of 100 daylors per day and free transpor- 
 tation to all parts of the Commonwealth. I was 
 overwhelmed with telegrams and letters thanking 
 me for what I had done, or inviting me to other 
 countries. 
 
 "My strenuous work over for a time, my 
 thoughts turned back to Glenden where there was 
 a young lady I loved — nay, worshiped." 
 
 Ainie had no doubt but what she was the young 
 lady, but she desired to bide the time when she 
 
40 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 felt sure Mr. Zackley would declare himself. 
 She read over this without betraying her emotion. 
 
 "I took a fast train for the West. On my 
 trip I was hailed everywhere by great crowds as 
 the * Savior of the World.' I assured them that 
 I was a very common man whose only desire was 
 to do that which would ameliorate the suffering 
 of mankind forever and make earth a fit place to 
 live and raise children. 
 
 "When I reached Glenden I called on my 
 young lady friend and confessed my undying love 
 for her. She graciously accepted my proffer of 
 marriage. We married and together we traveled 
 inspecting the workings of the new regime. We 
 traveled all over Europe, Asia, Africa and the 
 islands and were everywhere received with gi-eat 
 honor and proclaimed the 'King and Queen' of 
 earth. All nations took our system for a pattern 
 and all peoples were brothers indeed. 
 
 "A fly got busy buzzing around my head and 
 face until it brought me to my senses. I gave a 
 few vicious swipes and tried to kill the pesky 
 critter. I jumped up, rubbed my head and sank 
 down in my office chair, to finish some private 
 instructions to a party whom I expect to attend 
 to my business while I take a much needed rest." 
 
 Ainie had finished her reading. She dropped 
 the manuscript on her desk and looked straight 
 into her employer's eyes. She was filled with 
 overpowering love for him, and possibly her eyes 
 conveyed an inkling of the truth to the mind of 
 her lover. He shuffled restlessly in his chair and 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 41 
 
 broke the silence by saying, "Ainie" — then hesi- 
 tated. 
 
 Ainie nerved herself to hear a proposal. She 
 thought, "It is coming now," but Mr, Zackley 
 with diffidence continued, "Wh — what do you 
 think of my air-castle?" 
 
 Poor, disappointed Ainie! She blushed with 
 shame, and turned pale with the thought, "My 
 hopes are only air-castles after all," but she ral- 
 lied and replied, "It is wonderful, Mr. Zackley." 
 Then, with the intention of encouraging her timid 
 lover, she made bold to say, "If there were some 
 real love affair to add to this air-castle, it would 
 make a great picture for the movies." 
 
 Mr. Z. : "Yes, if it could be produced on the 
 screens, it would make a vivid illustration of the 
 huge burden of indebtedness that is laid on the 
 back of Labor for the ages to come." 
 
 Ainie: "Such instruction or refined pictures 
 of sentiment would be better for the young than 
 the trash now prevailing. I am disgusted with 
 the picture shows with their blood, slang and 
 rough stuff." 
 
 "For a certain reason, I will make a confiden- 
 tial confession to you, Ainie," slowly announced 
 Mr. Z. 
 
 Ainie's heart jumped and pounded away at a 
 furious rate. She fortified herself for the trying 
 ordeal of properly replying to a proposal from 
 her loved one. 
 
 Mr. Zackley continued: "My real name is 
 not Zackley. I was raised in a quiet, religious 
 
42 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 neighborhood back in Illinois. I was the only 
 child of well-to-do parents who took great pride 
 in me. They paid my way through the imiver- 
 sity. I graduated with honors, under my right 
 name, Ebenezer Gootsop. My college education 
 caused me much trouble, I had imbibed the phi- 
 losophy of Spencer, Huxley and Darwin, and I 
 was an avowed agnostic when I returned home. 
 My mother wept bitter tears and my father 
 rebuked me in scathing terms — still I was the 
 more confirmed in my ideas. 
 
 "In a speech at the town-hall, I condemned 
 all orthodox churches and pronounced all re- 
 ligions *species of insanity,' so on I went. For 
 this I was ostracized and mistreated by my good 
 neighbors. Some Nemesis seemed to interfere 
 with my undertakings. I failed. I was a fail- 
 ure! My parents passed away in my twenty- 
 eighth year, and as I had no close relatives, I 
 resolved to leave the old home and neighborhood, 
 change my name and never again engage in the 
 discussion of abstruse questions. 
 
 "A wag suggested that if he had my name he 
 would hock it and lose the ticket. 
 
 "Well, I sold out and came West and settled 
 here and ever since I have been as silent as the 
 grave in regard to my beliefs. 
 
 "When a lad, I was in the habit of mispro- 
 nouncing words in casual slang conversations, as 
 *kersackley' for 'exactly.' In my musing to select 
 a new name, I said to myself, *I want a name 
 different from any one else in the world ; then f ol- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 43 
 
 lowed the 'Kerzackley.' *K. Zackley,' I repeated. 
 *That's it. K. Zackley is my name.' 
 
 **Though I do not accept the old legends from 
 the ages of the past, I do recognize a Supreme 
 Ruler, an unchangeable power that rules the uni- 
 verse. My experiences of late years have proven 
 to me that there is a mysterious power that comes 
 to those who submit humbly to the inevitable and 
 pray for Divine guidance. Such people are more 
 liable to lead moral lives than those who depend 
 upon their scientific logic. 
 
 "I believe that if children were allowed to grow 
 up with no teaching, their moral sense would be 
 on a par with chickens and pigs. 
 
 "As all are born into this world inheriting their 
 traits of character from the ages of the past and 
 are surrounded with environments over which 
 they have no control that make them what they 
 are, none are to blame for what they are. This 
 being the case, my religion is to treat all people 
 with charity, regardless of color, race, condition 
 or belief," and so on, Mr. Zackley explained his 
 spiritual condition. He wanted Ainie to under- 
 stand him in his true light. He was sincere, and 
 there must be no reservations on his part. 
 
 Ainie replied, "I have absolute faith that the 
 constancy of nature is emblematic of the attri- 
 butes of the Most High; that what happens 
 always did and always will happen, conditions 
 being the same ; that we cause our own suffering 
 by the disobedience of the laws of our creation; 
 that religions are evolutions of the spiritual in 
 
44 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 man ; that true Christianity is based on deeds and 
 rewards according, and is the highest spiritual 
 evolution taught to man," and so on she explained 
 her beliefs. 
 
 This opened the eyes of our hero. He thought, 
 "We are real soulmates." He squared himself 
 for the desperate plunge, win or lose. 
 
 "When I was a little fellow, I met a little 
 neighbor girl in the lane. She had an apple arid 
 I had an orange. I thought that I would like to 
 trade my orange for her apple, and she thought 
 (learned after) that she would like to trade her 
 apple for my orange, but we both were so bashful 
 that we ran by each other without making our 
 wishes known. I have often thought that there 
 are many sad disappointments in this life just 
 because people fail to make known their desires. 
 I have been trying for months to nurse my cour- 
 age to the sticking point. Now, win or lose, I 
 will tell you that I love you ! I know that I am 
 not worthy to ask so much of you, but I want 
 you to be my wife." 
 
 Ainie's joy was too great for utterance. With 
 tears streaming down her cheeks, she stepped 
 over to this big manly man, put her arms around 
 his neck, nestled up close to his bosom and whis- 
 pered, "If you love me half as much as I love you, 
 we will be the happiest people in the world." 
 
 Mr. Zackley was not slow in clasping his arms 
 tight around this lovely woman — not a word — 
 just unalloyed bliss. With his arms around his 
 darling prize, he led the way to a settee. There 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 45 
 
 they sat for a friendly chat with many a smile 
 and laugh about how foolish they both had been. 
 They talked for an hour, which to them seemed 
 only a few minutes. 
 
 Mr. Z. came to a decision. ''I need a rest from 
 this old office. Tomorrow I intended to be on 
 my way to Arizona in quest of the 'Crater of 
 Gold.' Let's get busy, call on a minister, and 
 we'll both be off for Arizona in the morning for 
 our honeymoon." 
 
 "I always expected when I married I would 
 have time to make preparations for such a mo- 
 mentous event. I have no trousseau ready, but 
 I am wilhng to leave it all to my mother. We 
 must see her and get her consent and blessing. 
 Nothing will please me more than doing that 
 which will make you happy, Mr. Zackley." 
 
 "We will go at once. I will plead the case 
 with Mrs. Bonner. She's a good friend of mine, 
 you know," said Mr. Zackley. 
 
 Up to the Bonner residence they went in a 
 hurry. Mrs. Bonner was pleased to give her con- 
 sent to Mr. Zackley's requests with the sugges- 
 tion that the Zackleys must live with her and not 
 deprive a poor mother of the solace of her only 
 and darling child. Mr. Zackley put one strong 
 arm around Mrs. Bonner, the other around Ainie, 
 and said, "We will never desert you, mother." 
 
 A few friends were invited. That evening 
 there was feasting, rejoicing and a simple wed- 
 ding ceremony, and Mr. and Mrs. Zackley were 
 off for Arizona in the morning looking for 
 "The Crater of Gold." 
 
46 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 WAR IS MURDER 
 (1914) 
 
 God, give me strength to write the truth 
 
 In burning words of logic strong, 
 To convince all peoples of the world 
 
 We're brothers all and war is wrong. 
 For a man to kill a man is crime; 
 
 Should nations from this law be free? 
 They are killing thousands ev'ry day. 
 
 They slaughter men in ghoulish glee. 
 
 Nations of the earth, the time has come 
 
 To formulate the terms of peace — 
 Giving liberty to all mankind. 
 
 Providing for all wars to cease. 
 Arbitration and disarmament 
 
 Are means by which it may be done. 
 Let the people rule and bring content 
 
 And let all nations live as one. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 47 
 
 FREEDOM OF THE SEAS 
 (February, 1917) 
 
 Uncle Sam has always fought 
 
 For the freedom of the seas. 
 There's a nation now declares 
 
 That she'll do just as she please. 
 That she'll sink our ships on sight, 
 
 That no warning will be giv'n, 
 Though our travelers on sea 
 
 Are blown up and sent to heav'n. 
 
 2 
 
 Now they plot to overthrow 
 
 This the bulwark of the free. 
 Despots backed by armed force 
 
 That wage war with ghoulish glee. 
 Though we've always longed for peace. 
 
 And withhold our anger sore, 
 And have not prepared for war. 
 
 These insults we'll stand no more. 
 
 3 
 
 Nations, all, must be set free. 
 
 Formulate the terms of peace 
 To provide eternally 
 
 That despotic wars shall cease. 
 Let the people always rule 
 
 And bring on the Jubilee — - 
 Peace on earth, good-will to man, 
 
 Men to men will brothers be. 
 
 Chorus 
 
 Rally round the flag, do not your duty shun, 
 Now's the time — enlist each true American. 
 
 If you cannot be the man behind the gun. 
 Rally for the flag and stand behind this man. 
 
48 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 OUR FLAG'S UNFURLED 
 (April, 1917) 
 
 In the darkest hour of Freedom's war. 
 
 The Star Spangled Ranner was unfurled. 
 Its Red, White and Rlue shine brighter far 
 
 Than other flags of all this world : 
 For this flag proclaims the rights of man,— 
 
 The right to change his government. 
 The right to think, the right to plan 
 
 That which to him may bring content. 
 
 Chorus 
 Then, here's to the Red, White and Rlue, 
 
 The flag of Freedom and Reform, 
 We'll stand "True-Rlue" and pledge anew 
 
 Our loyalty in the stress and storm. 
 
 2 
 
 In this war for freedom of the sea. 
 
 The Stars and Stripes the brighter grow. 
 It has ever waved to set men free. 
 
 Strike down the false, give all a show. 
 And in time, as the years roll along. 
 
 As we defend humanity. 
 Protect the weak against the strong, 
 
 We make our nation's destiny. 
 
 3 
 
 We must fight to keep the despots down, 
 
 They conquer nations for their gain; 
 Proclaim freedom to the world around. 
 
 Though Kaiser Wilhelm may be slain. 
 Let the people of the nations, all. 
 
 Unite for everlasting peace, 
 Crown Labor king, hear Justice call 
 
 That love, not envy, may increase. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 49 
 
 UNCLE SAM MUST FIGHT 
 (May, 1917) 
 
 We'll rally round the flag again, 
 
 For Uncle Sam's in trouble now; 
 He's calling for his fighting men 
 
 From office, forge, the shop and plow, 
 To buckle on the sword and belt 
 
 And rush into the battle's din, 
 That we may make our wishes felt. 
 
 We'll back our boys, for we must win. 
 
 Your Uncle Sam must fight some now. 
 
 Though hardly in his fighting trim, 
 To haughty powers he will not bow — 
 
 His loyal sons will fight for him. 
 They'll grab their guns and stand in line 
 
 To guard our homes on Freedom's ground. 
 They'll man our ships, brave ocean's brine. 
 
 Sink pirate ships wherever found. 
 
 Your Uncle Sam will hold for peace. 
 
 But use his mighty strength as well 
 To cause the nations' wars to cease 
 
 That make this earth a living hell. 
 The pacifists by breeding scares 
 
 May bring upon us a fierce foe. 
 If any nation ever dares. 
 
 We'll hurl them back, they'll have to go. 
 
 To formulate the terms of peace 
 To nations now we make our plea. 
 
 Providing that all wars shall cease. 
 All nations of the earth set free. 
 
50 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Disarmament and a Peace League 
 Are means by which it may be done; 
 
 All peoples then will be at peace, 
 All nations then will live as one. 
 
 Slogan 
 
 If you can't go across with the guns, 
 Then you must come across with the funds. 
 
JINGO LAND— A DREAM VERBATIM 
 
 In a dream, I found myself in a foreign coun- 
 try of great enterprise, inhabited by an intelligent 
 and kind-hearted people. 
 
 I saw many entering a large cathedral standing 
 on the banks of a great river, and I drifted with 
 the crowd into this building and sat down on a 
 bench facing two well-dressed young ladies who 
 entered into a conversation with me. They 
 informed me that their names were Elysa and 
 Therma. 
 
 Elysa was tall, also somewhat dignified in her 
 conversation. Therma was of medium height 
 and very pretty. She talked as if we were well 
 acquainted and used no subterfuge to hide her 
 emotions or meaning. I was in love with Therma 
 at first sight, and just imagine my surprise when 
 she said, "Let's you and I snoozle up." I re- 
 plied, "I don't know what you mean by *snoozle 
 up,' but K. Zackley is willing." 
 
 "You do not know what I mean by snoozle 
 up?" said Therma. "You must be a stranger 
 here in Jingo Land. Snoozle up means to join 
 heart and hand for life." 
 
 There was a continuous performance or vaude- 
 ville on the stage, and just then there appeared 
 a spectacular scene of the slaughter of human 
 beings. During the performances there had 
 
 51 
 
52 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 been much changing oi positions of the people; 
 but at this time there was a general commotion 
 and I lost track of my lady friends. 
 
 I noticed that a few of the people were decked 
 in diamonds and silken fineries; most of them 
 had no fineries, and many were hardly dressed, 
 being bundled up in rags. 
 
 A lively succession of events was taking place 
 on the stage, and I settled down to take in the 
 show, expecting to find the young ladies later. 
 Especially, I wanted to see Therma again. 
 
 The last performance I supposed was a mar- 
 velous phantasmagoria. Car loads, wagon loads 
 and piles of dead people were sold at auction. 
 The stage cleared of this and a large concourse 
 of young ladies appeared on the stage and sang 
 in a fantastic air with many curtsies something 
 like the following: 
 
 "We go to the happy Josh Land tonight, 
 We're true to the all Great Josh all right. 
 We go to save our sisters and brothers, 
 They'll take care of our fathers and mothers. 
 
 Happy, happy, happy, 
 
 Happy we; 
 Happy, happy, happy. 
 
 Don't you see; 
 Happy, happy, happy. 
 
 As can be." 
 
 And so on the rigmarole went until the stage 
 with the young ladies sank out of sight and there 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 53 
 
 appeared a swift river filled with dead and dying 
 human beings floating by rapidly. 
 
 I thought I saw Therma among the singers, 
 and I was in a disturbed state of mind as to the 
 meaning of all this halaballoo. I was trying to 
 figure out how these people were able to produce 
 such an illusion, when, as if with one accord, the 
 assemblage arose, received a benediction and dis- 
 persed. 
 
 Later I ran across Elysa alone, and I asked, 
 "Where is Therma?" 
 
 She said: "Don't you know that Therma was 
 called to sacrifice her life to appease the anger 
 of the Great Josh ? Had she had a husband, she 
 would not have been called for a sacrifice." 
 
 "And is Therma dead?" I asked, with tears 
 running down my cheeks. 
 
 Elysa answered in matter-of-fact tones, "Yes, 
 she went away happy." 
 
 "Did she have to give up her life just because 
 some human ghoul said that the Great Josh 
 wanted her?" 
 
 "Oh, no! We are taught that, when we give 
 up our lives for the Great Josh, we go straight to 
 the happy Josh Land. We give up all we have 
 to the Great Josh when we are called. We can 
 pay a sum of money and not sacrifice our lives, 
 but by so doing we may never be able to reach the 
 happy Josh Land." 
 
 "Were they really killing people on the stage 
 and selling their bodies at auction, or throwing 
 them into the river ?" 
 
54 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Yes, those people put to death were sacri- 
 fices. Their bodies are sold to the factories for 
 fuel, as that is the cheapest way to dispose of the 
 dead, besides this brings in revenue for the Great 
 Josh. The young ladies who are sacrificed and 
 bodies that do not sell are thrown into the river." 
 
 I said in plaintive tones, "Poor Thermal Poor 
 Therma I Had I known this, I would have saved 
 your life. No wonder that you wanted to 
 *snoozle up.' " I continued, "This is something 
 hideous!" Then thinking I might insult Elysa, 
 I said, "Pardon me, Elysa, may I express my 
 horror and condemnation of this awful practice?" 
 
 She replied: "I do not see why j^ou should be 
 so horrified ! All nations are sacrificing, or have 
 sacrificed to the Great Josh. You may express 
 your opinions to me, as I grant to each and every 
 one the right of free thought and free speech; 
 but I advise you to speak low. There are many 
 zealots of our system in Jingo Land who do not 
 countenance a difference in opinions, and, if they 
 hear you, they may take a shot at you." 
 
 "Well," I said, "I would like to get on that 
 stage with an ax and chop the wooden head off 
 of that miserable old Josh and get the men behind 
 who are fattening from this pernicious system. 
 This Lethean faith seems to be an elysian state of 
 mind, but knowledge and reasoning may bring 
 doubts that will set us free from this old non- 
 sense, lead to a higher ideal of life and cause the 
 peoples of the earth to form an international com- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 55 
 
 pact to forever discontinue the sacrifice of human 
 life." (Here I awoke.) 
 
 However unrehable dreams may be, this dream 
 portrays a condition brought about by Mihtarism 
 and Bhnd-Faith, two beasts devoid of reason and 
 without mercy that are ever ready to assail those 
 who disagree with them and wage wars of con- 
 quest, which makes it necessary for the peoples 
 of the earth that would maintain free govern- 
 ment and majority consent to all laws to wage 
 imrelentless war till all such beasts are subdued 
 and such a settlement made that all differences 
 must be adjusted by an international tribunal — 
 an international union so strong that never again 
 will despots attempt or even dream of wars of 
 conquest. 
 
 If it is necessary in time of war to control rapa- 
 cious, speculating syndicates, extortioners and 
 laborers, it is as plain as the wart on your nose 
 that they should be controlled in time of peace. 
 
 The people at no time should be robbed, nor 
 should they be subjected to inconvenience or loss 
 by shutdowns and strikes. They have the right 
 to require both capitalists and laborers to submit 
 their differences to arbitration. 
 
56 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 THE LAW 
 
 It appears that nature's law is true law from on 
 
 High, 
 And not man-made laws on which you cannot well 
 
 rely. 
 As the law is constant, inexorable and supreme, 
 We destroy ourselves by disobeying, it would seem. 
 And we save ourselves by finding out the truth and 
 
 right, 
 And in fear and trembling, "Keep the law," both 
 
 day and night. 
 That which contradicts the law of nature is untrue. 
 By this rule, we throw aside the legends for the 
 
 New. 
 
 II 
 
 When one meets the savage beast in animal or 
 
 man. 
 There is no escape except by a defensive plan. 
 Disobedience of law brings certain punishment. 
 Whether wilful, unenlightened, or by accident. 
 For obedience to law and truth reward is sure, 
 In the inspiration to the soul and body cure. 
 Mother nature tries with patience long to save her 
 
 child. 
 Constant sins destroy the tissue, the soul is defiled; 
 There's no restoration and the injured part is lost, 
 That's unpardonable sin and death the final cost. 
 
K. ZACKLEY'S STATEMENT 
 
 The name, "The Crater of Gold," was written 
 on a bundle of manuscripts entrusted to my care 
 by a middle-aged prospector, who, on his death- 
 bed at the hotel, informed me that he had no rela- 
 tives or effects that called for an inquiry after 
 his death. 
 
 He told me to use what little money he had to 
 pay the expenses of cremation and to scatter his 
 ashes upon the public lawn. He closed his in- 
 structions by saying: "My letter and the manu- 
 scripts explain themselves." So there is no more 
 history to be given. The reader may judge for 
 himself. 
 
 (Signed) K. Zackley. 
 
 57 
 
THE PROSPECTOR'S LETTER 
 
 1913 
 
 After due consideration of the wishes of the 
 mysterious author of the manuscript, entitled 
 "The Crater of Gold," I, J. Calvin, herewith con- 
 sent to its publication. The reader is entitled to 
 an account of its origin and how it came into my 
 possession. 
 
 To begin with, I have been a rambler and pros- 
 pector for many years, visiting various untrodden 
 regions of the wild, mountainous parts of the 
 world. 
 
 In the spring of 19 — , I stocked up for a long 
 prospecting trip. With my burros heavily laden 
 with tools and supplies, I started out early in the 
 spring for the mountains. 
 
 I explored many canyons and ridges looking 
 for drift which might lead to a mother lode of 
 rich ore, also I examined ravines and old water 
 courses for placer mining. I found some fine 
 specimens of drift ore that indicated rich pay 
 dirt not far away; but so far had failed to make 
 the coveted strike. This was along in June and 
 I was following up a narrow canyon to an almost 
 perpendicular wall which seemed to end in a 
 sharp peak of a low mountain that could not be 
 scaled to the top. 
 
 58 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 59 
 
 On reaching the wall, I paused in admiration 
 of the grand scenery and concluded to camp there 
 for a few days. While climbing up the side of 
 some rocks and removing some old debris to se- 
 cure wood, I discovered a cave. A current of 
 air was passing through this cave in such a man- 
 ner as to convince me that here was a mystery 
 which to explore would test my metal. I nerved 
 up and trudged into the cave, which proved to 
 be a passage way. After about one mile, I came 
 out into a huge, circular pit with high circular 
 walls extending above me. I looked down a 
 gradual, sloping incline, and to my wonder, there 
 appeared at the bottom a circular stone wall en- 
 closing a tract of cleared, cultivated land. At 
 the other side of the enclosure was a stone dwell- 
 ing and a general appearance of habitation. 
 
 What could all this mean? I noticed that 
 steam was rising from all parts of the crater, for 
 crater it must be. This accounted for the 
 warmth of the atmosphere. Many hot springs 
 no doubt. 
 
 Determined to investigate and possibly find a 
 better camping ground there than in the canyon 
 on the outside, I moved down to the wall and 
 around it till I came to the house. Just outside 
 a nicely constructed gate of five parts, I came 
 face to face with a very old man, whose long gray 
 locks hung over his shoulders. He was startled 
 but no more so than I was at our sudden meeting. 
 I was on the outlook for an adventure, or I would 
 have been much more surprised. 
 
60 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 This man struck me as a most wonderful being, 
 calm and intellectual. He was well dressed for 
 a mountaineer, and seemed to be in a deep study. 
 I told him that I was looking for a place to camp 
 a few days, and had accidentally found ingress 
 to his fortress, without any intention of molesting 
 any one, and that I was a prospector looking for 
 gold. At first, he seemed to be in doubt as to 
 what to do ; but after close observation of me, he 
 muttered, "You will do," and motioned me to fol- 
 low him. He led the way through his gate to his 
 dwelling and bade me welcome to his home as 
 long as I could put up with its inconveniences as 
 he did. 
 
 He said: "I never expected to see any human 
 being in this place, where I have lived for forty 
 years. I never intended that such should hap- 
 pen. You may be sent by Divine Providence for 
 a purpose." 
 
 He informed me that he did not wish to tell 
 his history, that more than forty years ago his 
 sweetheart died, and not being successful in busi- 
 ness that he had wandered off into the mountains 
 prospecting, and had accidentally found his way 
 into this retreat. He pointed out where there 
 was an immense amount of gold, but said that he 
 only used what he needed to supply his wants, 
 that he would make two or three trips a year to 
 different towns, sell his gold, stock up good and 
 let his burros pack in plenty for all his needs; 
 that he never gave his right name, nor any clew 
 to his abode ; that the world was always too busy 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 61 
 
 to care about an old man anyway ; that the world 
 helps the successful, but the unsuccessful are 
 handicapped at every turn. 
 
 I made this retreat my home for several days 
 and became very intimate with the hospitable old 
 gentleman. He had learned to trust me, and I 
 could see that he was contemplating to take me 
 into his confidence for some mission, but before 
 he had divulged his intentions, he was taken seri- 
 ously ill, and on the morning of the third day 
 after he had become bedfast, he called me to his 
 bedside, took me by the hand and said: "My 
 son, my time to go has come." 
 
 I begged him not to think so, and told him that 
 he was good for many years yet, also that I was 
 a kind of a physician and I offered him some 
 medicine. 
 
 He said: "If you are a physician, you must 
 know that medicine will not prolong my life." 
 He took some tonic, however, which revived him 
 somewhat, but he just remarked: "It can not 
 be done, my sands are run, my time is short and I 
 must put my house in order." 
 
 He turned over and pointed to a large chest 
 and said: "My son, bring that chest to my bed- 
 side and please assist me to do the last sad act of a 
 long and useless life. I was too much inclined to 
 dream what ought to be, question what has been 
 and look forward to what will be, instead of tak- 
 ing advantage of what is, let well enough alone 
 and achieve success." 
 
62 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I hauled the chest to his bedside. The dying 
 man took out a key from an inside pocket and 
 bade me unlock the chest. The chest was filled 
 with various articles, fine clothing of the style of 
 forty years ago, books, letters, documents and 
 writings. I obeyed the commands of the man 
 and handed him the various articles for inspec- 
 tion. He ordered all the clothing to the fireplace 
 for incineration. Then I picked up a large bun- 
 dle of neat, old letters. He took them and long- 
 ingly and lovingly looked at them. "From my 
 sweetheart, but too late." He turned his face to 
 the pillow and wept. "She has been dead forty 
 years, just about as long as I have dwelt here." 
 He paused, then continued: "My son, these 
 must never be read by an unsympathetic world. 
 Put them into the fire." I obeyed, much as I 
 wanted to know the history of my companion in 
 this strange abode. 
 
 The next bunch of letters were from his par- 
 ents, brothers and sisters which received about 
 the same attention as those from his lady love 
 and were consigned to the fire. Various bundles 
 of business letters, deeds and documents were 
 sent to the fire without emotion. 
 
 At last, I dug up a voluminous manuscript. 
 He took it in his hands and in a deep study or 
 reverie in which he seemed to be pondering what 
 was best to do with it, then turned to me and in a 
 solemn mien said: "I have often wondered if 
 God ever inspires men to write. I have prayed 
 for the truth and have written only what ap- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 63 
 
 peared to be the truth, what my inmost conscience 
 considers true, although it was often hard to 
 find language to convey my meaning. I have 
 feared that my advanced thought and dreams 
 might have a tendency to unsettle the minds of 
 some and fail to carry them to the high plane of 
 absolute faith and obedience to law necessary for 
 a successful and happy life. Then again such a 
 revelation might prove a benefit to the world 
 and assist in bringing about much needed reform 
 in the present state of society, government and 
 religion. I'll turn this manuscript over to you, 
 and if ever you think it best for the human race 
 to publish it, I am content. Please burn the 
 chest and its contents." 
 
 He continued: "Just around the point from 
 the spring, you will find a tomb carved out in the 
 solid rock, and placed above the opening is a 
 stone lid, held up by a trigger where I intended 
 to go in time before death to trip the trigger and 
 secure a fitting burial without the assistance of 
 man. Now that you are here, I trust you to 
 place my body away in this tomb, trip the trigger 
 and leave my body buried for all time. It were 
 better were it cremated, but that will do." 
 
 Much more was said, but I shall not weary the 
 reader with further recital. 
 
 The end came peaceably. My strange found 
 friend whom I had learned to love — ^nay, worship 
 — simply closed his eyes in sleep and never awoke. 
 His last words were: "I do not know." 
 
64 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I carried out all his instructions to the letter, 
 and left this holy man in his last resting place to 
 sleep and be free from all of life's struggles and 
 sorrows. May he receive the crown of glory sltA 
 his soul be received with glad acclaim in the spirit 
 world. I knew this man only as Justice Absolute. 
 
 ( Signed ) J. Calvin. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 65 
 
 MOUNTAIN LIFE SONG 
 
 Let them live beside the road and see the passers 
 by, 
 
 Or live on some busy street and hear the hawker's 
 cry. 
 
 Sharing in the joys and aid the sufT'ring of man- 
 kind; 
 
 But for me, I v^ish to say I can more pleasure find 
 
 At my mountain home, surrounded by the moun- 
 tains grand, 
 
 From the world of trouble and the predatory band, 
 
 Toiling day by day and breathing ozone mountain 
 air, 
 
 With no one to bother me, away from fretful care. 
 
 Chorus 
 
 I'm off of the road, I'm out of the way, 
 
 No one passes my place or comes to stay. 
 
 No one enters my house to steal my cash; 
 
 No enemies 'round to give me a smash. 
 
 No land of a neighbor adjoining mine; 
 
 If I kill a deer, no fear of a fine. 
 I am free as mountain air, 
 Without trouble and no care. 
 
 II 
 
 But, of course, sometimes I'm longing for the busy 
 
 hfe. 
 Longing to enjoy the sports and mingle in the 
 
 strife, 
 
 5 
 
66 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Sharing with the poor and toiling for the good of 
 
 man; 
 This at times may seem to me to be the wiser plan. 
 But experience of many long eventful years 
 Taught the less of trouble that you see, the fewer 
 
 tears. 
 I'm away from all the world's chicanery and dross. 
 In this mountain life, there's compensation for 
 
 each loss. 
 
THE STRUGGLE 
 
 1913 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 Here I am within a walled fortress, surrounded 
 by high volcanic walls which form the crater of 
 a long extinct volcano. 
 
 I found dwelling, cleared land and irrigation 
 ditches, and plenty of water to farm all I need 
 awaiting me. From the appearances of crum- 
 bling walls and ditches, my benefactors who built 
 all of this must have lived here many years ago, 
 and some natural catastrophe destroyed them. 
 
 Here alone I have lived since I lost out in 
 business and my darling passed to the beyond, 
 leaving me hopeless, I wandered off into these 
 mountains looking for gold, or anything to get 
 away from the maddening crowd and be alone 
 with my sorrow. By accident, I climbed up to 
 this circular wall and while digging in the debris 
 to determine the nature of any minetal that 
 might exist in this region, I discovered what ap- 
 peared to be a cave, but upon investigation 
 proved to be the bed of an ancient stream. Of 
 course, I followed it and here I am and expect 
 to remain the rest of my life, providing I do not 
 change my present way of thinking. Here I 
 
 67 
 
68 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 have plenty. The many hot springs and heat in 
 the sub-strata keep it warm the year around. 
 
 Why I am scribbhng this down, I do not know, 
 but having plenty of time to pass away, I will 
 just amuse myself by writing a kind of history 
 of my experiences and ideas of human affairs. I 
 am now able to take my place in the struggle on 
 the outside and might gain success, but what is 
 the use, since I am so well contented in seclu- 
 sion, where there is plenty, no arguments and no 
 intrigue to beat me out of my possessions? I am 
 monarch, I am the law and judge in all cases. 
 These immense ledges of high grade quartz and 
 many little streams filled with free gold are all 
 mine now. 
 
 At intervals, I slip out into the surrounding 
 towns and get what I need. I view the awful 
 struggle that the most of mankind are born to 
 carry on all their lives and see the injustice of 
 man-made laws and society until at times I feel 
 inclined to try to convince the world that there is 
 a better way, but recollections of arguments that 
 I have had and knowing though you prove any- 
 thing beyond a doubt that your proofs are in 
 vain deter me. 
 
 Mankind is held down by customs, dogmas and 
 old superstition taught them without proofs from 
 childhood; forms of government, dress, religion, 
 everything so instilled that logic has no chance. 
 They cling to a fetish unto death and are ready 
 to kill all who oppose their belief. They know 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 69 
 
 that they are right and so I keep my secret and 
 return here, right glad to get out of all this tur- 
 moil that is created by a great number of sects 
 and systems, each knowing that it is right and 
 ever ready to assail any of the others. It should 
 not be thus. 
 
 Right glad I am that no one seems to care 
 where I came from or where I live, and as I leave 
 my tracks well covered, and travel the outside 
 trail so little, I feel quite safe here. My burros 
 and my dogs are my only friends and they stick 
 to me tighter than a brother. Had I any rela- 
 tives to share my fortune, it might be different; 
 but I w^as the youngest of the family. The others 
 have passed to their reward and I am alone in 
 the world. Had my lady love lived I might have 
 become ambitious to succeed again in the busi- 
 ness world ; but now, I am content to live here in 
 peace the rest of my days, oblivious to the turmoil 
 and struggle without. Peace of mind, close com- 
 munion with nature, and constant prayers to the 
 Supreme Ruler of the universe for guidance in 
 the ways of truth sustain me in my loneliness. 
 All this is changing me until I seem to hear the 
 still voice of God in my conscience commending 
 me for my sincerity and encouraging me to write 
 what appears right after due consideration and 
 scientific investigation. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 Well, I have plenty of potatoes and other truck 
 stored away to last me several months and not 
 much to do. Let me see. Yes, I have quite a 
 supply of gold and no need of it just now, and 
 no necessity for panning more for some time. 
 There is plenty in safe keeping in yonder ledges 
 and streams ready for me any time. This place 
 is worth many billions if put on the market ; but 
 I would not know what to do with the money to 
 make me as content as I am. Then, I would be 
 subject to temptations, might lose it and be 
 driven to ruin. No more ambition for me, be- 
 sides the production of gold is so great now that 
 it is sinking in its purchasing power and causing 
 much trouble in the world. High cost of living 
 they call it ; but it is the decrease in the value of 
 gold on account of the increased supply, and 
 laborers not being paid an increased price in pro- 
 portion to the decrease of the value of gold, they 
 suffer and do not seem to understand what is the 
 matter. Now, here is possibly ten times as much 
 gold as there is now in circulation in the whole 
 world. Were it thrown on the market, its pur- 
 chasing power would sink until it would only buy 
 one-tenth of what it does now. Then prices 
 would be ten times as great paid in gold and the 
 poor laborer would be driven to worse despair. 
 
 70 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 71 
 
 The capitalists move slowly to adjust the price of 
 labor to correspond with the fluctuations in the 
 prices of gold. 
 
 Man should invent a more stable currency for 
 the transaction of business. 
 
 It seems not long ago since the time of my 
 childhood. I was born of Christian parents in 
 18 — ; well, it was during the nineteenth century; 
 I will not give exact dates. What do a few years 
 matter? Four thousand years of very unau- 
 thentic history is all man has to show for mil- 
 lions of years of struggle ever since the first glint 
 of reason appeared as one of the properties of the 
 human mind. How many millions of years of 
 struggle may have passed for the animal that was 
 the branch of the animal kingdom from which 
 the present man descended is all conjecture. The 
 present man had conquered and tamed about all 
 the animals that are now domestic animals long 
 before we have any written account of man's 
 struggles. 
 
 Then, much of so-called history is the recital of 
 legends or stories handed down from parents to 
 children. All tribes taught this way for ages 
 and produced some remarkable men and attempts 
 to account for all things. Our few years of his- 
 tory is but a flash compared with the lapse of 
 time. I care not to try to remember dates. If 
 I could take a draught from the waters of the 
 River Lethe, my mind would be at ease and no 
 notes would be written here. Still, I do not 
 
72 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 desire such a fate as total forgetfulness, as this 
 remembrance is a sweet sorrow that teaches me 
 to look beyond the tomb with hopes that some 
 way, I know not how, this life is not the end of 
 things for me. This remembrance teaches me 
 that, ere long, my turn will come to join that 
 "innumerable caravan" to the grave. This re- 
 membrance teaches me to submit without fear 
 and to have absolute faith in the constancy of 
 God and all his laws, satisfied with what is, or 
 whatever may be. 
 
 My childhood was spent in pleasant surround- 
 ings. I was timid, sympathetic, inquisitive, and 
 prone to building air castles. In imagination, 
 I arose to the blue sky, walked around on its floor 
 and explored the heavens, then climbed on to a 
 rainbow and slid down to a great heap of gold. 
 
 I was always in love with some little girl whom 
 I expected to marry some time and about whom 
 I would plan great things that I would do. In 
 this wide awake dreaming, I would go away from 
 home, gain great renown and riches and return 
 dressed the finest, and my little lady and I would 
 marry and be very happy. 
 
 I used to believe in Santa Claus and anxiously 
 hang up my socks and wonder how he could get 
 down the chimneys, especially all the chimneys 
 in the world. 
 
 I often thought it was just too bad that there 
 had to be a mean old devil that was liable to 
 catch me most any time and wished God would 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 73 
 
 get him some time and finish him. I wanted 
 that old rascal put out of business and often won- 
 dered why God, who knew all things and could 
 do anything, did not fix him. 
 
 In bed I was subject to dreams and queer sen- 
 sations of awful sights of powerful, wild beasts 
 or great irresistible machines that seemed to be 
 coming right for me and no chance to escape. I 
 could lie awake and see visions of beautiful and 
 homely women, men, children and animals and 
 never accounted for such. I still see such visions 
 without knowing why. 
 
 As my childhood passed, I developed into 
 being so studious that I worked by lamp light 
 or tallow dip long after all the others had re- 
 tired, generally not going to bed until 12 o'clock. 
 I was a natural mathematician and at the age of 
 12 was considered quite a prodigy. 
 
 Along about this time, I was reading a great 
 deal and won prizes at Sunday school, for much 
 reading of the Bible and committing to memory 
 many passages of scripture. The more I read, 
 even then, the old stories of the Bible seemed 
 hardly the composition of an all-wise God or 
 even worthy of respect. It all seemed rather a 
 funny business to me and I suspected another 
 Santa Claus deceit; still I supposed that old 
 people knew a lot and that it was up to me to be 
 careful in my opinions. 
 
 My parents did not believe much in child 
 church membership, nor in miraculous conversion. 
 
74 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 They thought that conversion was just a change 
 of mind, a natural change by being convinced as 
 to the truth of the gospel, and that faith in good 
 works hath power to purify. As the years rolled 
 on many revivals were held in our neighborhood 
 with many converts who generally back slid ; but 
 I never felt the least inclination to join the 
 church. 
 
 I wandered away from home at the age of 17 
 and at the age of 18 I was teaching school five 
 hundred miles away from home. I soon gained 
 the reputation of being a successful teacher and 
 continued to teach, study and attend school dur- 
 ing vacations for a few years. 
 
 At the age of twenty, I became fully convinced 
 that the church was not teaching, nor following, 
 the teaching of Jesus, and that the Bible was a 
 record of old legends, and not the inspired word 
 of God. I then felt more humane and was ready 
 to forgive all people for their beliefs and actions 
 and thought the world needed justice, teaching, 
 and. kindness, not punishment and force. My 
 ideas were regarded with great displeasure by 
 many, and on account of this, I tried other work 
 for a few years. 
 
 One day, I received a letter from a friend in- 
 forming me that my parents were alone and that 
 my mother was in poor health. He said that it 
 was strange that some of the boys did not come 
 home and take care of them. I took the first 
 train for home and shall never forget how glad I 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 75 
 
 was to go home and how I wept over Mother, 
 whom I found bedfast. 
 
 I remained home about three years, taking 
 the kindliest care of my mother until she passed 
 away, and soon after this, my father died. This 
 sad experience had a tendency to quiet my ardor 
 in my opposition to old customs, and there was a 
 constant demand for me to teach the neighboring 
 schools, though it was generally known that I was 
 an agnostic. 
 
 So I taught again and during vacations at- 
 tended school, taking up higher mathematics and 
 the natural sciences. I served as principal of 
 schools in small towns without trouble, except 
 that the teaching of biological science in the 
 higher grades brought out the Evolution theory. 
 Now, this theory is taught as true in all biological 
 text books, and all colleges in the country. Evo- 
 lution was and is as apparent to me as any truth 
 ever taught. The opposition to teaching evolu- 
 tion involved me in a discussion with one of my 
 patrons, a deacon in the church, and before I got 
 control of myself, I had given away some of my 
 opinions which could do no good and must result 
 in injury to my work in the school. 
 
 The deacon said: "You should not teach evo- 
 lution. It is contrary to the Bible." 
 
 I said: "I am not teaching the Bible. I am 
 teaching scientific truths." 
 
 Deacon : "What refutes the Bible is not truth 
 and should not be taught." 
 
76 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I said: "Well, evolution is true, no difference 
 what the Bible teaches. Every condition that 
 might be imagined to prove evolution, actually 
 exists: embryo passes through all stages of ani- 
 mal growth; remains of rudimentary organs of 
 no more use; change of structure to suit change 
 in environment; morphology, or likeness of all 
 animal structure; the earth's strata prove that 
 there was a gradual growth from the lowest to the 
 highest forms of organisms. 
 
 "The earth is a great story book, giving us, as 
 we turn its stratum leaves, illuminated pictures 
 in bas-relief of the life forms of past ages. What 
 a revelation, written by the Finger of Time on the 
 Rock of Ages and by the Ink of Death ! Let me 
 read some more from your text book." 
 
 Deacon: "Hold on. I'll hear no more of 
 this. I'll see to it that you shall not get our 
 school again. You do not believe in the Bible." 
 
 I asked: "Do you believe all the Bible — just 
 as it reads?" 
 
 Deacon: "I do." 
 
 I asked: "Did you ever read it all?" 
 
 Deacon: "To tell the truth, I have not read 
 the Bible much. I'm too busy trying to make a 
 living." 
 
 I inquired: "If you have not read the Bible, 
 how do you know whether you believe it or not?" 
 
 Deacon: "I know that we must believe the 
 Bible — just as it reads. Why, I was never 
 taught anything else." 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 77 
 
 "Well," I said, "I do not teach the children to 
 disbelieve the Bible, and while teaching from 
 scientific facts, we are not trying to discredit the 
 many truths in this collection of old legends." 
 
 Deacon: "I can not argue this matter with 
 you, but you are an infidel! that's what you are!" 
 "Very well," I said, "I am sorry that you raise 
 such an objection to teaching evolution and stir 
 up an argument in regard to the Bible, but to 
 tell you the truth, I am glad that I am free from 
 superstition and not afraid to teach the truth, 
 whatever religion it may disprove. It is the truth 
 that the expressions, 'in those days,' 'in the days 
 of old,' 'even unto this day,' and such like appear 
 hundreds of times in the Bible in just the right 
 connection to prove that the writers were compil- 
 ing old legends." 
 
 Here are some citations for you to look up that 
 may cause you to use a little reason : 
 4i to 6 — 6 Genesis 
 33—26 Genesis 
 37 — 19 Genesis 
 11 — 3 Deuteronomy 
 14 — 14 Joshua 
 19 — 15 Judges 
 8— 8 Kings I 
 13 to 21— 9 Kings I 
 
 7 — 14 Kings II 
 22 to 34— 17 Kings II 
 6—16 Kings II 
 1 to 13 — 1 Isaiah 
 
78 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 7 — 11 Genesis 
 20 — 35 Genesis 
 11— 2 Exodus 
 26 — 7 Joshua 
 
 21 — 1 Judges 
 18 — 11 Samuel 
 19—12 Kings I 
 27—10 Kings II 
 
 22— 8 Kings II 
 8—22 Kings II 
 
 41 — 4 Chronicles I 
 
 "There are many more in the Old and New 
 Testaments ; but these will be sufficient for you to 
 look up and see what you think about it." 
 
 Well, they were sufficient to finish me, notwith- 
 standing I had many friends. The "We know 
 we are right" people had no difficulty in prevent- 
 ing the continuance of my work in that school for 
 another year. 
 
Rev. Damon: "Evolution is as true as the eternal rock-ribbed hills." — Page 79 
 
 1 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 In this village were a few intimate friends of 
 widely different views upon religious and public 
 questions. We often met in the studio of the 
 Rev. Damon, a liberal Congregationalist minis- 
 ter, in friendly discussion of local, national and 
 scientific questions. 
 
 There was Archy Umbrage, about thirty years 
 old, a college graduate, wealthy and atheistical, 
 Mr. Reliance, a progressive theologist, and Mr. 
 Wade Insky, a poor, retired old school teacher 
 and an ardent socialist. 
 
 Shortly after my tilt with the Deacon, we all 
 met at Rev. Damon's studio. After exchanging 
 greetings, I said: 
 
 "Rev. Damon, I had a serious argument with 
 Deacon Jones yesterday. He objected to my 
 teaching Evolution. What do you think about 
 this evolution theory?" 
 
 Rev. Damon replied: "Evolution is as true 
 as the eternal rock-ribbed hills." He continued: 
 "I heard of your trouble with the Deacon. I am 
 very sorry about it. He means well, but does 
 not know much. True Christianity and evolu- 
 tion are in accord. I have to be careful myself, 
 and explain the changes as development, and put 
 my language in such form as to gradually de- 
 
 79 
 
80 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 velop my progression in theology without getting 
 into a dispute with any one." 
 
 "Yes," I said, "I have been trying to do that, 
 and have succeeded very well for several years, 
 but this fellow's eyes flashed so much venom, and 
 he was so distasteful in his language and tone of 
 voice that I lost control of myself. I was trying 
 to convince him, when I ought to know better 
 than to argue with such a fellow. It seems that 
 one is justifiable in being slightly hypocritical in 
 order to get along in this argumentative world. 
 Now, I have no particular reason to want to 
 change the Deacon and I do not blame him for 
 his belief, if he would only tend to his own busi- 
 ness and let me alone. It is rather tough to go 
 through this life pretending to be what you are 
 not." 
 
 Archy Umbrage : "Do not pay any attention 
 to the narrow heads. Ever since you refused to 
 sing in the choir, they have been trying to find 
 fault. The Deacon thinks that the earth is flat, 
 but, however ignorant, he can raise some stir 
 among his class. It is rather strange that there 
 are so many religious beliefs and each claims to 
 be right and that all the rest are liars. They are 
 all fighting each other, but it seems that all are 
 ready to unite to uphold dogmatic teachings in 
 preference to logical truth." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "There are no disagreeable ar- 
 guments among real truth seekers who are delv- 
 ing into nature to make her give up her secrets 
 by scientific research. They all work together 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 81 
 
 for new discoveries and give the crown of excel- 
 lence to him who proves a law." 
 
 Wade Insky: "We all sympathize with and 
 xespect Rev. Damon in his patient endeavors 
 here to teach true Christianity." 
 
 "From his patient work," I said, "I shall profit 
 in some other town where I shall choose with 
 care whatever language I may use in conversa- 
 tion at all times. As I walked down the street 
 today, there was a change in the cordiality of 
 church people that passed me. I tried not to 
 notice such and talked with the same feeling of 
 solicitude for their welfare and the progress of 
 the school work, and continued my walk. On 
 turning a corner, I ran on to a crowd arguing 
 about something, but not another word after my 
 appearance. I heard one say, 'Hist! there he is 
 now!' Certainly, I knew that my case was being 
 threshed out and that it was of such nature that I 
 was not to be allowed to suspect nor have a right 
 to defend myself." 
 
 Archy U. : "There has been no complaint 
 made by the pupils. They all say that the school 
 is doing better than ever before. You do not 
 need to use corporal punishment; for you have 
 the knack of how to get work done and have the 
 confidence of the pupils in all you do." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "My children say that this not 
 punishing for poor lessons and trusting the pupils 
 in their work, works like a charm here. That 
 would not do when I was a boy, I tell you, they 
 had to lick us then, or we would not study." 
 
82 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Wade Insky: "My son is doing fine for the 
 first time. He used to steal and was a dumb- 
 head. The teacher and I took it time about 
 keeping his back raw; but it did no good. He 
 said that he showed this teacher that he could get 
 his lessons, and now he is so bent on getting an 
 education that he works by lamp light." 
 
 Archy U. : "To change the subject, Rev. 
 Damon, I have quite a list of texts from the 
 Bible, something near two thousand, that I have 
 picked out and some day I'll hand them to you, if 
 you care to see them." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "I have read the Bible thor- 
 oughly, have noted the progression there in the 
 development of the true teaching of God — from 
 no God through idolatry and sacrifices to an 
 angry God, to a God of Love. This develop- 
 ment still continues in the heart of man. If you 
 have any passages of scripture on which you de- 
 sire my opinion, bring them around some day. 
 It is not likely that we will have a serious dis- 
 agreement ; for we grant each the other a right to 
 his opinions without ill feeling. We all desire to 
 save man from the errors of life, feeling assured 
 that such will prepare him for eternity." 
 
 Archy U. : "Chapter 12, Genesis, gives an 
 account of how Abraham left his people, who 
 were idolators, to start a new nation and teach a 
 new religion. He taught the 'Living God,' a 
 kind of militia general who led his chosen people 
 in wars on all other gods. He was an angry 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 83 
 
 God who was sure of revenge, and required the 
 sacrifice of much life to appease his vengeance." 
 
 Mr. Rehance: "Abraham's God was given 
 credit for the origin of all laws by direct revela- 
 tion to a very few who took the place of God; 
 19:50 Genesis and 14:3 Exodus." 
 
 Wade Insky: "Isaiah 1 to 13, first chapter, 
 orders no more sacrifice. God was tired of blood. 
 In fact, Isaiah teaches a new law, and tried to 
 force it on to the people by threats in the form of 
 prophecies. His works form the foundation for 
 the story of Jesus as the Savior of mankind and 
 the teaching of a God of Love and Forgiveness." 
 
 Archy U. : "This all shows an evolution in 
 the opinions of man as fast as he was capable of 
 advancing, the teachers being ahead of their time 
 and generally giving their lives to cruel deaths at 
 the hands of poor fanatics of the old customs 
 and faiths. Man is slow to change, holding fast 
 to the old until the new is established and becomes 
 a stable guidance. This has been the history of 
 man's struggles to work out his salvation." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "In all ages and amongst all 
 tribes of man, all could look back to a time when 
 their ancestors were of different belief than they 
 themselves, and so man has slowly fought his way 
 onward and upward. 26 :4 Genesis, 'Then, men 
 began to call on the name of the Lord.' No God 
 before. 4:6 Genesis, 'The sons of God dwelt with 
 the daughters of men and there were giants in 
 those days.' 6:6 Genesis, 'God repented that he 
 
84 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 made man.' 22 :3 Genesis, 'Man has become as 
 one of us ( Gods ) and must not be allowed to eat 
 of the tree of life and live forever.' 10 to 12:32 
 Exodus, 'Moses argues with an angry God'; 
 10:16 Leviticus, a scape goat provided. They 
 were always trying to find a way to escape re- 
 sponsibility. 20:24 Leviticus, 'An eye for an 
 eye, etc' 20 to 38:36 Leviticus, threats. Do 
 you think God made any threats? 33:11 Num- 
 bers, God got angry. All 12 Deuteronomy, no 
 tolerance for other religions. 41:16 chapter, II 
 Chronicles, God to get out of the way and let the 
 priests have his place. 18:43 Isaiah, 'Remember 
 ye not the former things, neither consider the 
 things of old.' He was trying to reform them 
 and set them free from old tradition. 3:66 
 Isaiah, 'He that killeth an ox as if he killed a 
 man, he that burns incense as if he blessed an 
 idol.' He was repealing old laws. Add to these 
 few quotations the Sermon on the Mount as re- 
 ported to be the teaching of Jesus and we find a 
 gradual change of belief from no God and idol- 
 atry through all stages of degraded worship to 
 the beautiful doctrines of love and correct 
 living." 
 
 Wade Insky: "It appears that Jesus was the 
 best Man that ever lived and attempted to teach 
 a new doctrine to his people, and that they were 
 not advanced sufficiently to receive it without 
 adding their old superstitions. He well knew 
 how they were blinded by old forms of worship 
 and were not responsible for their bloody acts and 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 85 
 
 so he said : Tather, forgive them. They know 
 not what they do.' " 
 
 Mr. Rehance : "If Jesus were God, of course, 
 he could do this, but that would not give me 
 power to do likewise, being only a poor helpless 
 man. If he were a man and could teach so nobly 
 and bless those who were agonizing him, that 
 gives me great hopes, then, that I may be able 
 to do a great service for man." 
 
 Archy U. : "It seems that a hundred years 
 after the death of Jesus there were but a few 
 Christians, and they were living a socialistic life 
 in accordance to the teaching that had been 
 handed down to them by verbal report of one to 
 another, and they deified Jesus and proceeded to 
 write up his teachings on that basis. They, no 
 doubt, were sincere; but all they had to work 
 from was legends in regard to what Jesus might 
 have taught and done which naturally grew in 
 wonder with age and repetition and were so 
 recorded." 
 
 Wade Insky: "In my study of various 
 legendary writings which were origins of re- 
 ligions, I have noted that nearly all have made 
 the mistake of claiming to be the only true revela- 
 tion and condemning all others. This has led to 
 wars, persecutions and cruel crucifixions in the 
 name of God, but God was not there in such 
 work. It seems even now, that there are ten 
 crimes committed in the name of God and man- 
 made law to one crime through perverted intel- 
 lect. Why should man be driven to despair for 
 
86 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 teaching proven truth? Has it been necessary 
 that milhons of people should have suffered ig- 
 nominious death in order that the truth might 
 prevail? Or has such retarded the advance of 
 man and prevented the discovery of the truth? 
 We have had only a few years of comparative 
 freedom and the human race is advancing in all 
 lines in a geometrical progression." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "It is plain to me that there is 
 a retarding force in the world yet that only ages 
 can remove." 
 
 I said: "Rev. Damon's course appears the 
 most logical. He stands on the old foundation 
 to teach a liberal application and it appears to 
 be in line with the method used by the Great 
 Teacher." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "I am much entertained by this 
 discussion, and as I discover the foundation on 
 which you gentlemen build your structures, I 
 may be able to point out a few of the weak places 
 in your reasoning. You gentlemen are all 
 students of sociology." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Well, Rev. Damon, there are 
 none of us too old to learn and I must say, I 
 enjoy a friendly exchange of views like this. If 
 I remember right, Brahma as God was made to 
 say 'All who worship me, all who worship other 
 Gods, all the good people of the earth worship 
 me the only God.' If all religions had said that, 
 and worked together and compared their funda- 
 mental laws of duty of man to man, what awful 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 87 
 
 wars, hatreds and cruelties might have been 
 omitted from the world's history." 
 
 I said : "Some think the world is saved by faith 
 in unproven dogmas and refuse to listen to any- 
 thing to the contrary. Others believe that only 
 a few truths have been established and there re- 
 mains a great field for investigation and that the 
 *old must pass away and everything become new.' 
 Unless one can be led to doubt his present belief, 
 he cannot be led to accept another. Therefore, 
 it would appear that doubt has had as much to 
 do in the advance of man as faith. We must 
 learn to doubt error when the proofs are con- 
 clusive, and have absolute faith in proven truth." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Doubt has led to investigation 
 and investigation has proven laws and made dis- 
 coveries that disprove many of the old ideas and 
 consequently we build a new and a better way 
 of thinking. The truth is slowly dawning on the 
 human mind, but remember the truth is and al- 
 ways has been the truth, regardless of what you 
 or anyone may believe. A truth is worth knowing, 
 since every truth contains the germ of good." 
 
 Archy U.: "It is an acknowledged truth at 
 the present day that all natural phenomena result 
 from the action of unchangeable, immutable 
 and inexorable laws. That there is a natural 
 cause for whatever happens and the foundation 
 of all facts and science is: * Whatever happens, 
 always did happen and always will happen, con- 
 ditions being the same.' This sweeps away the 
 
88 
 
 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 fables and legends of the past, and we must 
 adjust ourselves to natural and rational law." 
 
 Mr. Reliance : ''This proves that God is a con- 
 stant force or spirit, never changes, never gets 
 angry, never forgets and must be obeyed, or pun- 
 ishment is seen in loss of health or degradation 
 of character and soul." 
 
 Wade Insky: "This points to a new heaven 
 and a new earth, where love and labor constitute 
 the Divinity that leads us on to a universal peace 
 among mankind in which every one shall receive 
 credit in proportion to what he produces. It 
 creates that charity in the heart that surpasseth 
 understanding; for it shows us that every human 
 being is what he is from outside causes and that 
 he cannot change himself. He must be changed 
 by outside forces, or teaching. If one has not 
 eyes to see nor understanding wherewith to com- 
 prehend, he must remain the same, or lose even 
 what little he has and plod along in his misery." 
 
 Archy U. : "Rev. Damon, here is a small list 
 of citations. Will you explain them to me some 
 time? 
 
 Verse 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Book 
 
 Verse 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Book 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 Genesis 
 
 all 
 
 /■4 
 
 Numbers 
 
 27 
 
 5 
 
 Genesis 
 
 10-11 
 
 32 
 
 Numbers 
 
 all 
 
 7 
 
 Genesis 
 
 all 
 
 21 
 
 Deut. 
 
 all 
 
 32 
 
 Genesis 
 
 all 
 
 6 
 
 Joshua 
 
 all 
 
 40 
 
 Genesis 
 
 13 
 
 10 
 
 Joshua 
 
 16 
 
 4 
 
 Exodus 
 
 all 
 
 17 
 
 I Samuel 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 Exodus 
 
 all 
 
 14 
 
 I Samuel 
 
 3 
 
 23 
 
 Exodus 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 II Samuel 
 
 15 
 
 31 
 
 Exodus 
 
 all 
 
 15 
 
 II Samuel 
 
 all 
 
 13 
 
 Leviticus 
 
 22 to34 
 
 2 
 
 I Kings 
 
 30 
 
 32 
 
 Leviticus 
 
 24 
 
 13 
 
 I Kings 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 89 
 
 Verse 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Book 
 
 Verse 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Book 
 
 12 
 
 19 
 
 I Kings 
 
 all 
 
 21 
 
 Leviticus 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 II Kings 
 
 all 
 
 31 
 
 Numbers 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 II Kings 
 
 12 
 
 17 
 
 Deut. 
 
 16 
 
 15 
 
 II Kings 
 
 all 
 
 23 
 
 Deut. 
 
 15 
 
 21 
 
 II Kings 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 Joshua 
 
 41 
 
 6 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 16 
 
 Judges 
 
 12 
 
 16 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 9 
 
 I Samuel 
 
 10 
 
 22 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 11 
 
 II Samuel 
 
 18 
 
 24 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 14 
 
 II Samuel 
 
 4 
 
 34 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 I Kings 
 
 3 to 14 
 
 10 
 
 Ezra 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 I Kings 
 
 25 
 
 13 
 
 Nehemiah 
 
 10 
 
 14 
 
 I Kings 
 
 12 
 
 2 
 
 Esther 
 
 13 
 
 21 
 
 I Kings 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 Jeremiah 
 
 24 
 
 2 
 
 II Kings 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 Jeremiah 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 II Kings 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 Isaiah 
 
 lto29 
 
 6 
 
 II Kings 
 
 31 
 
 3 
 
 Judges 
 
 29 
 
 9 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 Genesis 
 
 13 
 
 15 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 Genesis 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 8 
 
 Genesis 
 
 15 
 
 23 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 all 
 
 33&38 
 
 Genesis 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 II Chron. 
 
 16 
 
 1 
 
 Exodus 
 
 15 
 
 7 
 
 Ezra 
 
 13&21 
 
 13 
 
 Exodus 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 Nehemiah 
 
 28 
 
 22 
 
 Exodus 
 
 22 
 
 1 
 
 Esther 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 Exodus 
 
 all 
 
 1 
 
 Isaiah 
 
 11 
 
 32 
 
 Exodus 
 
 8 to 21 
 
 5 
 
 Jeremiah 
 
 all 
 
 12 
 
 Leviticus 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 Jeremiah 
 
 6 
 
 19 
 
 Leviticus 
 
 all 
 
 45 
 
 Isaiah 
 
 "All of Jonah shows an angry God repenting 
 and Jonah displeased presumes to argue the case. 
 
 "All of Job is a good story. Satan here is a 
 servant of God, which is much more reasonable. 
 Job saw God in everything. No one knows where 
 this book came from. Eighth verse, chapter 22, 
 II Kings and verse 14, chapter 34, II Chronicles, 
 each tell how Hilkiah found the book of Moses 
 that possibly Hilkiah himself had written. Up to 
 this time, they had no written book, according to 
 that. How could Moses write a thousand years 
 before the alphabet was invented? 
 

 {Ayi/<.-t^i^JU^ 
 
 
 t<.,<*,<X»<.-A- 
 
 Drawing found among the Crater of Gold manuscript. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 91 
 
 Rev. Damon's Reverie 
 
 In my imagination, I thought of all our ideas 
 as birds caught in cages. I examined my cage 
 and found that I had hope, charity, faith, im- 
 mortality, love, and so on; but I could not find 
 the bird, "Truth." I became restless. I wanted 
 the bird "Truth" in my cage. So I took my rifle 
 and canoe and rowed around on a large river 
 hunting for the bird that would satisfy my long- 
 ings. 
 
 At evenings, I could see that my relatives and 
 neighbors were wondering what was wrong with 
 me. They began to chide me for a crank on the 
 road to ruin. They feared that some devil was 
 deranging my mind. 
 
 One day, while rowing down the great river, 
 I was hailed by a very old man with a scythe 
 thrown across his shoulders. "Young man, what 
 seekest thou?" I told him that I was hunting 
 for the bird "Truth," and unless I could find it, 
 I could not be content. 
 
 He said: "I fear you are looking for what 
 you can never find. What birds have you in 
 your cage now?" 
 
 I told him the various birds. "Well," he said, 
 "you will have to turn loose that beautiful bird 
 'Immortality' before you can have room for 
 * Truth' in your cage. The bird 'Truth' is hard 
 to catch. You had better hunt for easier caught 
 game." 
 
92 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I returned home sad and discouraged, but 
 something made me willing to sacrifice anything 
 to get the bird "Truth." So I sadly let the bird 
 "Immortality" out on my hand. So beautiful it 
 looked as I stroked its shining feathers and 
 mourned its loss. It arose and flew away. 
 
 This act put me out of the quiet neighborhood, 
 and I plunged into a wilderness. I followed a 
 beaten path, but at every turn on all sides and 
 all around me were the bones and dead bodies and 
 dying of millions who had gone before me. I 
 would not yield and so I plod on. Many times 
 in despair, I lay down and tried to die ; but after 
 years of weary travel in gloom, I saw a light 
 ahead, a clearing came in sight. I entered the 
 clearing and there was a great chasm to cross, 
 no end either way by which I could go around it. 
 I caught a glimpse of the bird "Truth" on the 
 other side of this chasm. I must get it! How 
 will I cross ? The banks are steep and no bottom 
 can be seen. 
 
 Just then I discovered a narrow bridge, and 
 behold! this bridge was composed of the bodies 
 of those who had preceded me, no doubt in the 
 same quest. I fell upon my knees and prayed: 
 "O God, must I die here to help finish this bridge, 
 or shall I go back?" The answer came: "Go 
 ahead, what man has set out to do, let him go on 
 and do it without turning back. Do your work 
 and your reward is sure." 
 
 I tremblingly stepped out on the narrow bridge 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 93 
 
 and found that it might be possible to cross over. 
 I worked my way slowly, being careful not to 
 slip and fall into the yawning abyss. At last, I 
 reached the farther side in safety. There I found 
 others ahead of me, some content where they were 
 and others striving to reach higher land. I 
 climbed on until I reached the level plain above 
 me. I found a plain road, corners staked out 
 and well established, making it easy traveling for 
 some distance. As I observed that the road is 
 permanent and all guide posts are proven correct, 
 I thought surely I will find that bird yet ; but as 
 I moved farther on, the road became dim and 
 darkness came upon the view ahead. 
 
 I trudged on until I reached a solid wall 
 higher than man can calculate. I leaned against 
 this wall and cried aloud, but there was no an- 
 swer. At my feet there dropped one feather 
 from the bird "Truth," and that was all I had 
 to show for my great labor. 
 
 I returned to my people with this one feather, 
 but fully convinced that it is not for man to find 
 the whole truth. 
 
 "Well," said the Rev. Damon, "I suppose you 
 get the idea ? Father Time on the River of Life 
 through our reasoning is driving the hope of im- 
 mortality away from men ; but depths of philoso- 
 phy brings one back again to a hope for eternal 
 life, and ready to accept the faith with love for 
 all and no censure for any one in whatever state 
 of mind he may be. 
 
94 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Every problem we solve always falls short of 
 the first great cause. We explain scientifically 
 and it sounds good, so far as it goes; but we 
 always end at the stone wall. 
 
 "We look into space and our finite minds say 
 there is an out edge somewhere, but still we 
 know there can be no out edge to space. For 
 what would come next? In the same way, we 
 reason that there could not have been a beginning 
 of material, though our finite minds think there 
 must have been. Every question is the same. 
 They reach conclusions which our minds say are 
 impossible but must be true. Then, as our minds 
 say that immortality is impossible, why not finish 
 by the same conclusion but 'must be true.' 
 
 "In that wilderness, men are without hope or 
 guide, and they are an easy prey for all dens of 
 vice and few ever gain the high plain across the 
 great chasm which separates the old superstitious 
 reasoning from the new reasoning that there is a 
 natural cause for everything, and that the uni- 
 verse moves in accordance with constant and 
 unchangeable laws. Science is proving its way 
 as far as it goes, and by hypotheses and theories, 
 it looks far into the unknown. 
 
 "There is no argument in regard to proven 
 laws, and there is a friendly rivalry in trying to 
 prove more. The greatest credit is given to him 
 who does most to clear the way. Who knows 
 what developments in the understanding of man 
 through inventions and experiments may yet be 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 95 
 
 accomplished? Who knows but what a sixth or 
 seventh sense may come through evolution that 
 will open to the mind of man an understanding 
 of the First Great Cause?" 
 
 I said : "I like your reasoning and I am con- 
 vinced, and henceforth I shall hope for eternal 
 life and so live that I may be worthy. I intend 
 to study to discover the natural laws of spiritual 
 and physical growth and obey them." 
 
 "Join the church," Rev. Damon replied, "get 
 the school again and we will work hand in hand 
 for the upbuilding of tolerance and substitute 
 faith, hope, and charity for bigotry." 
 
 "I would like to do so," I said, "but so much 
 abuse has been heaped upon my head by poor, 
 ignorant, intolerant, superstitious church bigots 
 that it has soured me on all the old churches, and 
 I fear I would feel like a hypocrite. We seem 
 to agree quite well. We do not blame each other 
 for any difference in opinions. We recognize 
 the fact that in regard to the Unknown, there are 
 about as many different opinions as there are 
 thinkers in the world. 
 
 "A line without an end is beyond the grasp of 
 the human mind. The greatest and strongest 
 mind in existence is only putty and straw in the 
 throes of the awful thought, * Infinity.' We see 
 and know so much and yet are so helpless and 
 are filled with such a fear of the unknown that 
 we can hardly prevent ourselves from falling 
 down and accepting some assumed revelation. 
 
96 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Let some one come with much pomp and circum- 
 stance and declare a revelation, or let something 
 be dug up that appears musty with age but 
 asserts a sure thing, poor man grasps on to it 
 with hope like a drowning man clings to anything 
 within his reach. 
 
 "Life is so short and death is so terrible and 
 there are so many cruel separations that poor, 
 helpless man is led to believe anything that prom- 
 ises consolation. 
 
 "I have a sure faith in the constancy of God, 
 and that all laws of physical and spiritual growth 
 are natural laws and that they are the laws of the 
 Supreme Ruler of all and that these laws are 
 inexorable and must be obeyed. 
 
 "It seems that all living creatures have the 
 right to life as long as life for them is possible, 
 and that the microbes that threaten our lives 
 have as much right to live as we. If we would 
 save our lives, we must learn how to cure diseases 
 and kill the microbes. When we meet the savage 
 beast in animal or man, God comes not to the 
 deliverance of either, but lets us defend ourselves. 
 The supremacy of the law prevails regardless of 
 what life may end." 
 
 Archy U. : "The laws of kinetic motion and 
 gravitation are never changed to cause the rou- 
 lette wheel to turn in favor of any one." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "We can safely lie down to 
 sleep with absolute faith that God will play no 
 tricks, and providing that there is no cause for 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 97 
 
 death, we will be alive in the morning. We 
 should keep watch of our health conditions and 
 secure the best of treatment to prolong our lives. 
 If we desire spiritual growth in right and justice, 
 we must always do right. 
 
 "If we have done wrong and injured ourselves 
 or others, there is no escape except by turning 
 to the right and do the wrong no more, and then 
 the injured part will be restored and the wrong 
 pass away. 
 
 "If we have sinned so much that we have 
 nearly destroyed ourselves, then no restoration 
 can take place. We have committed the unpar- 
 donable sin and are lost. Faith will save if we 
 follow up with deeds, but faith without quitting 
 the sin is of no avail. 
 
 "The wicked destroy themselves by their dis- 
 obedience of the laws of their creation. God 
 directly punishes no one." 
 
 Wade Insky: "We must work out our own 
 salvation in fear of doing wrong and should ever 
 be on the lookout for what is right. The organs 
 or faculties that are used develop and unused 
 organs or faculties lie dormant. If one lies, in 
 time he will become a natural liar; but if he 
 would quit lying before it is everlastingly too 
 late and tell the truth on all occasions, he will 
 become naturally truthful." 
 
 Archy U. : "Here, then, comes a knotty 
 problem. If he is a liar and can not change 
 himself, is he to blame? Is any one to blame for 
 
98 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 what he does? We inherited our minds and 
 found our environments here which made us what 
 we are. No one ever does anything that the act 
 is not in obedience to a decision of his mind. His 
 mind is the result of causes for which he surelv 
 is not accountable. It would seem that a person 
 is no more to blame for his character than a snake 
 is to blame for being a snake. Surely the child 
 of the idolator is not to blame for worshiping 
 idols, nor can a Jew be blamed for being a Jew. 
 Then what must be the conclusion?" 
 
 Wade Insky: "There is but one conclusion 
 that I can see, and that is : mankind is given full 
 control of their own affairs. The battle for an 
 understanding must still continue until the world 
 is so unified by scientific research and liberality 
 that all unite in peace to produce that kind of 
 government and teaching that will result in con- 
 ditions of justice and faith that will remove all 
 causes that now prevail to pervert the human 
 intellect, or cause unbearable conditions for those 
 who labor. 
 
 "We must learn to look for the causes and then 
 the remedy is easy. When the causes are 
 removed, their effects will vanish. 
 
 "A poor man who can not find work and steals 
 to supply his wants or to feed a starving family 
 is not to blame, or at least should not be held as 
 guilty as one who steals as a business. So much 
 injustice in the name of the law and the Lord is 
 now practiced that the great majority are losing 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 99 
 
 faith in the law and the Lord. This is a sad 
 thing to contemplate and cries aloud for a 
 remedy. 
 
 "Man must have a chance to work, or he 
 should not be held guilty. We must also be tol- 
 erant with the vices of man, and instead of con- 
 demning the victim, find the cause and remove 
 that. 
 
 "No one should be put anywhere for punish- 
 ment, but should be detained for treatment for 
 perverted intellect." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Long experience in teaching 
 proved to me that children are naturally good. 
 Those who were pronounced bad were made so 
 by their surroundings. I have found the worst 
 children anxious to do right when treated fair 
 and trusted, and they did not resent correction 
 when they were guilty of misconduct. 
 
 "I have always found that punishment in 
 homeopathic doses and reasoning had better effect 
 than brutal whipping." 
 
 I said: "I do not punish for poor lessons. 
 Sometimes work as hard as he can, the lesson is 
 too much for the child and then to punish only 
 stirs up resentment and a determination not to 
 try. Require a thorough recitation, praise good 
 work, and sympathize with and help those who 
 fail. Admit that possibly the lesson was too 
 much in such a way that the child's feelings will 
 not be hurt. The child having another chance 
 will soon stir up a desire to make a better show 
 
100 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 and ere you are aware, the dull pupil may be at 
 the head of the class. They may not be dull 
 heads, but mismanaged human beings. We must 
 create willing work to succeed. They say that a 
 good teacher should know more than he has to 
 teach, but I say, that a good teacher can teach 
 more than he knows. The human animal of all 
 ages needs teaching and kindness and not force 
 and punishment." 
 
 Archy U. : "There are exceptions to all rules, 
 and so there may be to this rule ; but it is best to 
 be sure you have found an exception before you 
 resort to drastic methods. There are cases when 
 a good, sound trouncing brings a child or grown 
 person or a nation to a sense of his or its mean- 
 ness and has the right effect. 
 
 "Court fines for petty offenses are at present 
 unreasonable. Men are often fined so heavily 
 for what is hardly a misdemeanor that they are 
 unable to pay and must serve time in jail, or on 
 the rock pile. They are injured in character and 
 lose their respect for law. They become more 
 liable to commit violations of law than had the 
 fine been light, one to five dollars, which can be 
 paid and men walk out free with respect for 
 themselves and ready to obey the law; they 
 become honest citizens." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "This soaking some one as an 
 example and driving a fellow being to despera- 
 tion to save others has an evil appearance to me. 
 There are too many narrow blue laws that make 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 101 
 
 crimes out of many things that fair minded citi- 
 zens are guilty of doing. They work only as a 
 means for spite, or graft. Most of those who 
 are doing these things will continue and never 
 be molested. Such laws just enable officers to 
 collect graft, or give some one a chance to work 
 revenge. 
 
 "I have known a lot of poor people who were 
 fined unmercifully for smoking cigarettes, but 
 when a rich man carried his case to the Supreme 
 Court of the State and the law was declared 
 unconstitutional, those wrongly collected fines 
 were never returned." 
 
 Wade Insky : "I know of a case where a very 
 good citizen, generally speaking, thought that he 
 had paid for protection for some gambling games, 
 but an officer who feared that he was getting the 
 worst of it in the division of the graft made a 
 raid and scooped up a bunch of fair minded 
 young men who were playing the games and 
 doing no more crime than any business man is 
 doing under the present system. 
 
 "These young men just happened to get 
 caught. There were hundreds all around the 
 town who were not there that evening and were 
 not caught. Well, they made an example, they 
 call it, of these few fellows and fined them each 
 two hundred dollars. They could not pay, so 
 they went to the rock pile for about two months. 
 
 "Is that the way to reform man? The judge 
 was an old poker player. I contend that what is 
 
102 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 not right is not law, though so declared by the 
 legislature and made a part of the statute. Only 
 that which is upheld by most of the people with- 
 out any considerable opposition is law, otherwise 
 the question remains an issue of the day. Because 
 the legislature declares that black is white does 
 not make it so. 
 
 "Let juries have a right to vary from the 
 statute in order to render justice in accordance 
 with the conditions and circumstances surround- 
 ing the case and that which is enforced by the 
 people becomes law." 
 
 Archy U.: "Under the present system of 
 electing legislators, faddists, fanatics, grafters, 
 and trust representatives are all there and they 
 swap votes, buy, and hobnob with each other in 
 order to pass their particular fad, blue law, or 
 trust benefit, and so the whole bunch succeed in 
 getting their respective ideas into the statute to 
 harrass a long suffering people. 
 
 "Representative law making has proven a fail- 
 ure, and has deprived the people of their right to 
 rule, or make any changes in their fundamental 
 law. It gives the people no chance to say what 
 shall be law unless they refuse to enforce any law 
 that is obnoxious." 
 
 Wade Insky : "Let each political party select 
 a few men to prepare their proposals of consti- 
 tution and laws, and then, at a general election, 
 let the people decide which system shall be 
 accepted. Then the government would be pro- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 103 
 
 gressive, more reliable and less expensive than 
 having a great mob of legislators assuming that 
 they are the government. 
 
 "This would put the best minds to work to 
 originate the most just government under the 
 sun, and would result in acquiescence and con- 
 tent of the people, as they would hold in their 
 votes the chance to change at any election. Then, 
 instead of law being the result of intrigue, every 
 law would be an edict from the people and would 
 necessarily bear the ear-marks of liberality and 
 justice. 
 
 "The pernicious activity of combined capital- 
 ists, meddling fanatics and narrow-heads of all 
 kinds has shown conclusively that representative 
 law making is a joke. 
 
 "The time has come to institute such form of 
 government as will restore to the people the right 
 to say what shall be law." 
 
 Archy U. : "It is best to bear with ills before 
 changing to an unknown, but long suffering has 
 convinced us that there is a better way to secure 
 justice to mankind than now exists. It is up to 
 us to invent a new system and study until we are 
 sure that it will work; then we need not fear to 
 progress. 
 
 "Machinery is improved all the time until we 
 wonder how people used to get along; but our 
 constitution with all its faults remains unchanged. 
 The people want many amendments, but their 
 representatives say no. They stand in the way. 
 
104 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 They represent their masters, the entrenched 
 beneficiaries of a pernicious system of govern- 
 ment." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "I admit that what you gentle- 
 men say is very close to the truth; but I belong 
 to the conservative element that believes in no 
 haste, and to hold tight to our present liberties 
 and very carefully work out reforms. We had 
 better suffer our present ills rather than be too 
 hasty and perchance blunder into a more deplor- 
 able state of affairs." 
 
 I said: "Yes, we should take time and study 
 well the various reforms proposed and also keep 
 in mind a due regard for all interests and invest- 
 ments. A reform that would discontinue any 
 business should either give ample time for read- 
 justment or recompense the losers." 
 
 Wade Insky: "Politics is the science of gov- 
 ernment and it should be a question of what pol- 
 icy is most rational and just; but now it is a 
 question of graft and exploitation. The votes 
 are carried by the 'times' without any reasoning 
 on whys." 
 
 Archy U. : "Many church people see but one 
 side of a question and are more liable to error 
 in their votes than any other class of citizens, nor 
 are they any more honest. Possibly they think 
 that by a little prayer they are washed white." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "You should not blame the 
 church for the action of some of its members. 
 No doubt, many unworthy people are wearing 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 105 
 
 the cloak of the church for their personal benefit." 
 Archy U. : *'Your exception is well taken. 
 Still many church people misunderstand the par- 
 don of sin. They feel free to do wrong and then 
 get pardoned and have no fear as to their stand- 
 ing with their Creator. They do not understand 
 that there is no forgiveness unless there is a cessa- 
 tion in the wrong doing, that the law of their 
 creation only cures when the right road is 
 traveled and the wrong road is forsaken." 
 
 Wade Insky: "That makes me think of a 
 story." 
 
 Stoey 
 
 A missionary with quite a caravan was explor- 
 ing a wild part of Africa. They came to a 
 place where they wanted to make a trip to a 
 town off the main road about fifty miles. The 
 missionary asked the native guide if there was 
 any place where they could hide their stuff until 
 their return to the main road. The guide said: 
 "Leave it all right here beside the road." The 
 missionary asked: "Won't some one steal it 
 while we are gone." "Oh, no!" said the guide, 
 "there is not a Christian within five hundred miles 
 of here." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Well, that is a pretty good 
 joke. It is sad to think how near it fits the 
 actions of many so-called Christians." 
 
 I said: "They say that the native negroes do 
 not steal and that they leave their wares in 
 
106 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 baskets with prices marked and go abous their 
 business, and if any one takes the goods, the price 
 is left in the basket. You see our colored popu- 
 lation have learned their tricks from.us." 
 
 Archy U. : "Human beings are in such dread 
 of unseen forces that their reason gives away and 
 they accept anything without thinking of the 
 absurdity. If they would take a good square 
 look at many of the ideas upheld by their creeds, 
 they might be like the Indian convert, who, when 
 asked: *Do you believe that Jesus Christ was 
 the son of God, born of the virgin Mary, was 
 crucified and died, but arose the third day to life, 
 was transfigured and ascended to heaven?' 
 replied, 'Yes, sir.' 'Do you believe that the whale 
 swallowed Jonah, held him in his belly three days 
 and then spewed him out onto dry land?' 'Yes, 
 sir,' replied the Indian. 
 
 " 'Do you believe that Moses smote the waters 
 of the Red Sea and that the waters gave way 
 and Moses and his army crossed on dry land?' 
 
 " 'Yes, sir,' said the Indian. 
 
 " 'Do you believe that Samson was so strong 
 that he upset a large building and destroyed ten 
 thousand lives ?' 
 
 " 'Yes, sir,' said the Indian. 
 
 " 'Do you believe that the Hebrew children 
 were thrown into a fiery furnace and that they 
 walked around in the fire without being burned?' 
 
 " 'What is that? In hot fire and no burn 'em?' 
 asked the Indian. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 107 
 
 <C (I 
 
 cc c- 
 
 That is right. It did not burn them.' 
 'No singe 'em hair?' asked the Indian. 
 
 " *No, did not singe their hair nor burn them 
 at all.' 
 
 " *Well/ said the Indian, 'I don't believe that, 
 and come to think about it, I don't believe that 
 other stuff either.' " 
 
 This was going too strong, but the Rev. Damon 
 was kind and patient. 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Your ideas call me back to 
 my suffering in the same way as you are now, and 
 there was no escape but to trust in God like a 
 little child and ask for mercy, cease my reasoning 
 and cling to the name of Jesus for salvation. It 
 makes me happier, more contented and ready to 
 abide by the law of God. I have seen that to 
 bring these questions into the light of logic is 
 too liable to drive many into atheism, who are 
 not able to reason to a higher plane and a better 
 understanding; but are tempest tossed on rough 
 seas, without rudder or compass and subject to 
 all kinds of heathenish vagaries. 
 
 "So for me, I will never again suggest any 
 doubt of the truth of these old stories, not that 
 I have no doubt, but for fear of the injury that I 
 may do by causing others to forsake the great 
 central truth of the love of the Deity. 
 
 "Believing that it is best to hope for all things, 
 believe all we can and live God-fearing lives, I 
 am content to go on in my chosen work and give 
 my life for the uplift of man." 
 
108 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Jesus more nearly represents 
 our ideas of the Deity than any one that ever 
 lived. He was so pure, just and forgiving that 
 he appeals to the heart of man as no other can." 
 
 Archy U. : "When a thing is proven false by 
 the absolue laws of all things, it is about time 
 to sav so. The truth is the truth and will alwavs 
 remain the truth notwithstanding what any one 
 may think. As for me, I am for the truth at 
 whatever cost. The truth will work out the ends 
 of justice and tend to the advance of man. Every 
 advance of man has been made by great loss of 
 life and comfort of those who were the advanced 
 teachers in opposition to the old erroneous sys- 
 tems, but no one will now deny but what mankind 
 was benefited. The same persecutions of ad- 
 vanced teachers will continue until superstition 
 will have no place in our teaching and all will 
 agree on established laws." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "All arguments then will be 
 friendly and without malice, just as Jesus in- 
 tended. Then, some of Isaiah's prophecies may 
 come true when wars will be no more and peace 
 and good will exist everywhere. 
 
 "I have prayed for an understanding and the 
 question, 'Had I a right to think or use my judg- 
 ment?' to my peace of mind was answered, 'You 
 have the right to reason on all things, question all 
 systems, produce and teach new systems and rea- 
 son on the First Cause of All and the nature of 
 all things, and let your imagination carry you to 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 109 
 
 the uttermost bounds of all of human under- 
 standing; but beware that you obey the laws that 
 produced your existence, and do no act that will 
 prevert your physical or spiritual growth." 
 
 "So I hitched my imagination to a comet and 
 took a long trip through many solar systems. 
 Far out into space I wandered, but never found 
 an out edge. Infinity can not be fathomed by 
 finite mind. Only infinite wisdom can under- 
 stand and that no man ever possessed." 
 
 Archy U.: "Everything has existed forever 
 and all is kept in motion by resident forces evolv- 
 ing all things that exist, grow old and die to give 
 place for the new life and systems. The sun, 
 himself, must grow dim with age, the earth be- 
 come a dead planet and life forms will degen- 
 erate to suit new conditions, so that, in time, the 
 last representative of man to view the sun will 
 be a worm." 
 
 Wade Insky: "The scientific proven laws of 
 attraction aided by mathematical calculations 
 have enabled man to measure the distance to other 
 planets and compute their size, orbits, velocity, 
 and density. Indeed, man has done wonders, but 
 he can not answer why matter possesses these resi- 
 dent forces. Why is attraction? No one knows. 
 Why is thought or memory? No one knows. 
 We just learn how things do and what things do, 
 but we know not why. 
 
 "We experiment until we are able to establish 
 laws in regard to action and reaction, valency of 
 
110 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 atoms and their combination into molecules, and 
 can determine mathematically the resultants of 
 reactions. We establish laws of vibrations, ex- 
 plaining the cause of light, sound, heat and elec- 
 tricity. We harness and utilize unseen forces, 
 vibration of some kind, and lo! a wonder. We 
 are now ready to believe, 'that the half has never 
 been told.' 
 
 "We know not why these things exist, nor why 
 they produce such effects, but the results are so 
 constant that we have learned to have absolute 
 faith in the constancy of nature and all things. 
 
 "We believe that action and reaction are equal 
 and that nothing can ever be lost in the change of 
 form, nothing has ever been added or taken away. 
 So, man can not add to nor subtract from the 
 law. 
 
 "Thus being convinced that resident forces are 
 constantly working a change in all things, it is 
 to be supposed that man will advance to new 
 systems of religion and government. New con- 
 stitutions and man-made laws will be promul- 
 gated that will serve man better in his changing 
 environments. 
 
 "It is our duty to bring to pass that kind of 
 control that will best safeguard the weak against 
 the strong and cunning, and produce conditions 
 that will guarantee to every one a living, and a 
 chance to work and receive the product of his 
 labor." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "The intent of the new sys- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 111 
 
 tern should be to remove the causes that lead to 
 unnatural desires, practices, or habits and take 
 care of the victims. No punishment for revenge 
 but detention for treatment and teaching. Such 
 a system of justice, tempered with mercy and 
 kindness, will remove from this planet nine-tenths 
 of so-called crimes." 
 
 Archy U. : "This might be done, but not till 
 people are advanced to an understanding of the 
 remedy. The remedy must be worked out into 
 such tangible form as to guarantee a stable gov- 
 ernment and also appeal to us as devoid of favor- 
 itism." 
 
 Wade Insky: "The environments of past 
 ages and at the present time, under cruel capital- 
 istic and despotic systems, have so perverted the 
 human intellect that the task of reformation is a 
 gigantic undertaking and ages may be required 
 for its accomplishment." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "The change is constantly 
 taking place, the forces are at work, the dawn of 
 a better day appears on the horizon, and love 
 and justice sustained by absolute faith will yet 
 rule the world." 
 
 I said: "Whether to prove all we can and 
 give logic full sway until we prove that all laws 
 are constant and that there is a natural cause for 
 whatever happens, or to accept some assumed 
 revelation as a sure thing and deprive ourselves 
 of the right to think anything to the contrary, is 
 the question that is now agitating the human 
 mind." 
 
112 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Archy U. : "Science has advanced to that 
 perfection that it is impossible to dispute her 
 proofs. If the revelation contradicts scientific 
 proofs, the revelation is false. The revelator 
 went wrong, but may have been doing the best 
 that he could in the light of his knowledge to 
 record the laws of Omnipotence and may deserve 
 great credit for leading the human animal to a 
 better worship. 
 
 "Science does not teach a spiritual life after 
 death so that we will know each other. That 
 can not be proven." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "We live in our descendants, 
 but that does not satisfy the mind. We can con- 
 ceive that our influence continues ever increasing 
 either for the betterment or the detriment of suc- 
 ceeding ages. It is reasonable to suppose that 
 thousands of millions yet to come will be affected 
 by our influence, though they will know nothing 
 about whence it came, just as we are the results 
 of the influences of the past. We know not how 
 the influence that gave us a certain trait of char- 
 acter was set to work in this world millions of 
 years ago by the act of some one who succeeded 
 in impressing our poor old ancestors with a new 
 idea. 
 
 "It would seem best to admit that we do not 
 know, but that we hope for eternal life and take 
 pleasure in love and charity for our fellow man, 
 resting sure that we then best serve God." 
 
 I said: "Let us all proclaim an amnesty for 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 113 
 
 all who disagree with us and call for terms of 
 perpetual peace. Let the spirit of charity and 
 justice make us here resolve never to continue to 
 argue any question with any one whose beliefs 
 are such that our argument is distasteful, but on 
 the contrary teach love, forgiveness and justice in 
 such a way as not to aggravate any one, but lead 
 to peace and good will." 
 
 Wade Insky: "A difference of opinion on 
 unknown questions does no good unless it be a 
 friendly expression of hypotheses. Our opinion 
 without proofs has no value. Our example 
 teaches better than foolish argument, and logic 
 will be the force that will gradually force a 
 change in those who have ears to hear and not be 
 wasted in stirring up strife with those whose ears 
 are stopped up with a creed that prevents their 
 advance to New Thought. They are not to 
 blame and may be better off in their belief. 
 
 "It is hard to teach old dogs new tricks. The 
 dope fiend longs for more of the same old dope. 
 Habits of belief are like all habits — ^hard to quit." 
 
 Archy U. : "Since man learned to write some 
 three thousand years ago, he has advanced at 
 rapid rate. He has written many old legends, 
 he has kept a kind of an account of man's advance 
 since in literature and inventions, but only a few 
 hundred years has man had the printing press 
 which gave the masses a chance to study and 
 think for themselves; but just to think that only 
 the last one hundred years has man been allowed 
 
114 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 to express a new thought without danger of se- 
 vere punishment or death, and he is in some 
 danger yet for advancing changes in rehgion or 
 government. 
 
 "Just the last one hundred years has man 
 begun to break away from his antedeluvian fet- 
 ters and work out all problems of religion, gov- 
 ernment and natural laws independently and in 
 the light that what nature teaches must be true. 
 
 "Now, man is going full blast ahead. He has 
 on full steam and the good old ship 'Human 
 Race' is making a magnificent run for independ- 
 ence of thought and is fast reaching the religion 
 of a perfect faith in unchangeable laws, guided 
 by hope, love and charity." 
 
 Wade Insky: "With all our inventions and 
 labor saving machinery that has reduced the cost 
 of production and increased the productiveness 
 of labor several fold, the laborer is injured instead 
 of benefited as he should be. The labor saving 
 devices become the property of a few and the 
 masses are crowded to a worse slavery. 
 
 "Is there no remedy by which humanity may be 
 assisted by improvements in machinery and be 
 guarded against exploitation?" 
 
 To change the subject, I told the following 
 story : 
 
 A Teacher's Story 
 
 While I was teaching in a country school in the 
 woods of Wisconsin, many years ago, I got into 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 115 
 
 conversation in regard to the interpretation of 
 the old stories of the Bible with a Mr. R. W. 
 Wright, who was a Sunday Presbyterian and a 
 good judge of whisky on week days, also of quite 
 liberal views. 
 
 I said: "These old stories can often be ex- 
 plained so as to teach good lessons. They are 
 nuts to crack. Some are rather hard to crack 
 but have big kernels, and some have small ker- 
 nels, while there are others all husk and shell." 
 
 Mr. Wright: "Young man, you keep your 
 hands off the Bible and take it just as it is. I do 
 not try to answer or pry into the laws of God. 
 I just live as near right as I can, go to church, 
 listen to the minister and go on about my busi- 
 ness. If it is not true, I lose nothing. If it is 
 true, then I am forgiven my sins and I am safe." 
 
 "Well," I said, "for instance, there are several 
 versions of the 'Adam and Eve' story, Mr. 
 Wright, and they are quite interesting." 
 
 Mr. Wright: "Is that so? I thought there 
 was just the one story." 
 
 Mr. Wright was willing to listen to what I had 
 to say, and so I told him. 
 
 Adam and Heva 
 
 One version of the "Adam and Eve" story 
 gives their names as Adam and Heva. In this 
 story the dissatisfaction of the man caused the 
 trouble. They were placed in the garden and 
 
116 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 were told that they must stay there, and not ven- 
 ture down to the point of land by the sea where 
 there were some things that they must not touch, 
 and then God left them alone. 
 
 They were getting along nicely until Adam 
 determined not to work so hard, but just move 
 down there where they could pick a living and 
 enjoy life. He did not think God cared anyhow. 
 Adam was bound to go, though Heva cried and 
 begged him to stay where they belonged and let 
 well enough alone ; but Adam pulled away alone 
 and ventured into the forbidden territory. The 
 sea passed in between him and Heva and he was 
 left on a barren rock to starve. The prayers of 
 Heva saved Adam. God let him go back, and 
 ever after Adam and Heva were happy. 
 
 Mr. Wright: "That is a pretty story." 
 
 I said: "You know the story of Adam and 
 Eve. Now, I will tell you the lesson I get from 
 it. Adam and Eve are symbols of any man and 
 woman; the Garden of Eden, a state of purity; 
 the Serpent, disobedience of law or evil which 
 puts one out of the state of purity in a morally 
 dying condition. The angels with the flaming 
 swords represent the unseen forces that make it 
 almost impossible to become pure again after 
 sinning. Only prayers, finding out what has 
 been done wrong and doing so no more can 
 restore one. 
 
 "If one is hurt, poisoned or diseased. Nature 
 rushes to the assistance of her child and the whole 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 111 
 
 system is in sympathy with the injured part, and 
 if sufficient tissue or strength is left, the injured 
 part is built up stronger than before to withstand 
 against a repetition of the trouble, though scars 
 and weaknesses may result. A continuous viola- 
 tion of the law of creation destroys one morally 
 and physically in time." 
 
 Mr. Wright: "Very good reasoning. You 
 ought to be a preacher." 
 
 Mr. Wright and I became great friends. He 
 was a whole-souled, kind hearted man and did 
 not claim to know that he was right, but wanted 
 to so live that he never could look into the grave 
 of any one whom he had injured in life. 
 
 One Saturday afternoon, I dropped in on Mr. 
 Wright. We talked about the long cold winter 
 and the hard times on account of the long shut 
 down of the mills and camps. 
 
 At last, Mr. Wright said: "I was over to 
 Mr. Graball's this morning. The young man 
 Swander was measuring out a bushel of potatoes 
 for the widow Smith. Swander heaped the meas- 
 ure and put the potatoes into the widow's vehicle 
 and she drove away. Graball was looking venge- 
 ance and said: 'Why did you give her over 
 measure?' 
 
 "Swander answered: 'Well, I noticed that vou 
 gave her scant measure the other day. She is a 
 poor widow and I could not help it.' 
 
 "Graball broke loose : 'You get right dov/n to 
 your rail-splitting and get that job done.' Swan- 
 
118 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 der went to work and Graball turned to me and 
 said ; 'That young fellow came here five months 
 ago and has worked for his board and a place to 
 sleep in the hay mow. He is a good worker. 
 The work he has done is worth two hundred dol- 
 lars to me, so I did not tell him what a miserable 
 creature he is.' 
 
 "Mrs. Graball broke in: 'Why, he is an in- 
 fidel! He said this morning that he did not 
 believe all he heard and he did not believe that 
 Jonah swallowed the whale. Something awful 
 will happen if we don't get rid of him.' 
 
 "Mr. and Mrs. Graball claim that they have 
 been born again, are sanctified and among the 
 elect with no chance to back slide. From what 
 I saw this morning J I think that it would do them 
 good to be born some more. That young Swan- 
 der is a good natured, simple, hard working fel- 
 low. It is hardly right to do so much v/ork with- 
 out reasonable pay." 
 
 I replied: "Evidently he went down the 
 Jericho road and has fallen among thieves." 
 
 Mr. Wright: "It may be so. I am in pretty 
 hard circumstances this year myself. My crops 
 were poor, there is no work and with my large 
 family of ten mouths to feed, it keeps me guess- 
 ing. Still I have faith that all will come out 
 right yet." 
 
 Just then Mrs. Wright came in from the 
 kitchen and looked at Mr. Wright in a helpless 
 way as much as to say: "Why don't the teacher 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 119 
 
 go away and let us eat supper?" Mr. Wright 
 telegraphed with his eyes to tell her to announce 
 supper. No excuse would be accepted. They 
 insisted that I must take supper with them; 
 though I tried to get away, I could not. 
 
 All they had to eat was potatoes, potato soup 
 and scorched- wheat coffee, no bread, no meat or 
 butter, that was all. They made no excuses, or 
 expressed any regrets, said, ''Help yourself," and 
 all were cheerful and ate hearty meals. It was 
 the most enjoyable feast of my life. 
 
 How I sympathized with their children and 
 how much kinder I was to all the children at 
 school after that! 
 
 Mr. Wright was one of God's noble men and 
 Mrs. Wright was so gentle and loving. She was 
 the model mother of such radiance that my pen 
 can not do her justice. 
 
 After supper, I was made welcome. I felt 
 very kindly toward the children as they crowded 
 around me, to show their work. I actually en- 
 joyed their confidences. Nothing would do but 
 I must stay a while and have a game of dominos. 
 
 While I was preparing to take my leave, they 
 all crowded around and requested me to come to 
 see them often. 
 
 Such experiences as this are the oases in the 
 desert of life. 
 
 Wade Insky said that this story made him 
 think of an experience that he had while principal 
 of a village school. 
 
120 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Mr. Insky's Story 
 
 I shall never forget how Vesta Marque and 
 Irene Mariner played a little game on me. These 
 girls informed me that their parents wanted 
 them to come home at recess and, of course, I 
 gave them permission. 
 
 The lady primary teacher dismissed earlier 
 than the others, was out for a walk and made the 
 discovery that these young ladies had met Bill 
 Durand and Cecil McCoy in the edge of the 
 woods and all had taken a ride on the bicycles 
 down the old logging road. She was indignant 
 and hastened to my room to tell me what had 
 happened. She said: "I tell you — these girls 
 need looking after!" 
 
 "Well," I said, "this should not be talked out, 
 and get into the gossip of the town. I think 
 that it is best that their parents are not informed, 
 for they are so fiercely religious that they may be 
 too rough and just do the young ladies harm. 
 Will you promise me not to tell any one, and just 
 let me handle the case?" The lady promised, 
 and so far as I know, she kept her word. 
 
 The next day, Vesta and Irene were at school 
 and working hard at their lessons. Just before 
 I dismissed, I requested them to remain after 
 school for an explanation of some school work. 
 I did not want the other pupils to suspect that 
 these girls were in any trouble. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 121 
 
 When we were alone, the young ladies were 
 looking down, ashamed and in some fear. I said : 
 "Vesta and Irene, I do not think that you in- 
 tended to do much out of the way yesterday. 
 You wanted to have a talk with these young men. 
 I know how it is myself, and I sympathize with 
 you. The worst thing you did was to misrepre- 
 sent your intentions; but you thought there was 
 no other way. That is an extenuating circum- 
 stance in your favor. You ought to know that if 
 you go through life that way you become worse 
 and in time no one will trust you." 
 
 By this time these young ladies had changed, 
 and they were looking at me with the biggest and 
 purest eyes that I ever beheld. I continued: 
 "Besides, people talk too much and often exag- 
 gerate, especially in such a case as this ; therefore, 
 I have taken the precaution to keep it quiet and 
 not have a general gossip. Now, I want you to 
 think this all over and try your best never to do 
 anything that requires a falsehood. You are as 
 good girls as I know. I want to see you do well. 
 These young men are not a bad sort, and as far 
 as I know, they are your sweethearts. You may 
 go home now. I do not intend to punish you." 
 
 These girls hung around my desk, cried and 
 kept telling me over and over that they would 
 never do such a thing again. 
 
 After that, they were so considerate of my 
 every wish, that it was a pleasure to teach them. 
 
 The last day of school, after all the rest had 
 
122 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 gone away, they came to my desk and for several 
 minutes begged me to take their school for the 
 next year, as they knew that then they could 
 graduate. I left, but have heard that these 
 young ladies married those young men and that 
 they were the best of wives. 
 
 Rev. Damon: "I have sometimes explained 
 to pupils that the text books and charts teach 
 that the moon's orbit is a circle around the earth 
 and that the earth's orbit is in a circle around the 
 sun, when, in fact, this is not just the truth. 
 
 "It is true that the moon moves around the 
 earth, but it is carried along with the earth so 
 rapidly that its orbit is a wavy line crossing the 
 earth's orbit from side to side and passing 
 through the plane of the earth's orbit at a small 
 angle. The earth's orbit forms loops across the 
 sun's orbit, or may resemble an extended wire 
 spring. The sun's orbit around some other sun, 
 and so on ad infinitum, is too much to under- 
 stand. 
 
 "The text books do not teach that the earth 
 makes one more rotation on its axis a year than 
 there are days. 
 
 "When asked why such things were not in the 
 text books, I told the pupils that man has no 
 parallax from which he can measure the distance 
 to other suns, and the orbits of the suns are so 
 great that man is unable to chart the skies and 
 naturally falls back on the circular orbit for dem- 
 onstration work. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 123 
 
 Archy Umbrage's Council of the Mind 
 
 As I lay on my couch today, a poor, ragged, 
 old man called for a handout. There was a coun- 
 cil called in my mind to decide what to do. Rea- 
 son presided and Caution said: "Give him a 
 cold potato and let him go." Avarice said : "He 
 is nothing but an old tramp! Let this body 
 under our control keep its goods for itself or it 
 may come to want some time." Charity said: 
 "This man is not a tramp, but a poor human 
 being in distress." Generosity said: "It is a 
 shame that such councillors as Avarice ever got 
 into the council that manages this body under 
 our control. While the decent members were 
 asleep, these evil fellows have caused this body 
 to do cruel deeds. I move that this body pro- 
 ceed at once to give this poor man plenty to eat 
 and clothe him warm." 
 
 Charity seconded the motion and it carried 
 almost unanimously and I went to the side-board 
 so under the influence of Generosity that I took 
 a whole roast chicken that was for our dinner, 
 grabbed my old overcoat and some clothing and 
 handed it all to the poor man. My wife came in 
 and went to the side-board and asked : "Archy, 
 what has become of that roast chicken?" I told 
 her about the argument in my mind and how 
 much better I felt for what I had done. Then, 
 she was carried away with benevolence and 
 wanted to call the stranger back for more. 
 
124 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Mr. Reliance said: "That is a good explana- 
 tion of how Jacob wrestled with God." 
 
 Archy U. : ''Rev. Damon, did you ever esti- 
 mate that there is only about thirty miles square 
 of the sun's surface that radiates heat to the earth 
 at the distance of over ninety million miles, and 
 wonder, with the rapidly changing positions of 
 the earth and sun, how so much heat can reach the 
 earth?" 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Yes, there are many such 
 questions that astonish us." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Not wishing to appear ab- 
 rupt in changing the trend of conversation, I wish 
 to tell you gentlemen about Henry Unconcern. 
 I knew him well. He had been taught from 
 childhood to say written prayers and go through 
 church rites in a perfunctory way. He paid his 
 money, and as he thought got his sins forgiven; 
 but he never made any effort to quit his evil 
 deeds. 
 
 "He said that he had to misrepresent things in 
 order to make deals and succeed in business. 'It 
 is a matter of business,' he said. I asked him: 
 'Don't you ever feel sorry for the victims that 
 you have cheated and broken up ?' 
 
 " 'That makes no difference to me,' he said. 
 'Business is business.' 
 
 "I said: 'It were better for you to belong to 
 a society that bases its claims for usefulness in 
 teaching the law and correct living,' but he was 
 indignant and unapproachable. His self-right- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 125 
 
 eousness and faith in idolatrous forms had 
 blinded his perceptions to the beauty of the true 
 Christian life." 
 
 Without comment on this last talk, we kindly 
 separated and went about our respective affairs 
 expecting to meet again. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 At a social gathering, Rev. Formal told an 
 old story about how Thesius did so many wonder- 
 ful deeds that the people knew no better than to 
 Deify him and worship him as a God,. 
 
 Wade Insky: "That makes me think of an 
 old story that I have read some time." 
 
 The Story 
 
 Once there were two old men climbing a hill. 
 One said to the other, "You stop here and let me 
 go up alone." The other waited a while, but 
 got uneasy and followed, and just before he 
 caught up, a chariot of fire came do^vn and took 
 the leader to heaven, but as he went up, he 
 dropped his cloak on the one left behind. 
 
 Well, this old fellow went down to a little town 
 and was telling all about what had happened, 
 when a bunch of street Arabs gathered around 
 him and made fun and called him an old bald- 
 head. Two she-bears rushed out of the woods 
 and killed, ate and hurt about forty of these bad 
 children. 
 
 "Why, Mr. Insky!" said the good hostess, 
 "that is in the Bible!" 
 
 Mr. Insky: "Well, then, it must be true. 
 Excuse me, my memory is very poor in my old 
 days." 
 
 126 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 127 
 
 Rev. Formal: "You should be very careful, 
 Mr. Insky. God requires that we shall pay rev- 
 erence to every word in the Bible." 
 
 Then I butted in : "These stories are intended 
 to teach us lessons. If one does right and sub- 
 mits to the law of God, he gets his reward what- 
 ever he may believe." 
 
 Rev. Formal came back viciously: "If one 
 does not believe every word in the Bible and is 
 baptized, he will go straight to hell." 
 
 I subsided, as I wanted no argument on the 
 question; but Archy Umbrage said that all of 
 this made him think of a story. 
 
 The New Brains 
 
 Once there was a man who said to the doctor: 
 "My brains are out of order. I ought to have a 
 new set." 
 
 The doctor replied: "I can make you a new 
 set of brains of the best quality for fifty dollars. 
 I can have them ready for you in two days. Do 
 you want to buy?" 
 
 "Yes," said the man, "I will call for them. 
 Here is your money." 
 
 The man never called for his brains. Six 
 months later, the doctor met him on the street 
 and said : "Hello ! Say ! Aren't you the fellow 
 who paid me for a new set of brains?" 
 
 "Yes," said the man. 
 
128 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Well, why did you not come and get them?" 
 asked the doctor. 
 
 *'0h, I got a job as a preacher the next day 
 and then I did not need them," said the man. 
 
 This story raised some row and Mr. Umbrage 
 closed the argument by saying: "Some preach- 
 ers are as far from the true meaning of the teach- 
 ing of Jesus as San Juan de Fuca is from the 
 solar plexus." 
 
 Then, Mr. Reliance, with the object of scat- 
 tering oil upon troubled waters, read an original 
 poem of his, "They Know Not What They Do." 
 
 Chorus 
 
 They know not what they do; 
 They know not what they do. 
 O Thou Most High, forgive them. 
 They know not what they do. 
 
 I live according to the light 
 
 Of proven truth and conscience's sway. 
 I do not know that I am right, 
 
 Though I have faith in what I say. 
 A song of love and charity 
 
 In this cruel world I want to leave. 
 For suffering humanity, 
 
 Keep warring, causing all to grieve. 
 
 II 
 
 What crimes have been in Jesus' name? 
 
 Such persecutions, many slain; 
 For man could not believe the same. 
 
 O Thou Most High, remove the stain, 
 
CRATER OF GOLD ' 129 
 
 As Jesus taught this truth to man, 
 "Reward according to his deeds." 
 
 Tradition's slaves nailed to the cross 
 This Greatest Teacher of man's needs. 
 
 Ill 
 
 It seems that man is not to blame, 
 
 A creature of environment, 
 Misruled, mistaught, believes the same 
 
 As parents teach without dissent; 
 However wrong that this may be. 
 
 So different in what they teach, 
 All claim they're right, do not agree. 
 
 Let proven truth be what you preach. 
 
 IV 
 
 Hypotheses teach them as such, 
 
 A difference in the belief 
 May come should not amount to much. 
 
 So do not cause a loss, or grief 
 To any one, let all alone; 
 
 Go on thy way and be at peace 
 And know that all can not be known. 
 
 Let envy, war and turmoil cease. 
 
 O brother man, you do not know 
 
 That you are right and what you think 
 To be the truth may not be so. 
 
 Go study nature's way and drink 
 The living truth from fountain pure; 
 
 Then, you will have no argument; 
 For all agree that nature's sure. 
 
 With brothers you should live content. 
 
130 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 VI 
 
 Whatever color, race, or creed. 
 
 Or what may be their state in life, 
 Have charity for all in need; 
 
 Teach them the truth, discourage strife. 
 Let your example show the way 
 
 To make this world a paradise. 
 And your reward is sure some day 
 
 For work well done and sacrifice. 
 
 This poem had the right effect and general 
 friendliness was restored to the gathering. 
 
 Then Archy Umbrage got into a private con- 
 versation with Mr. Reliance. Archy said: "I 
 am an atheist. I do not believe in anything. 
 * Shall not murder' means no murder if God is 
 all powerful. If man had the power, his 'Shall 
 nots' would prevent all crime. Moses gave some 
 goods laws but misquoted authority." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "I argue not on the authority 
 of Moses. Do you believe that things grow and 
 take different forms under control of unchange- 
 able laws?" 
 
 Archy: "Yes, that is nature." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Do 3^ou know that there are 
 many unaccountable manifestations of mind and 
 mind development?" 
 
 Archy: "Yes, that is nature. All spiritual 
 or mind development is just as natural as any- 
 thing else in nature." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "What causes nature?" 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 131 
 
 Archy: "I do not know. Nature just is, 
 that's all." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Supposing I tell you that 
 when I put my faith in the Power that rules 
 nature and pray for truth and right, that a feel- 
 ing of relief and content comes to me that I can 
 get no other way. May it not be that there is a 
 spirit of good that comforts those who humbly 
 submit and pray for forgiveness and guidance in 
 the ways of truth?" 
 
 Archy: Oh! I believe that." 
 
 Mr. Reliance : "What difference does it make 
 what you call this spirit ? God means good. The 
 spirit of Jesus is good. If one goes to his room 
 and gives himself up to secret prayer, it does him 
 good." 
 
 Archy: "Yes, I believe that. You talk rea- 
 sonably. There may be some power that comes 
 to him who will trust and pray, for all I know." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "When you are discouraged 
 or the future looks dark and gloomy, try this 
 praying in secret and see if your eyes are not 
 opened to the beauty of nature and nature's God. 
 It may be that you will naturally grow better. 
 Spiritual growth, no doubt, is a natural growth, 
 and comes best to him who like a little child sur- 
 renders to the law of God with absolute faith in 
 his justice." 
 
 Archy: "Oh, I am not so bad. I may be- 
 lieve more than I pretend, but what makes me 
 tired is these self-righteous fellows who assume 
 
132 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 to be the whole cheese, make so much noise and 
 condemn every one that disagrees with them, 
 still are just as ready to grab every dollar in 
 sight." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Do not let them prevent you 
 from doing what is right." 
 
 Archy: "You are right. I hope for eternal 
 life some way, but I do not expect my body to 
 go with me. It decomposes and returns to the 
 elements from whence it came, and is used when 
 needed in the economy of nature. It is taken 
 into plant and animal growth. The H2O, or 
 water, may evaporate and join the clouds, fall 
 in rain, sparkle in the frost and icicle, gather into 
 the streams and roll back to old ocean. One batch 
 of water, carbon, lime, etc., is just as good as 
 another batch out of which to make a body for 
 resurrection." 
 
 Mr. Reliance : "I argue not on this question. 
 It is enough for me to trust that our reward is 
 sure for every good deed." 
 
 Archy : "Dead plants and animals are decom- 
 posed by a slow fire and serve as food to generate 
 disease germs. They should be consumed by 
 active fire to guard the health of the living." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "That is the truth, but the dis- 
 position of the bodies of our dear ones must be 
 left to the wishes of the parties concerned." 
 
 Archy: "Mr. Reliance, permit me to submit 
 a poem I have written lately to you for criti- 
 cism." 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 133 
 
 Finite Mind 
 
 I 
 
 Has man the right to think, explain, produce, ex- 
 plore. 
 To find the truth, establish rules and add some 
 
 more 
 Of beneficial laws regarding government, 
 Religion and all things pertaining to content? 
 Or must he accept some assumed revelation 
 As A and Z of all of man's information. 
 Depriving himself of the right to prove or saith 
 That which may contradict the dogmas of some 
 
 faith? 
 These questions are now agitating all mankind 
 And let us hope the time will come when man 
 
 will find 
 It better to unite on proven law, and cease 
 Contention over ancient lore and theories. 
 The suff'ring of humanity, a bond should be 
 To cause the wars to cease, prevent all cruelty. 
 
 II 
 
 I prayed for light and truth, and if I had the right 
 To think, establish, prove and teach whatever 
 
 might 
 Appear to me to be correct and best for man. 
 The answer to my conscience came: "You have 
 
 and can 
 New systems teach, beware you teach the truth, 
 
 you may 
 Let your imagination carry you away 
 Unto the uttermost bounds of all human thought." 
 So my imagination on a comet caught. 
 Away it sailed in space, but no out edge was found, 
 
134 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I cried, "A line without an end! Space with no 
 
 bound! 
 Impossible but must be true ! If there's an end. 
 What next?" The finite mind doth fail to see the 
 
 trend. 
 All problems are the same, conclusions must be 
 
 true. 
 Impossible, though they may seem to the first view. 
 Eternal Life, also, appears in the same way; 
 Impossible, but Must be True, we have to say. 
 
 Ill 
 
 The finite mind doth see so far, so little knows 
 That man may be confused and helpless in the 
 
 throes 
 Of the bewild'ring, awful thought "Infinity," 
 His mind gives 'way and he accepts "Divinity" 
 As taught by some assumptive revelation old. 
 That claims to.be the only truth that has been told; 
 His onward progress to a new and higher plane 
 Is thus estopped, he dare not credit, nor retain 
 The proven laws of nature disproving his creed. 
 And knowing that he's right, to truth he pays no 
 
 heed. 
 He teaches to his children the tenets and rites 
 Of his belief, all other systems he indicts. 
 No argument, or logic turns him from his plan, 
 He stays a clog to universal peace of man. 
 
 IV 
 
 Thus, man inherits customs, race, his faith and 
 
 dress 
 To which he clings tenaciously, though you express 
 Convincing facts as proof of better ways and laws; 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 135 
 
 But constant teaching gradually wins applause, 
 Creates a doubt that leads one to investigate; 
 Investigation finds the truth to regulate 
 Beliefs of man, and bring about reforms and 
 
 change. 
 
 And man advances to a higher plane and range; 
 But often holds the old until the new is tried. 
 That man is not to blame, can hardly be denied — 
 A creature of environment, misruled, mistaught, 
 A slave to old tradition, mind with fear is fraught. 
 No change can be until a doubt the mind con- 
 ceives, 
 The truth will then appear more plain the mind 
 
 relieves. 
 So doubt is necessary for the world's advance 
 To faith in proven truth, and doubt of all romance. 
 
 V 
 
 There never was a time in all this world's career, 
 But man looked back on ancestor's beliefs so queer 
 And wondered how they could so inconsistent be. 
 It was for lack of knowledge that they failed to see 
 The reason for the most simple phenomenon. 
 They had no proven laws to base their logic on. 
 And so they worshiped idols, sun, fire, geese and 
 
 cows 
 With incantation, sacrifice and foolish vows. 
 Then, somewhere in the woods, or in the land of 
 
 Nod 
 A seer a private talk has with the living god; 
 He is informed about just how all things begun; 
 He gets the truth, the whole truth, that's under the 
 
 sun; 
 The laws and regulations for the chosen race; 
 And thus advance is made to faith not quite so 
 
 base. 
 
136 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 VI 
 
 Why fear to find the truth? the truth will set you 
 
 free. 
 And absolute and perfect faith will give to thee 
 The constancy of law and God will be so sure, 
 You'll "Keep the law" to save your soul and health 
 
 secure. 
 Discard irrational incantation and charm, 
 Idolatrous rites and forms and have no alarm; 
 You get reward according to deeds, just and true. 
 And punishment is sure for sins that you may do. 
 There's no forgiveness unless you quit the wrong, 
 And "Go thy way and sin no more," and then, ere 
 
 long. 
 There's inspiration to the soul, return to health. 
 And growth in power to shun the paths of sin and 
 
 stealth, 
 And treat your neighbors as you want them to 
 
 treat you. 
 And have that change of heart to give to each his 
 
 due. 
 With charity for all, good will and peace to man, 
 Accord with nature and the universal plan, — 
 All old things pass away and give room for the 
 
 new. 
 The dawn of better days will then appear in view. 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "That is a good production 
 and it does me good to see that you have brought 
 out the exact spirit of the true teaching of Jesus 
 in the sixth verse." 
 
 Archy: "Mr. Reliance, I thank you for the 
 compliment. I must go home. We part as 
 friends, and I hope to profit from your advice. 
 Good night." 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 137 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Mr. Reliance, you have suc- 
 ceeded well in your conversation with Mr. 
 Umbrage. He will soon be a good Christian." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "Archy is naturally a good 
 Christian." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Yes, his intentions are good, 
 but he comes out a little too strong on such men 
 as Rev. Formal, and takes offense when it would 
 do more good and be more Christian-like to be 
 patient." 
 
 Mr. Reliance: "He told me once that he 
 thought one gets the spirit of good from studying 
 the lives of great men and trying to emulate their 
 characters. There is some sense in such reason- 
 ing. Archy is a great student of history and has 
 formed his ideas on ethics." 
 
 Wade Insky: "He is independent! but when 
 a fellow has to toil like I do for a mere sub- 
 sistance, it about crushes out his character. 
 
 "When I was a child, I remember a story of a 
 boy kneeling by the bedside of his dying father, 
 and I said mournfully, 'Poor Peter, poor Peter.' 
 An older brother said, 'Wade is going to cry,' 
 and I did cry as if my poor heart would break, 
 while all around me all except my mother were 
 laughing at my expense. 
 
 "That kind-hearted child has been driven to do 
 many cruel ^eeds since then by this awful, cruel 
 animal struggle for existence, and by blinded 
 fanatics and sordid devotees of Mammon. Lit- 
 tle consideration or mercy has ever been shown 
 
138 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 him. He generally has been compelled to show 
 a reckless, hard-hearted demeanor contrary to his 
 real nature. I am in pretty hard circmnstances 
 this year." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "Is there not plenty of work?" 
 
 Wade Insky: "Yes, there is some work, but 
 no one wants an old man. The government, the 
 corporations and large firms, all draw the age 
 limit. 
 
 "I have been in business and lost out, so I have 
 no trade and belong to no union. Wherever I 
 ask for work, they notice my age, or not having 
 a union card, no work is given. If I am given a 
 job at some hard labor, I am expected to do as 
 much or more than younger men. If I wear out, 
 I am kicked off the job. I tell you that an old 
 man has no show and that is all there is about it." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "This does not look just right, 
 but I do not know what is to be done. Many 
 poor women and children are slaving for half pay 
 trying to earn an honest living. There ought to 
 be something done to provide work for the needy 
 at least." 
 
 Wade Insky: "We inherited a continent of 
 rich, virgin soil and untold mineral wealth. It 
 has been given away to foreigners, squandered, 
 or put into the hands of a few to buy foreign 
 titles, while the descendants of old Revolutionary 
 heroes are beggars, tramps and slaves fighting 
 like dogs for the crumbs that fall from their mas- 
 ters' tables. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 139 
 
 "This soil has been used for years and does not 
 possess its virgin, intrinsic value, but the unrea- 
 sonable increase in population and necessity of 
 man has put the price of this depleted soil out of 
 our reach. There is nothing left but dry desert, 
 and there the poor settler is robbed by bogus, 
 irresponsible irrigation companies. 
 
 "The poor can not get justice in the courts, for 
 the rich opponents procure lawyers to twist the 
 law, or appeal to other courts until the poor liti- 
 gant is broken up. Now, after it is too late, a 
 few begin to agitate conservation. Conservation 
 will not do. There must be a readjustment." 
 
 Rev. Damon: "A readjustment may be ac- 
 complished by a system of land, income and inher- 
 itance taxation •and government ownership to 
 gradually change conditions, without interfering 
 materially with private enterprise, but we must 
 move slowly and not become desperate and under- 
 take to change by violence. Let the majority 
 rule." 
 
 Wade Insky: "I shall not argue this with 
 you, but will tell you about an irrigation swindle 
 that I am well acquainted with. 
 
 "I knew J. Noble Juggler and his spittoons, 
 I. M. McSkunk, G. O. Getthem, and J. E. 
 Fetchem, who so misrepresented an irrigation 
 project that they sold poor, elevated desert land 
 at thirty dollars an acre to hundreds of poor set- 
 tlers and also charged one dollar per acre a year 
 for maintenance of ditches, etc. 
 
140 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "They lied about the chmate and the products 
 and failed to furnish water. They never kept 
 their promises. They had their contracts so 
 worded that settlers, unable to make a living, 
 gave up their land and had no recourse for dam- 
 ages. 
 
 "These scoundrels sold the land over and over, 
 and may be at it yet so far as I know. Our legis- 
 lators are so blind that no provisions are made to 
 prevent such robberies. Here, many poor fami- 
 lies lost their money and were brought to the 
 agonies of starvation. 
 
 "Is it not about time for the people to take 
 charge of the affairs of state ? Here is one of my 
 attempts to write poetry." 
 
 ONLY WHAT IS PROVEN IS KNOWN 
 
 This is a singular world we are living in, 
 
 We do not understand why we are here; 
 There is no knowledge that shows us how things 
 begin. 
 Though some may think they can see their way 
 clear. 
 
 Everj^thing that I see is beyond my mind 
 And I am puzzled to such a degree. 
 
 That I conclude no one knows or will ever find 
 Laws that will prove why things grow or may be. 
 
 So we don't know what is true if not proven so. 
 You may believe the unknown, say don't know. 
 
 I do not know, but I think I'm inspired to write 
 This kind of logic poor man to enlight. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 141 
 
 It is the man who is sure what he thinks is true, 
 And knows his faith is correct to a tee, 
 
 Who's apt to persecute those of another view 
 And have no reason and little mercy. 
 
 Of course he thinks he is serving his God with vim 
 To win a title to mansions in the skies. 
 
 And I am trying to teach all such men as him 
 That they don't know and I hope they get wise. 
 
 For there is room for us all to remain in peace 
 On this terrestrial sphere for all time. 
 
 And have no more ill dispute over sophistries; 
 For this will bring to the world peace sublime. 
 
 Rev. Damon : "I am no poetry critic. Never 
 could write anything that looked like poetry, but 
 it seems that you have expressed some of your 
 thoughts very well in rhyme." 
 
 Here the social gathering dispersed, which fin- 
 ished the discussion. 
 
 I sincerely hope that Rev. Damon is right in 
 regard to the Divinity of Jesus — for no one need 
 fear injustice from such a judge as the lowly 
 Nazarine. 
 
 I shall always remember this reverend friend 
 with love. I have no doubt but what his reward 
 is sure. He had the true spirit of Jesus. 
 
142 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 SOMETHING NEW 
 
 I can not sing the old songs, 
 So I look for something new; 
 
 I do not like the old styles. 
 They make blue to view. 
 
 I want to see the new come, 
 
 That will make the world to move; 
 
 I want to hear things humming 
 In the line with what we prove. 
 
 Fm always looking for change; 
 
 Things a rollin', rollin' on; 
 Reforms can't come too fast, see! 
 
 For they're needed ev'ry one. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 143 
 
 OLD CUSTOM 
 
 Old Custom came along. 
 
 And said, "How do you do?" 
 "Not doing well," I said. 
 
 "I'll have no talk with you." 
 Old Custom is no friend; 
 
 I treat him as a clown. 
 We look for something New: 
 
 Some day we'll turn him down. 
 
 Let justice be our aim, 
 
 Let error pass away. 
 And Truth all time prevail. 
 
 And bring a better day. 
 Give man a chance to work. 
 
 And never idle be; 
 And let him live in peace, 
 
 However he may see. 
 
THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT 
 
 1913 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 On one of my trips away from my retreat, I 
 wandered into the little city of Glenden. 
 
 I was resting in its beautiful park when an old 
 man accosted me with the remark, "You seem to 
 be a stranger here?" I replied, "I have not 
 been here for over forty years." 
 
 He was one of these talkative old fellows who 
 never let up when once they get a victim who 
 will listen to them. So I listened without reply 
 to his rambling remarks something like this : 
 
 "Well, another constitutional election is on 
 hand this year. In 19 — , twelve years ago, we 
 had a very quiet time. How quick twelve years 
 have rolled around! 
 
 "Let me tell you, Glenden has a much more 
 contented people now than it had before the 
 great constitutional and general law election was 
 held in 19 — , when the people by a majority vote 
 decided to change their form of government by 
 accepting the progressive party's proposal, a new 
 constitution and a new code of laws in plain 
 English, giving the people the right to decide 
 what shall be the law of the land, and empower- 
 
 144 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 145 
 
 ing them to engage in all kinds of business enter- 
 prises that regulate prices, gives everybody work 
 and prevents extortions of the trusts. 
 
 "The provision for a constitutional election 
 every twelve years was a wise move. Each party 
 is given the right to submit a constitution and 
 general code of laws, and if a majority of those 
 voting accept either plan, the new system takes 
 the place of the old; but if no party receives a 
 majority, then the old constitution will stand 
 until the next constitutional election twelve years 
 later. This plan brought out all the inventive 
 genius of the country to produce the most just, 
 inexpensive and humane government that could 
 be devised. The desire of all parties to win a 
 majority vote had the effect to prevent extremes, 
 or unreasonable propositions. 
 
 "It is proven that where there are several plans 
 from which to select, that the plan that can win 
 a majority vote over all must be shorn of all 
 favoritism and be of such tangible form as to 
 prove that a stable government will be provided. 
 
 "In the election of 19 — , the change to our 
 present stable currency was carried. The most 
 unchanging in value commodity that exists was 
 made the unit of exchange and a legal tender 
 for all debts. This unit is a day's labor, eight 
 hours of common labor, named *daylor,' was 
 made to equal two and one-half dollars in the old 
 money. Every daylor represents intrinsic value, 
 eight hours of hard work. 
 
 10 
 
146 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "At first there was some hoarding of gold and 
 fear, but that has all passed away. The disuse 
 of gold, especially for money, has reduced its 
 value. It is only needed for some foreign trade 
 and ornament. 
 
 "Only a few are left here in Glenden who 
 remember the suffering, graft, bribery, dens of 
 vice and general debauchery of the people from 
 the use of narcotics and intoxicants. The masses 
 were driven to desperation and insanity. Nearly 
 all were perverted in body, soul and judgment. 
 
 "John Oldwheat, the supervisor of the Public 
 Service Store and Dispensatory, his wife, who 
 was Mary Archer, and James Archer, the super- 
 visor of the Public Service Bank, were here in 
 Glenden before the people's rule began. The 
 old professor, Edmon Strange, who makes his 
 home with Mr. Oldwheat, was the principal of 
 the Glenden schools for several years preceding 
 the great change in our management of public 
 affairs. 
 
 "Mr. Oldwheat, his wife, James Archer and a 
 few others living here were graduated from the 
 Glenden schools under Prof. Strange, and all 
 think so well of this estimable old gentleman 
 that he prefers to live here with his friends. He 
 has been in the Public Service for many years and 
 served faithfully in every position with which he 
 has been trusted, is retired with honor and gets a 
 pension on account of advanced age." 
 
 At last I broke away from the old man, think- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 147 
 
 ing^ that he was not accountable, and I wandered 
 down the street. I was bewildered by the great 
 change that I saw on all sides of me. I could not 
 account for so many large buildings, which I 
 learned were mostly for the Public Service. 
 
 I was attracted to a large, durable stone struc- 
 ture right in the center of the city. I asked a 
 man at the door what it was used for, and he 
 informed me that it was the Public Service Acad- 
 emy of Science, that there were many scientific 
 departments and laboratories for experiments 
 and teaching; that there was a large audience 
 room for all to hear scientific lectures and see 
 experiments performed. He asked me to step 
 in, as there would soon be a very instructive lec- 
 ture, given by Prof. Mentor, the renowned Public 
 Service Investigator. 
 
 I was shown a seat, the most perfect and easy 
 cushioned I ever sat in. I was amazed, but, as 
 I always listen to others, read, study, and experi- 
 ment, not to find out what others think, but to 
 determine what I, myself, think upon all ques- 
 tions, I was all attention to Prof. Mentor as he 
 said: 
 
 "Fellow Citizens : While man has made great 
 discoveries such as : wireless communication which 
 enables those in conversation to see each other 
 while conversing; moving pictures that talk; 
 transmission of mail across the United States 
 in three hours through pneumatic tubes; 
 preservation of suspended life for any length 
 
148 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 of time to be resuscitated; the production of 
 real blood in the laboratory to assist in pro- 
 longing life; agents to remove all harmful 
 microbes from the living ; machines to throw balls 
 of electric force and volumes of poisonous gases 
 that will easily destroy a whole army or city, and 
 an electric device to explode the enemy's ammuni- 
 tion, so that the universal peace of the world is 
 all that saves us from destruction; and scientists 
 working hard, with various success, to produce all 
 foods direct from the elements, and many other 
 inventions and discoveries that stun us ; but these 
 are now eclipsed by what I shall demonstrate 
 today. 
 
 "We have discovered agents and conditions by 
 which to resolve metals into their constituent 
 parts, and we find that metals are often composed 
 of the same elements combined in different pro- 
 portions. 
 
 "Now, we are led to believe that all of the 
 seventy-two substances, heretofore called ele- 
 ments, are stable compounds of a much less num- 
 ber of elements in different proportions. 
 
 "The chemist proved many years ago that the 
 same substances combined in different propor- 
 tions made different materials, foods, poisons, 
 solids, liquids, or gases. 
 
 "I am prepared today to show to you that gold, 
 silver and iron are composed of the same elements 
 combined in different proportions. By the reso- 
 lution of iron into its constituent parts and re- 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 149 
 
 combining in the right proportion, it will be 
 changed to gold. This much has been accom- 
 plished. We are working hard to discover the 
 truth along these lines as far as we can go, to 
 establish the laws so far as can now be seen for 
 a readjustment of our text books to suit the new 
 scientific discoveries. The old was right as far 
 as it went and has been the means by which we 
 have climbed to these wonderful possibilities. No 
 one knows what may yet be proven by investiga- 
 tion and experiments, but there is enough to cause 
 us to bow in great reverence to the Supreme 
 Ruler of all things." 
 
 After performing his experiment and demon- 
 strating the change of iron to gold. Prof. Mentor 
 closed by saying : 
 
 "This easy supply of gold will now compel the 
 few backward nations to advance to the standard 
 of labor. 
 
 "Man has discovered that there is one strange 
 force possessed by all material and that this force 
 is governed by unchangeable laws that appear 
 to keep all material, the whole universe in con- 
 stant motion, evolving planetary systems, change 
 of forms, growth and decay, life and death, ever 
 moving in cycle upon cycle forming anew as old 
 things pass away. He has about proven that all 
 forms of matter are stable or unstable compounds 
 of a few elements that possess this force in differ- 
 ent degrees of intensity and under certain condi- 
 tions combine in different proportions to produce 
 
150 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 the thousands of compounds that we find in 
 nature. This force is called attraction. Man 
 has proven enough of the laws of attraction and 
 the affinities of substances to explain the cause of 
 many of the occurrences in nature; but he can 
 not answer why the force of attraction exists. 
 
 "We have found an agent that readily decom- 
 poses all earth material, except platinum, and 
 by its use, we hope to do many things. We see 
 no reason why this agent can not be passed 
 through platinum tubes and sink a hole to the 
 center of the earth, unless this is a solid mass of 
 platinum on account of its specific gravity. 
 
 "The scientific world is now on the tip-toe of 
 expectations." 
 
 After this, I wandered into Mr. Oldwheat's 
 home and was made welcome. Mr. Oldwheat 
 came home from the store and sat down in his 
 easy chair. 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat, ever on the outlook for her 
 husband's comfort, noticed that he looked wearied 
 and said: "What is the matter, John? You 
 look tired." Mr. Oldwheat replied; "I am 
 tired. I have been busy distributing the new 
 constitutions and codes that the various parties 
 are submitting for the November election." 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Oldwheat, "there will not be 
 much excitement this election, will there? It 
 seems to me that everybody is now well pleased 
 to let well enough alone." 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Oldwheat, "there is a chance 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 151 
 
 for quite a campaign. The conservatives have 
 come out with a very fine constitution. Their 
 men are all of good reputation, but there is a 
 reactionary tone about the whole document. 
 There is a slight incorporation of the old system, 
 to have certain laws made by a small body of rep- 
 resentatives of the people 'to facilitate the action 
 of the government,' as they claim. The progres- 
 sive party has put up good men and stands pat 
 on our present system with very few amendments. 
 I have no doubt but what the progressives will 
 win, but there is always a chance for a reaction 
 to take place. The socialists propose a great 
 change and, while they have no chance to win, 
 they may stir up much argument which may 
 cause needed reforms." 
 
 **I hope," said Mrs. Oldwheat, "that the reac- 
 tionaries are defeated. Let us hold all the power 
 for the people. We should not move back toward 
 the old hog-and-dog system that you and I 
 remember so well. 
 
 "In 19 — , we studied a long time before we 
 were convinced, and had it not been for the good 
 Prof. Strange, who took so much time in explain- 
 ing, we and our parents might have feared to 
 make a change." 
 
 Mr. Oldwheat said: "I remember well how 
 the Professor told us to do right because it is 
 right, and how we should not do to others what 
 we do not want them to do to us. He had the 
 knack of making us see that he was giving us a 
 
152 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 chance to escape and that he was interested in 
 our welfare. He claimed that all children are 
 naturally good, but that their minds are pliable 
 and easily led into wrong by bad treatment and 
 unwholesome environments, which considering 
 the state of society, was hard to escape. He told 
 us that we were just as good, or better than he 
 himself was, but that he was in the place of 
 teacher and was required to govern the school. 
 We all voted that we wanted order. We felt 
 like we were to be given a square deal." 
 
 "How you do make me remember how kind 
 he was," said Mrs. Oldwheat. "Do j^ou remem- 
 ber one day when I was whispering and he called 
 me to his desk and said that I was the best girl 
 in the world and that he would help me all he 
 could, but just wished that I would not whisper 
 and disturb the school work, and then he kindly 
 sent me back to my desk? How I dropped my 
 head and took a good cry! Why, I was pun- 
 ished worse than being scolded or whipped. I 
 just know by his looks that he almost loved me. 
 You were just a little jealous, too, John." 
 
 "Oh, I remember that," said Mr. Oldwheat, 
 "and I think it was the same day that he said 
 that there was a young man that was playing 
 tricks and thought that he was too smart to get 
 caught, but that his tricks were annoying, and if 
 they did not cease, he would have to call the 
 young man out and take some action to stop the 
 nonsense." 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 153 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Oldwheat, ''you and some 
 other boys, each, thought that he was the particu- 
 lar chap." 
 
 "We all gave Prof. Strange credit for giving 
 us fair warning and treating us kindly," said Mr. 
 Oldwheat. "He never liked to make a public 
 show of any one, or prove anj^ one guilty of a 
 low down trick. When he left his fine, little pen- 
 knife on his desk and Jim Jigger stole it at 
 recess, he just knew who had that knife. The 
 Jiggers were known as thieves, and before this 
 Jim had stolen everything that he could lay his 
 hands on. Prof. Strange just remarked that 
 some one had borrowed his knife and explained 
 why we should always return such things. So he 
 just requested that whoever had the knife should 
 slip around at intermission and leave it on his 
 desk. Sure enough! When school took up, 
 there was the knife. Jim studied hard after that, 
 always stood by the teacher and is now in the 
 Public Service well respected and doing fine." 
 
 "We can never forget the good lessons that he 
 taught us," said Mrs. Oldwheat. "We could 
 talk for months about them and then not touch 
 half his work. No one can estimate the influ- 
 ence that such a man can start to going in this 
 world. It is strange how he swayed us to the 
 truth and right just by the logic of the duty of 
 one to another." 
 
 "Prof. Strange," said Mr. Oldwheat, "went so 
 far with his theories on evolution in teaching 
 
154 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Biology and explaining that everything has a 
 cause in nature that the orthodox churches of that 
 day were turned against him. Had not we 
 scholars stood for him, he might have lost his 
 position." 
 
 "Father was one of the directors," said Mrs. 
 Oldwheat, "and he informed those poor bigots 
 that the teacher was only teaching what the text- 
 books taught and that as science was proving 
 what it taught, it would be unjust and foolish to 
 handicap the teacher in such work to agree with 
 any assumed revelation. Father thought that 
 we would have to interpret the symbols of the 
 Bible so as to make them agree with known facts. 
 Anyhow, he carried the school-board his way." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat excused herself to see about the 
 preparation of supper for a lot of young Old- 
 wheats who were coming in from their work and 
 the schools. 
 
 Mr. Oldwheat sat in his easy chair resting and 
 musing : 
 
 "How strange is life! Why do we remember? 
 No one knows where or how the things remain in 
 the mind. 
 
 "How much I find myself thinking and using 
 the same methods learned so long ago at school. 
 How strange that the influence of a teacher 
 should live on as it does. My actions are differ- 
 ent from what they might have been, and so this 
 influence is passed on to all with whom I asso- 
 ciate. Our children are affected and to all time 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 155 
 
 ever increasing, Prof. Strange has left an influ- 
 ence in the world. 
 
 "It would seem that we are the product of the 
 influences of the ages. Lucky is the man whose 
 lot is cast under good influences, and to be pitied 
 and helped is the poor man who has fallen to evil 
 influences. 
 
 "In my boyhood, I was surrounded with all 
 kinds of vice and I was on the down road; but 
 along came this good and just man, Prof. 
 Strange, and fired me with the desire to be trust- 
 worthy. He patiently taught until I straight- 
 ened up. I won the love of the best woman in 
 the world, and how I have striven to be just and 
 kind to all. Yes, we must remove the causes 
 that keep evil influences in the world. Evil 
 must be choked to death with good. Superstition 
 is an evil that is difficult to handle. It becomes 
 so interwoven in the life of the victim that the 
 removal may mean moral death to him. 
 
 "We do not always know what is best and we 
 must move slowly, always showing due respect 
 for the opinions of others. Let us hope for all 
 things that are best for us and submit to the law 
 of the Supreme Ruler and have faith that all is 
 well." 
 
 Soon after the distribution of the plans sub- 
 mitted for the November election, all was investi- 
 gation and friendly consideration as to which 
 would work best. All admitted that there was 
 no serious danger to be apprehended from any 
 
156 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 system proposed. They were all surprised at the 
 immense work and study that had been done in 
 their preparation. 
 
 At a gathering of friends of Mr. Oldwheat in 
 his library, Prof. Strange was called on to ex- 
 plain to them the struggle of man to reach his 
 present high civilization. 
 
 Prof. Strange, over eighty years old, spoke in 
 deliberate language as follows : 
 
 "My Dear Friends: I consider it no light 
 responsibility to undertake to teach the truth, as 
 we are only beginning to reason logically with 
 minds free to accept whatever is proven. 
 
 "We feel and know that there is much that we 
 .may yet learn, and a great unknown that man 
 can never fathom. 
 
 "We have hypotheses, theories and proven 
 laws. The hypothesis may advance to the rank 
 of a theory or be dropped as foolish. The theory 
 may be proven and become a law, or may be 
 proven false. The laws stand as guide posts sure 
 and everlasting on the road penetrating the 
 unknown. 
 
 "These laws lead us to the high plane of faith 
 in the constancy of all laws, known or unknown, 
 and spur us on in our research for more truth. 
 
 "That all matter has existed forever and pos- 
 sesses inherent forces that keep it in motion 
 evolving all things without the loss of an atom, 
 a law, or diminution of forces, is a plausible 
 hypothesis. That these inherent forces of matter 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 157 
 
 have evolved all forms of life from the lowest to 
 the highest is almost a proven theory and may be 
 accepted as law. 
 
 "The earth is an open book to the geologist. 
 He turns the stratum leaves and sees full sized 
 pictures of all the life that ever inhabited this 
 globe in order of its existence. A revelation to 
 man that tells of millions of years of struggle 
 and groping for an understanding. 
 
 "Only a few years have passed since man in- 
 vented the alphabet and learned how to write, 
 and then only a few scribes could write and the 
 masses remained in ignorance until recent times. 
 The outlet to the truth has been hidden by the 
 debris of assumed revelations and false sophis- 
 tries. 
 
 "During those millions of years of which we 
 have no written account, how the tribes of man 
 and their imaginary gods fought and what awful 
 suffering took place, we can only conjecture. 
 
 "These prehistoric peoples handed down many 
 legends. It may be that many of these legends 
 were based on actual events, and that many were 
 imaginary stories. 
 
 "The old scribes wrote these legends, thousands 
 of them, and they formed the basis for the re- 
 ligions of mankind. These legends created the 
 gods in the image of pristine man, and as he 
 was cruel and tricky, the gods were cruel and 
 dangerous to deal with. You can tell the nature 
 qfa people by learning the nature of their god. 
 
158 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Each revelator claimed that his revelation was 
 the whole truth, and that all others were liars. 
 This kept down New Thought. Good men, 
 teachers of advanced thought, were put to death. 
 Millions of the best of mankind have lost their 
 lives in this way in the name of some god; but 
 God was not there. 
 
 "The God of Love and Justice, through his 
 agents, the evolutionary forces of nature, has 
 raised man to his present high plane of logic that 
 is a guarantee of the ultimate salvation of all 
 races of man and a cessation of strife, all old 
 things passing away and everything becoming 
 new, all upheld by a perfect faith in the rights 
 of man to work out his own salvation and advance 
 to a better understanding. 
 
 "Man is now advancing onward and upward 
 rapidly. The wonders that he has done give us 
 promise of greater blessings to follow. 
 
 "Just a short time ago the printing press was 
 invented. That put an education in reach of 
 many people instead of a few, and as the masses 
 became educated, they learned to contend for a 
 more just rule, but the bondage of the old dog- 
 m^as have been hard to overcome. Now, there 
 are few left who deny the rights of man to 
 change his government or his religion to suit his 
 new environments and discoveries. There are 
 none left who desire to return to the plutocratic 
 rule of misery previous to 19 — . There is no 
 religion that now upholds the killing of so-called 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 159 
 
 witches and heretics; in fact, there are few who 
 uphold capital punishment or any kind of pun- 
 ishment. We have reached sure conclusions on 
 religion that forever banish those dark days. Our 
 God is Love. Our faith is absolute that God 
 will give justice to all and will never play any 
 tricks, nor punish us. We injure ourselves by 
 violating the law. 
 
 "Let us pray for an understanding of the law 
 of God, knowing that we must obey or suffer. 
 God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth." 
 
 This appeared as rather an unusual doctrine; 
 but I had nothing to say. 
 
 Then James Archer said: "Friends and 
 Neighbors : I hope that there is no one who dis- 
 putes that it is the people's right and duty to 
 improve their form of government and change 
 their beliefs to agree with known facts, and to 
 continue to adopt improved methods as fast as 
 experience and science work them out. 
 
 "The most capable men of each party have 
 spent the last twelve years carefully analyzing 
 results and inventing new methods and very cred- 
 itable is their work. 
 
 "While no party has dared to propose any 
 unfair proposition, it appears to me that the 
 socialists have proposed the most perfect solution 
 of all questions for present conditions, and have 
 wisely put up the most capable men of the coun- 
 try from all parties for the positions of trust. 
 
 "Their proposed constitution and code of laws 
 
160 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 provide: a check system that will prevent all 
 graft; a merit system that removes unworthy 
 public servants, high or low ; a labor system that 
 gives all a chance to work, whether voluntary at 
 the standard wage, or forcibly detained for treat- 
 ment on account of perverted intellect or evil 
 habits; a taxation that will supply the Public 
 Service with plenty of means to carry out increas- 
 ing public enterprise without injury to private 
 enterprise; a more elaborate system of Public 
 Service schools, and records of those preparing 
 for positions of trust; sanitariums for the free 
 treatment of the afflicted and habit fiends ; exclu- 
 sive control of all drugs, narcotics and intoxi- 
 cants; and a strict quarantine of all afflicted with 
 contagion, especially the foul diseases of men and 
 women that injure posterity. 
 
 "Friends, we have most of these institutions 
 and regulations now, and the results are so satis- 
 factory that no party has proposed a radical 
 change. The people are happy and more honest. 
 It is stated as a fact that three-fourths of the 
 inmates of the habit cure institutions presented 
 themselves for treatment, and one-half of those 
 on detention farms and in detention factories and 
 schools are there voluntarily. 
 
 "Thirty-six years of the people's rule has so 
 improved the health of the minds of our people 
 that insanity has decreased until we can safely 
 figure on using three-fourths of our insane asy- 
 lums for other purposes. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 161 
 
 "There is no danger for us in this election, but 
 in the hght of experience and after careful study 
 of all the provisions of the various propositions 
 before us, it is up to us for our welfare and the 
 onward march of humanity to vote for the best. 
 As I am fully convinced that this time the social- 
 ists have proposed the most complete and feasible 
 scheme for the continuance of a just government, 
 and the perpetuation to all time of the principle 
 of majority consent to all laws and the right to a 
 change of laws or systems without hindrance from 
 great capitalists, or the action of despots, backed 
 by armed force, I shall vote for, and urge the 
 adoption of the socialist's constitution and code 
 of laws." 
 
 Thinks I, that is some speech, but I had noth- 
 ing to say. 
 
 The Congregationalist minister. Rev. Hope, 
 then arose and said: "Beloved Friends and 
 Neighbors : The church no longer claims infalli- 
 bility of creeds, or man's interpretations of the 
 scriptures, nor denies the right to freedom of 
 thought. We admit that man is hardly to blame 
 for what he is ; for it is plain that he is a creature 
 of circumstances. 
 
 "Instead of punishing, we must teach, we must 
 educate. Instead of blaming the poor, perverted 
 human being, we must find the cause of his per- 
 version and remove that. 
 
 "The church claims that there is an all-wise 
 
 plan in the evolution of man and that all things 
 
 11 
 
162 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 exist for a purpose ; that miserj^ persecution and 
 all evil are the results of the disobedience of law, 
 known or unknown, and have served their pur- 
 pose in teaching man the truth and this is all 
 according to the law of God. If such things 
 exist against the will of God that would prove 
 that He is not supreme. 
 
 "Man has been working out his own salvation 
 and has received the truth and law only as fast 
 as he was able to understand. The scripture 
 shows the gradual change in man and holds out 
 the hope for immortality and a better day when 
 all will understand and be at peace. This hope 
 has sustained man through the long night until 
 now we see the dawn of the better day. This 
 hope of eternal life and a God of Love still sus- 
 tains man in the time of his troubles and bereave- 
 ments. 
 
 "Our faith in the constancy of all law and jus- 
 tice and a just reward to him who is faithful is 
 the great cause of our onward advance. 
 
 "Let us all beware and take care that we cast 
 an intelligent vote in November and secure for 
 ourselves and all mankind the greatest blessing 
 within our reach. But whatever may result, let 
 us hope that all is for the best and time will prove 
 and bring to pass that which will redound to our 
 welfare and God's will be done." 
 
 Father Francis of the Catholic Church said: 
 "My Good Neighbors: I heartily agree with 
 Rev. Hope. No doubt the church blundered 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 163 
 
 during those dark days and clung to old doctrines 
 and forms; but it was the life-boat in a sea 
 strewn with wrecks. It was the only port of 
 hope for man, and stood valiantly in the storm as 
 a guide to all in their desolation. 
 
 "We do not know why anything is. We be- 
 lieve and hope for many things. We have always 
 claimed that man must work out his own salva- 
 tion; that he must choose for himself, and if he 
 chose aright, God will help him. We believe that 
 that is true. So, if in the November election, we 
 choose aright, God will help us ; but if we choose 
 wrongly, the misery caused will assist us to find 
 the right and secure God's blessing at last. 
 
 "I have seen enough to have faith in the ability 
 of the people to do that which will continue the 
 work so well advanced, and I have decided that 
 Mr. James Archer's advice to vote the socialist 
 ticket is right. Their code of laws is simple and 
 plain, and will best enable us to live in peace and 
 redeem our fallen brothers and sisters. 
 
 "I am glad that I am here tonight. It gives 
 me great joy to see the charity and honesty of 
 purpose that exists in the hearts of all. Love, 
 justice and teaching in the place of greed, injus- 
 tice and punishment will make this world a para- 
 dise. 
 
 "O God, I have no ill will toward any one. 
 Give me power to lead the wayfaring to the light 
 of thy judgment." 
 
 It looked like preachers here had good sense; 
 but I said nothing. 
 
164 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Mr. Oldwheat said: "My brother-in-law, 
 James Archer, has declared for the socialist 
 ticket, but as for me, I am pretty well satisfied 
 with the present laws, and as the progressives 
 have put up amendments that cover most of the 
 questions of reform needed now, I think the pro- 
 gressive's plan will continue the improvement of 
 our system and prevent the unsettled conditions 
 that must follow such a radical change as pro- 
 posed by the socialists. 
 
 "The progressives stand the best chance to re- 
 ceive a majority vote, and in order that we may 
 get these amendments, I advise all to vote the 
 progressive ticket. 
 
 "I am not a speaker, but you see what I mean. 
 If we do not get a majority vote, our present 
 constitution and laws hold good for twelve years 
 longer." 
 
 Prof. Strange said: "Excuse me, Mr. Old- 
 wheat, the constitution provides that the electors 
 can vote each amendment separate^, for or 
 against, and so we can amend the constitution 
 and laws to guide the supervisors in control, even 
 if no party gets a majority vote. You can vote 
 for the socialists and also for what amendments 
 you desire on any ticket. Then, even if no new 
 code is adopted, the reforms continue." 
 
 District Judge Postem said: "Friends and 
 Fellow Citizens: It appears that the socialists 
 are in the lead here, and I have observed that 
 such is the case all over my district. Do not let 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 165 
 
 the name scare you. We are all socialists, 
 always have been to the extent that we have 
 worked together to carry on government, schools, 
 mails, harbor improvements, etc. Party name 
 signifies nothing. The question is just how far 
 shall the government go in this co-operation. We 
 now have the government, or the people, em- 
 barked in an extensive industrialism, which is 
 proving a success beyond our expectations. 
 
 "It represents what the socialist party taught 
 for many years before the great change in our 
 form of government. 
 
 "It has proven that we need not fear a well- 
 laid plan that has been worked out in detail 
 guided by our experience of late years, when we 
 remember how easily we passed from the old to 
 the new, thirty-six years ago. 
 
 "If you are convinced that any one of these 
 plans is better than our present system, vote for 
 it. I can see no reason why you can not con- 
 scientiously vote the socialist ticket this year." 
 
 Mr. Fred Best, a farmer in town for the night, 
 asked permission to express a few ideas. He 
 said: 
 
 "Ladies and Gentlemen: I came to town 
 today to do some marketing and pay my govern- 
 ment interest. Mr. Oldwheat kindly invited me 
 here, and I feel thankful to have the pleasure of 
 being present at such a meeting of leading citi- 
 zens and see such unity of purpose. 
 
 "I am eighty years old and was a life-long 
 
166 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 republican of the old school. I was made to 
 believe in the prohibitive tariff fallacy and capi- 
 talistic misrule. I was a carpenter and always 
 thought that if the republican party were de- 
 feated that the country would go to the dogs. 
 When the present system carried, I was filled 
 with dismay, though I had failed to make a decent 
 living at my trade. We old republicans know, 
 now, that we were mistaken. Why we tried to 
 regulate the trusts with trust-made laws, laws 
 that were secured by the bribery of legislators and 
 courts. 
 
 "The people thought that they were the rulers, 
 but, in fact, they had not much to say, and were 
 never permitted to get amendments to the con- 
 stitution or any laws that could not be twisted 
 to suit the great robbing syndicates. 
 
 "The masses were driven into a condition of 
 misery and desperation that caused the crimes, 
 degraded character and insanity so prevalent in 
 those days. This suffering served a purpose. It 
 was this that secured the majority vote for the 
 new form of government. This experience 
 teaches us to ever be in favor of improvements 
 that ameliorate the conditions of the suffering, 
 
 "At the quadrennial election in 19 — , the peo- 
 ple voted the amendment to give out land in five 
 to forty acre tracts to citizens only, at a rental of 
 four per cent of the assessed value, the improve- 
 ments to remain untaxed and the property of the 
 renter. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 167 
 
 "I rented the ten acres on which I have lived 
 ever since. I have been able to live and put 
 away plenty to meet the wants of old age. I 
 have not many years left me, but I want to warn 
 all voters to keep posted and try to vote for that 
 which will best continue an ever-increasing bet- 
 terment of the conditions of man. Whatever 
 you do, never again delegate the law-making 
 power to a few men and expect them to represent 
 you. 
 
 "The public markets have been a great benefit 
 to the producers in dispensing their goods. It 
 regulates the private commission houses automat- 
 ically just as the public enterprises have regu- 
 lated the trusts in all other lines. 
 
 "Why, in the old days of government favor- 
 itism, some banks made as high as twelve hundred 
 per cent upon their capital stock. All the bank- 
 ers united and formed a gigantic money power 
 to perpetuate their advantages by bribing the 
 so-called representatives of the people. This was 
 all proven in 1912 and had much to do with 
 bringing on the great reform. Friends, I thank 
 your for your courtesy." 
 
 Then a dignified old gentleman, William Flo- 
 rine, a retired banker, arose, as he said, "for a few 
 remarks." He said: 
 
 "Friends : Well may we be proud of this day. 
 I was at the head of a large National Bank in 
 those good old days that were so good for a few 
 of us who were cunning enough to get control of 
 
168 CRATER OF GOLD , 
 
 the wealth of the country and manipulate the 
 affairs of government to our own advantage. 
 
 "Like Mr. Best says, it was a dismal outlook 
 that faced us in 19 — ; but we were powerless to 
 oppose a majority vote and a raving populace 
 who were determined at all hazard to try the new 
 system. I admit now that I was mistaken, and 
 improvements along the same lines as we now 
 have should be well considered. 
 
 "The supervisors are given rather small pay 
 for the service they render ; but it seems that the 
 best of men are anxious to serve their country 
 and fellow men. They prize the gold medals of 
 honor that are given for faithful service. Prof. 
 Strange just told me that his medal of 'Well 
 done, thou good and faithful servant,' was most 
 precious to him. 
 
 "Results show us that we are on the right road 
 for the redemption of mankind. Look at labor. 
 Prior to the change in government, a daj^'s labor 
 would buy $2.50 in gold; now a day's labor will 
 buy $30 in gold ; then three days' board, now ten 
 days' board ; then two bushels of wheat, now six ; 
 then fifty pounds of flour, now two hundred 
 pounds ; then three bushels of potatoes, now eight 
 bushels of potatoes, and so on. 
 
 "In those times, laborers were out of employ- 
 ment much of their time and unable to find work ; 
 they became desperate and were forced to com- 
 mit what were called crimes in order to live; but 
 now work is always furnished and desperation is 
 a thinff of the past. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 169 
 
 "Our present system has removed nine-tenths 
 of the diseases, crimes, lewdness, and insanity that 
 pestered this poor world, and has brought health 
 and plenty beyond our fondest dreams. 
 
 "After the reform came, we old republicans 
 and the democrats formed a new party under the 
 name Conservative, with hope that we might save 
 the country. I have been a Conservative all these 
 years since then, but this election, God sparing 
 me, I shall vote for the reform code proposed by 
 the socialists." 
 
 I thought here is a wonder, an old republican, 
 later a conservative, but now in the name of God 
 he had become a socialist. I was getting uneasy ; 
 but I kept still. 
 
 Philip Sundine, an honest old German, said 
 that he was glad that the reform had come ; that 
 his children were doing fine, one son in the Pub- 
 lic Service, and that he got his beer from the 
 Public Service Dispensary, but that he knew that 
 he must not make a public show of himself while 
 drinking, nor give it away to others. 
 
 Mr. Oldwheat's family of youngsters were am- 
 bitious to prepare themselves for the Public 
 Service. Glenn and Archer, the two oldest of 
 the sons, were engaged in the wholesale business 
 and were doing well, still they were ready to 
 accept positions in the service of the people. 
 Esther, the oldest daughter, is the wife of Rev. 
 Hope, and hand in hand with her husband, they 
 work for the spiritual uplift of the people. Susie 
 
170 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Oldwheat and younger children are at home at- 
 tending the schools. Susie is a graduate of the 
 Glenden college and is attending the Public 
 Service school to put herself on the list of eli- 
 gibles for a position, either in the clerical or music 
 line. 
 
 As this is not a love story, little need that you 
 should know how pretty she is, or what is the 
 color of her eyes. She is a sensible young lady 
 of eighteen to whom life is worth living, and it 
 is to be supposed that the world will benefit by 
 the good that she will do as a kind mother to her 
 children and a loving wife to some man. Let us 
 hope that the one who wins her love is a man, and 
 not a perverted hypocrite. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 Susie went to the library one day and informed 
 Prof. Strange that she would like for him to tell 
 her about the old constitution and how they were 
 ever able to make such a great change. "Why, 
 Papa and Mama are so afraid of a change in gov- 
 ernment! I am anxious to know how it was 
 done. I want the whole truth from you." 
 
 The Professor answered : "I take great pleas- 
 ure in explaining this to you as near as my mem- 
 ory will serve me. The old constitution provided 
 for three departments of government: Execu- 
 tive, or enforcing the laws ; Legislative, or making 
 laws; Judicial, or interpreting the law, that is, 
 deciding what the law is. 
 
 "The great trouble was that the people could 
 not get amendments to their constitution, or laws 
 that they wanted. Only a few men, called rep- 
 resentatives of the people, could make laws, and 
 the people were never allowed an opportunity to 
 change these powers. Though these men were 
 supposed to represent the people, the money 
 power controlled them and prevented any action 
 that could not be turned to the advantage of 
 those avaricious money grabbers. 
 
 "It is true that many reformers, as well as 
 faddists, fanatics, and grafters, were elected to 
 
 171 
 
172 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 the legislatures and Congress ; but they would all 
 hobnob, pat each other on the back, buy and 
 swap votes and pass a whole bunch of trouble- 
 some and useless laws to harrass a long suffering 
 people, but seldom a chance was given the people 
 to vote on what should be law. I have known as 
 high as over three thousand of these worthless 
 measures before one legislature (Cal. 1913) 
 which only confounded the people. 
 
 "This imperfect constitution was in force over 
 a hundred years, but could not be amended, 
 though the people were calling for amendments 
 and change." 
 
 Susie: "Why, Mr. Strange! The constitu- 
 tion that I read gave twenty amendments!" 
 
 Prof. Strange: "Yes, that is so, but, you see, 
 ten of these were granted as a part of the consti- 
 tution to secure its ratification by the States, one 
 regulated the election of President and Vice- 
 President, one in regard to United States judges, 
 three resulted from the great Civil War, and the 
 last five were forced by the great progressive 
 movement which paved the way for the great 
 change in the form of our government. 
 
 "In those old days, everything was done to 
 make the rich richer, and subject the masses to 
 extreme poverty. At last, a few got about all 
 the wealth and combined to form a powerful 
 oligarchy. The masses were driven to despera- 
 tion and insanity. Terror was in their hearts. 
 Children were made to work like slaves. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 173 
 
 "A few men began to cry aloud, 'Let the people 
 rule.' Later, good men in all parties, Roosevelt, 
 Wilson, Bryan, Raker, Johnson, Mitchell, Bris- 
 tow, Calvin, Palmer, and many others demanded 
 amendments and oft repeated, *Let the people 
 rule.' These progressives became so strong in 
 all parties that many grafting politicians claimed 
 to be progressive. This all culminated in the 
 new party of that name. 
 
 "There was so much wretchedness and discon- 
 tent that something had to be done. 
 
 "By 19 — , all pretended to be in favor of rad- 
 ical means to catch the vote. The money power 
 magnates were always quiet and cunning in their 
 work, and supposed it was a good move for them 
 to support or acquiesce in a resolution that was 
 offered in Congress to settle all questions by 
 allowing each party to prepare and present in 
 full its idea of a constitution and general laws, 
 and submit them to the people for a decision. 
 This resolution provided that a majority vote 
 would be sufficient to adopt a new law. 
 
 "This started everybody to thinking. The 
 question was carried to the Supreme Court, which 
 ruled that the resolution must be ratified as an 
 amendment to the constitution to give the major- 
 ity vote of the people force to change it. 
 
 "The money power banked on the Supreme 
 Court and expected to bribe the legislatures of 
 the States and prevent the amendment as they 
 had done so often, but the people had suffered 
 
174 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 too long for that. The amendment was ratified 
 and became a part of the constitution. 
 
 "The syndicate magnates felt sure that no 
 great reform could win a majority with so many 
 plans in the race, or they expected that the demo- 
 crats would win on the old constitution with but 
 few amendments. 
 
 "The socialists proposed industrializing all 
 wealth, in the interest of the whole people, and 
 went so far in vague and uncertain propositions, 
 that they even lost the socialist vote. 
 
 "This enabled the progressives with practically 
 the same scheme as we now have to get the ma- 
 jority vote. You see they proposed government 
 ownership of enterprises sufficient, at least, to give 
 all unemployed work, but did not interfere with 
 private enterprises. They proposed to do this 
 with an inheritance tax, and income and land tax. 
 Some duties were to be collected to give business 
 a chance to adjust itself, also, to allow reciprocity 
 to work out a free-trade policy. 
 
 "At first, the people were stunned. This was 
 the most exciting campaign of our history. Great 
 and good men and women were won to the cause. 
 Some of the wealthiest saw the Light of a better 
 day. The socialists, except a few radicals, swung 
 into line. The money power and the democrats 
 got scared and flooded the country with money 
 for bribery ; but this served as a boomerang, and 
 to cut this talk short, the great Reform won. 
 
 "Your grand-parents at first were in great 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 175 
 
 fear. I had put in a lot of study upon the new 
 idea and assured them that the laws were good 
 and written in simple English so that the people 
 could be their own lawyers, and that all the ma- 
 chinery of government was well provided for 
 running along smoothly, then they became enthu- 
 siastic supporters of the New System. 
 
 "You don't see great lawyers nowadays mak- 
 ing enormous fees for covering up the tracks of 
 outrageous, rich beneficiaries of reckless and dis- 
 reputable deals by twisting the law and quoting 
 precedents. Now, the law of the people, with- 
 out precedent, tempered with equity and mercy, 
 is the guidance for decisions of judges and juries. 
 
 "We do not kill a man, but detain him and 
 bear with him kindly, that no child may ever 
 have its mind vitiated by such a horrible deed as 
 a public murder, and thereby be taught to justify 
 such an act. We give one a chance to Uve, work 
 and reform. 
 
 "Then, besides the United States law, there 
 were forty- eight State laws ; and common law, or 
 customs and precedents, which made a multi- 
 plicity of laws and law procedure, a tangled mess 
 that caused uncertain litigation and a rich harvest 
 for the lawyers who were trying to prevent law 
 enforcement or a just settlement of disputes. 
 Such a mix-up required a large army of judges 
 to try to figure out and decide what was law. 
 Now, all law is plain and the same in all parts of 
 the country. 
 
176 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Besides the numerous detention farms and 
 schools all over the country, we have one large, 
 well equipped detention farm and school where 
 all naturally perverted characters and murderers 
 are detained, kindly dealt with, taught and given 
 work at a minimum wage. They are set free 
 when the United States Commission of experts 
 find that a reformation has been accomplished. 
 
 "We have no panics now, or lack of employ- 
 ment, and the great majority of the poor who 
 used to wander and become victims of dens of 
 vice and filled the penitentiaries and poor houses, 
 are now marrying and living peaceful, moral 
 lives. This has settled the great immoral vice 
 question. 
 
 "There are many things of that time too bad 
 to relate. There was such brutality in the name 
 of the Lord and the law that I pause and think 
 it best to tell you no more." 
 
 Susie: "Oh, I am so thankful, Mr. Strange, 
 for your kindness in telling me about this. I 
 know you would tell nothing but the truth. I'll 
 be a better citizen and voter now. You have 
 made my duty plain and I respect and love you." 
 
 Prof. Strange: "Just one more idea. Here 
 in my secretary is a statement that I prepared 
 forty years ago. 
 
 "Costs of the blessings of government in the 
 United States, States, counties, townships and 
 cities about two billion dollars a year. 
 
 "What does that mean? 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 177 
 
 "One hundred and seventy-five car loads of 
 gold, 40,000 pounds to the car, a freight train 
 over a mile in length; 2,800 car loads of silver, a 
 freight train about twenty miles in length. 
 
 "Do you know, Susie, with all our government 
 enterprises now and the vast number that are in 
 the Public Service and with twice the population, 
 this expense is five times the amount needed now 
 to carry on all our enterprises and administer the 
 affairs of government ? There is much of my old 
 argument in this desk. Look them over at your 
 pleasure." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat came into the library and said : 
 "Well, Susie likes to listen to you, Professor, just 
 the same as I did long ago." 
 
 Susie: "He makes everything so plain. He 
 has been telling me about those wretched times 
 in the United States." 
 
 Prof. Strange : "Susie has never seen nor can 
 hardly comprehend the wrongs you and I had to 
 endure. Mary, your mother, was gentle and con- 
 siderate and set a good example that protected 
 her children from much of the folly of society 
 and vice. She would require her boys to leave 
 their handkerchiefs out of their pockets to get 
 them washed, as she would not go through any 
 one's pockets. Her children learned not to be 
 curious and meddle with others." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat: "Mother would not read our 
 letters, nor open father's letters, and by her exam- 
 ple, we learned to attend to our own business. 
 
 12 
 
178 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 It makes me uneasy the way some people do, so 
 curious that they must tear open their husband's 
 letters, read over people's backs and peek into 
 everything. People, on an average, are better 
 than they used to be, but my! it just looks like 
 a hopeless task to make this world fit for chil- 
 dren." 
 
 Prof. Strange: "I don't know. You have 
 succeeded pretty well. Your older ones are out 
 for themselves and doing well. Susie, here, is 
 the best young lady that I know, and if I were 
 sixty years younger, she would be the lady for 
 me." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat: "Just the same as ever. You 
 could never see much fault in the worst boys and 
 girls. You would claim that they were pretty 
 good — just happened to do a little wrong, but 
 did not mean any harm, and so on. It worked 
 good in those horrid times and the Lord knows 
 that I learned more from you than anybody how 
 to handle my own children. Now they will do 
 anything for Mother." 
 
 Prof. Strange: "Mary, the facts are: the 
 child comes into this world a little bundle of unde- 
 veloped faculties, inherited from the ages of the 
 past, its mind is a blank book in which no impres- 
 sions have ever been stamped; the pages of this 
 book are pliable and easily stamped with impres- 
 sions that as easily disappear, or may be so deep 
 as to last a lifetime ; all these impressions or ideas 
 result from contact with surroundings and the 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 179 
 
 struggle for existence; every idea is carried to 
 the pages of this book through the five senses; 
 like to the primitive man, to the child all things 
 are wonderful and unaccountable; only experi- 
 ence, in actual practice in the use of knowledge 
 gained by seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, or 
 smelling enables the child to form ideas and learn 
 to reason ; the child can never have a thought, or 
 do any act that is not the result of inheritance or 
 life's environments. 
 
 "As the child has its inheritance of the ages, 
 and its environments thrust upon it, is it hardly 
 responsible for its faults? We must conclude 
 that if conditions produce bad results that there 
 is no remedy except to change the conditions. 
 We must strike down the causes that are pervert- 
 ing the human intellect. 
 
 "A remedy that seeks to remove evil by wreak- 
 ing vengeance upon individual victims only ag- 
 gravates and sinks the victims down in their evil 
 nature; but a remedy that seeks to remove the 
 causes of evil, such as greed, deceit, cruelty, etc., 
 and substitute in their stead good impressions 
 such as love, honesty, mercy, and a desire to serve 
 mankind, can redeem humanity. 
 
 "Faith and rites, or forms without quitting the 
 wrong doing are of no avail. We must find the 
 law and obey it." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat: "I declare! Professor, you 
 make me feel like a sinner for omitting to study 
 more than I have to be sure what is law. Why 
 
180 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 not organize a society for the express purpose of 
 teaching the law and drop all that is nonsense?" 
 
 Prof. Strange: "We may be able to do so." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat: "I am willing to join such a 
 society, though I believe in lots of the church 
 work." 
 
 Prof. Strange: "Evil traits of mind that re- 
 main dormant in parents are often inherited by 
 the child so strong that it requires much example 
 and teaching to overcome them. This reversion 
 to the nature of some wild prehistoric ancestor 
 requires that we should study the child carefully 
 as to what to do. 
 
 "Every mind has a consciousness of its own 
 and must 'Tread the wine-press alone.' 
 
 "The progressives, guided by the Star of 
 Hope, builded better than thej^ knew when they 
 proposed that all reforms must recompense losers 
 in business and take care of the victims of the 
 old abuse. This has prevented narrow-minded 
 persecutions and permitted independence of 
 thought and conduct. No one knows even what 
 his own child or lifemate may do." 
 
 Mrs. Oldwheat: "Yes, and they provided for 
 a story of the Bible and only quote what is pure 
 for children to read. The Bible is kept only in 
 libraries, or for grown students and grown peo- 
 ple." 
 
 Prof. Strange: "That was a great day when 
 the people awoke to a consciousness of their 
 wrongs and brought forth such great good for 
 this world." 
 
CRATER OF GOLD l8l 
 
 And here I butted in. "Professor, this play 
 of the future makes this present time look bar- 
 barous, and — " 
 
 The Professor jumped to his feet and excitedly 
 exclaimed: "What can that mean? Where did 
 that come from?" Mrs. Oldwheat and Susie 
 were so frightened that I awoke to find myself 
 in bed at my retreat. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 I felt around for a match and lit the lamp. 
 Wide awake, my mental faculties were strained 
 to a high tension. What a vivid dream ! I saw 
 those people, heard their speeches and knew their 
 names. I can see them now. What does such 
 a dream mean ? The wild fantasy of a troubled 
 and restless brain ! 
 
 Can it be that the philosophy of olden times 
 is right and dreams and visions have a meaning? 
 
 I do not know why we dream, think or recol- 
 lect. There must be a cause, a source, or reason 
 for all these things that is beyond the mind of 
 man. 
 
 The unsophisticated who with veneration ac- 
 cept all that is as the all-wise plan of a Supreme 
 Ruler and uncomplainingly submit to the law and 
 bear with their lot, never attempting to fathom 
 the unseen mysteries of creation, are more con- 
 tent than those who enter the field of reason and 
 try to solve the First Cause of all laws of life, 
 motion and forces. 
 
 Reason causes the finite mind of man to help- 
 lessly knock at the door of Infinity, but there is 
 no answer — the door has never been opened. 
 
 A little reason is arrogant, and leads to many 
 fallacious conclusions of false sophistries; but 
 depths of reasoning force the greatest minds to 
 
 182 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 183 
 
 give up, and, as helplessly as a little child to pray 
 for mercy and ask for Divine guidance in the 
 ways of truth as far as is vouchsafed to man. 
 
 The unsophisticated accept the attributes of 
 God as set forth in some assumed revelation ; but 
 with the philosopher the attributes of God are 
 shown by the results of the application and use 
 of laws and forces, and are made to agree with 
 known facts ; or in the anguish of his own weak- 
 ness in the throes of the awful thought of Infin- 
 ity, the philosopher may drop his logic, and ac- 
 cept some revelation that comes with much pomp 
 and circumstance and assurances of infallability. 
 
 The great philosophers and advanced reasoners 
 of all times have not lived in vain. They gave 
 their lives for the good of man and led the way. 
 
 The originators of assumed revelations may 
 have believed in themselves as intermediaries be- 
 tween God and man; may have taken that 
 method to better reach superstitious man with 
 their messages; or they may have been accred- 
 ited by their followers with deeds and powers that 
 they did not claim. 
 
 Weak man has ever been ready to deify many 
 things and many men in his desire for a certainty 
 in his hopes. Man has always wanted a sure 
 thing and cast away doubt to his detriment. We 
 should learn to doubt what is false and have faith 
 in the truth. 
 
 Be it as it may, the fact remains that many 
 great truths have been taught by all these great 
 
184 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 teachers which paved the way for man's onward 
 advance. All that has been is our foundation 
 on which to build, and it is our duty to continue 
 the building, stanch and strong, to unite all man- 
 kind in one brotherhood under such rules and 
 regulations that each will be content in serving 
 all with the assurance that all will serve him in 
 time of need. 
 
 We surrender our liberty to the will of the 
 majority to form a government for co-operative 
 defense of our rights against the strong and cun- 
 ning, and when any form of government fails 
 to give this protection, it is our right to change 
 to such form as will tend to the ends of justice. 
 
 The "dream" suggests a new constitution and 
 uniform laws without precedents, for the whole 
 country; the great law of mutual responsibility 
 for the welfare of all ; government ownership and 
 control of sufficient enterprises to regulate the 
 trusts automatically and give work to the unem- 
 ployed ; that it is the people's right to decide what 
 shall be law and many other useful suggestions. 
 
 Can a system of government be invented that 
 will be stable and provide for such a system of 
 laws? 
 
 No political party can win by vague sugges- 
 tions. This reform party must formulate a com- 
 plete system of laws and law procedure so plain 
 and feasible that the people will be convinced 
 that it will work before they will yield that which 
 they now have and be in danger of unsettled 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 185 
 
 government, bloodshed and anarchy. Some one 
 will have to put in a long time at hard study and 
 work to prepare the new scheme. 
 
 The government ownership and control of pub- 
 lic utilities opens up a great field for graft that 
 will require serious consideration. If man could 
 always be trusted, what a paradise we could make 
 of this poor world! 
 
 It may come, but, my fellow man, you must 
 wake up to the fact that you must be worthy of 
 trust in whatever position that you may hold. 
 
 It can be done. There must be a way pro- 
 vided to catch the unworthy public servant and 
 take him to a nice home, treat him kindly, feed 
 him Yiell and teach him that in faithful service 
 he wins honor, respect and love, and that he 
 would never be allowed to suffer want if the 
 wheel of fortune turns against him. Make him 
 see that such as he prevents man's advance to a 
 just system of government. 
 
 Teach these perverted intellects that to take 
 care of them and prevent them from carrying on 
 their chicanery, great burdens are piled on the 
 backs of the people and a few are permitted to 
 control, rob man of the products of his labor and 
 secure the wealth of the country. 
 
 If we are born in poverty, or we use poor judg- 
 ment and lose our savings or our inheritance, we 
 suffer poignantly. It makes us think. It makes 
 us appreciate generosity. It makes us sympa- 
 thetic and merciful. It shows us the meaning of 
 
186 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 charity, and makes us cry out for one more 
 chance. Suffering has produced the noble quali- 
 ties and the spiritual growth that is most needed 
 in this world. This explains why a rich man has 
 not much chance. His riches dull his sensibili- 
 ties. His riches may make him independent, 
 careless and avaricious. He thinks that because 
 he is rich or was successful that all should have 
 been successful — not reasoning that for every mil- 
 lionaire there must be a thousand poor laborers. 
 
 It takes submission and kindness of disposition 
 to keep the poor from becoming desperate. It is 
 strange that they are so resigned to their fate. 
 It shows that man is naturally good, and if given 
 a chance, he will choose the better way. 
 
 So far in this world the strong and cunning 
 have held sway and at no time has work been 
 guaranteed to every one in the hour of need. No 
 time has man been taken care of in the name of 
 law, until too late, and then they bury him in the 
 Potter's Field. Remember, this suffering of the 
 poor cries aloud for justice, and many times in 
 the history of this world it has caused the over- 
 throw of Old Custom and brought forth advance 
 and improvement in the condition of the people. 
 
 Great minds and constructive geniuses spring 
 from the poor as well as the rich, and it is about 
 time for the new leader who can prepare the way 
 for another epoch in human history. I am only 
 the prophet of him who is to follow, and we know 
 not the hour when he will come, and then there 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 187 
 
 will be commotion, and a peaceable readjustment 
 of the government of man. While the masses 
 are broken in body by toil and the uncertainty of 
 a living, their spirit is not crushed, and their 
 minds are made ready for the sowing of the seed 
 of the new teaching, or we may say for the cor- 
 rect interpretation of the teaching of the Great 
 Teacher. 
 
 There are too many systems of law and law 
 procedure and consequent graft and great ex- 
 pense in securing results which may be more 
 costly than the graft that might result from gov- 
 ernment ownership. 
 
 There is too much added to the cost of an arti- 
 cle in the exchange from the producer to the 
 consumer which supports too many non-pro- 
 ducers. 
 
 The "dream" suggests a stable currency based 
 on labor and furnished to carry on business, with- 
 out the drain on labor to mine the gold to supply 
 the people with a costly exchange commodity 
 that is constantly wearing out and must be re- 
 placed — a continuous loss of labor that produces 
 no necessity of life. 
 
 This looks reasonable. The use of gold as 
 money makes it a distinct commodity aside from 
 gold, money, a legal tender for debt, which in- 
 creases the demand for gold and gives it an 
 enhanced value that it would not have as a com- 
 modity on its merits, and without the use as a 
 legal tender for debt it would sink low down in 
 the market. 
 
188 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 The quantitive theory of money is correct, and 
 as long as the increase of the production of gold 
 continues its purchasing power will decrease and 
 prices increase and laborers will suffer, as their 
 wages are not advanced to correspond with the 
 decrease in the purchasing power of their pay. 
 
 Unless man gets wise enough to invent a sys- 
 tem of money on a more stable basis than gold, 
 and upon something that a few can not corner 
 the supply to bring on panics and distress for 
 their gain, the chains and bands of slavery for 
 humanity are now being forged and riveted. AH 
 that will be left for the masses will be to beg for 
 the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables. 
 
 What shall we do to be saved? We must keep 
 our senses, be patient and not run amuck to kill 
 any one. We must solve the problem. All peo- 
 ple are good or have the essence of good within 
 them. They are only bad to the extent that the 
 system has made them so. 
 
 Legislators and able men, under capitalistic 
 rule and corruption, are beset with great tempta- 
 tions, and many very good men have fallen. Op- 
 portunity or poverty may tempt a good man to 
 his ruin. He should be pitied and shown mercy. 
 The causes of his downfall should receive our 
 attention. 
 
 That great patriot, who stormed the walls of 
 Quebec and at Saratoga, struck the blow that 
 gained us American Independence, under mis- 
 treatment and in poverty fell. I have known 
 men who professed religion and condemned this 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 189 
 
 man (I do not deny that his act was wrong) , but 
 sold their votes for one to five dollars a head. I 
 bought them. Were they or I much better than 
 Benedict Arnold? 
 
 We are tempted to buy our way to the legis- 
 lature or Congress, get up a threatening bill, and 
 sell out to make ourselves safe for life in this 
 brutal contest for supremacy. 
 
 We live in a time and in a country where the 
 majority rules, and until a majority vote can be 
 secured, we must submit and peaceably continue 
 our teaching and bear with our lot. 
 
 An inheritance tax of one-half of all estates 
 would relieve the congestion of money and prop- 
 erty, and a four per cent land tax would regulate 
 land values. Our tariff taxation should be used 
 as a leverage to force reciprocity on the world 
 and bring about universal free trade. Such tax- 
 ation would give the people's government plenty 
 of money to engage in enterprises that would con- 
 trol the markets and guarantee labor to those in 
 need and not forbid private enterprises. 
 
 Can a new system of government be invented 
 that will give justice to all and protect the weak 
 against oppressions and develop good men and 
 women ? 
 
 We must begin to figure what shall be the 
 form of the new constitution. 
 
 Why not Initiative Commissions and have all 
 laws referred to the people and form the Legis- 
 lative Branch of the Public Service? 
 
190 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Why not a Supreme Council of ten members 
 to enforce the will of the people and form the 
 Executive Branch of the Public Service? 
 
 Why not a Supreme Court, United States 
 District, County and Precinct Courts to interpret 
 the law of the people and form the Judicial 
 Branch of the Public Service? 
 
 Why not a Supervisory Board composed of 
 the Supervisors of the Departments of the Public 
 Utilities and form the Public Utility Branch of 
 the Public Service? 
 
 Why not discontinue the expense of support- 
 ing over twenty thousand legislators who are a 
 menace to our welfare? 
 
 Why not let State pride die a natural death 
 and provide for county, city and precinct organ- 
 ization for the purpose of administering the Peo- 
 ple's laws, and emphasize our duty to serve the 
 whole country? 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 191 
 
 NO CHANGE FOR THE OLD 
 
 No change in my purse, 
 
 No change in my life, 
 No chance to get on 
 
 And win in the strife; 
 Too old to get work, 
 
 Too young yet to die, 
 I'll wobble along 
 
 For another try. 
 
 Before I get work 
 
 There'll be an exam. 
 And as I'm too old. 
 
 They'll give me a slam. 
 U. S. or the trusts. 
 
 It makes little dif. 
 The old have no chance — 
 
 They're in for a biff. 
 
 How long, O my Lord, 
 
 How long will it last. 
 The old who is poor 
 
 Must be an outcast! 
 No justice in that, 
 
 A fact plainly seen, 
 If man had some sense 
 
 Or wasn't so darn mean. 
 
192 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 THE HOMESTEADER'S HOPE 
 
 I am toiling, sweetheart, I am toiling for thee, 
 Though the time is so long and I am so lonely; 
 I am looking so grey, I'm so wearied each day, 
 I'm desiring to quit and forget this lone play. 
 Out here trying to make us a farm for a home 
 I am toiling each day, and I'm living alone. 
 Still I'm longing, just longing for you and the day. 
 When my task will be o'er and you're with me to 
 stay. 
 
 But the waiting for crops that unwillingly grow. 
 And this looking for deals that are coming out 
 
 slow. 
 Making times very tight and my debts hard to 
 
 right, 
 You may think I'm not doing as much as I might 
 To get ready for you our new home in the West. 
 I assure you, sweetheart, I am doing my best. 
 Still I'm longing, just longing for you and the day, 
 When my task will be o'er and you're with me to 
 
 stay. 
 
 O the sun shines so bright in this land of the West, 
 Near the shade of Mount Lassen's volcanical crest. 
 Where all nature out west is producing the best, 
 Which encourages one to continue his quest 
 For the richest of land and the finest of gold, 
 As these mountains are filled with these riches 
 
 untold. 
 Still I'm longing, just longing for you and the day. 
 When my task will be o'er and you're with me to 
 
 stay. 
 
THE CABIN DWELLERS 
 
 The writer visited Meddar, a typical example 
 of many towns of the West that have seen pros- 
 perous dsiys but the cause of their prosperity hav- 
 ing vanished, these towns are left with few in- 
 habitants and many empty cabins and dilapidated 
 houses. 
 
 These cabins are used by transients and the 
 wayfaring. Every winter generally finds several 
 of them occupied by prospectors and poor fellows 
 who batch and get through the winter months as 
 best they can waiting for better weather to con- 
 tinue their respective employments. 
 
 I made the acquaintance of several cabin 
 dwellers in Meddar who were in the habit of 
 visiting each other and whiling away the long 
 winter evenings with story-telling and glowing 
 accounts of their past achievements. 
 
 One evening I called on an honest and hos- 
 pitable German, Fred Witte, by name. 
 
 Soon several of the cabin dwellers came and 
 all arranged themselves around a good fire. 
 
 Mr. Witte is a very large man, not tall but 
 wide out, one-fourth of a thousand in weight. 
 He settled back in his big, improvised easy chair 
 made out of a pine box. "Veil, poys, dis ist 
 purty much like vinter. Id makes me think of 
 
 13 193 
 
194 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 der vinter dot Dally Marcus came to Butte, dot 
 vas pefore I got in troubles mit mine voomans. 
 Dot proke me up now until I gets her paid off, 
 aber dots not der story I vill tell. A firm in 
 Verginia City grub-staked Dally Marcus, gave 
 him a horse and pack mule to make der trip to 
 Butte. His horse died at Pocatello and Marcus 
 valked on from dare till he came to old Cochura's 
 place. Py colly, he valked two hundred mile. 
 I knew Cochura veil. Marcus found Cochura 
 digging in a hole apout thirty feet deep. Marcus 
 saidt, *How does id look down dare?' Cochura 
 saidt, *Vell, I don't know aber I think id purty 
 good.' Marcus asked to go down und Cochura 
 saidt, 'Let der stranger down,' dot to der wind- 
 lass man. Veil, Marcus vent down dare und 
 lookt aroundt und dey vare hauled oudt. Mar- 
 cus, he says, 'How much you dake for dis hole?' 
 Cochura saidt, 'I haf lots of holes aroundt hare, 
 over dare, und oudt hare, I vill dake one hundred 
 dollars for dis hole.' Marcus saidt, 'I haf no 
 hundred dollars aber I haf a mule hare worth 
 more'n a hundred, I vill gif dot mule for dis 
 hole.' 
 
 *'Der trade vas made und Marcus wrote back 
 to his backers vot he had done und vanted to hire 
 men und go to vork right avay. Dey wrote to 
 him to go aheadt, money ist coming. 
 
 "Py colly, dot vas der pekinning of der great 
 Golconda Copper Mine und Dally Marcus died 
 vorth over eighty million dollars." 
 
"Gold is where yovi find it." — Pago 195 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 195 
 
 Harry Berger: "Well, I have a homestead 
 out here in the mountains and this winter I am 
 taking my five months off which you know is 
 allowed by the government. I am sticking 
 around Meddar for what work I may get until 
 Spring. (Gee — ^whiskey! but don't that wind 
 blow! It has just commenced. Well, it will 
 blow now for three days, that is, it generally 
 blows three days before we get a change.) I 
 have prospected around in these mountains and 
 found no sign of gold or any mineral of any 
 value. The formations are not right here. This 
 section of the country is no good for prospec- 
 tors." 
 
 Dan Mesner: "Gold is where you find it. 
 There may be lots of it in these mountains. I 
 spent fifteen years in this part of the world. I 
 owned that big store here that L. D. Burke is 
 running now. Five years ago my wife raised 
 h — and sued for a divorce. I took to drink and 
 what she did not get, I have squandered in gam- 
 bling and rambling. 
 
 "I have been away four years, but I heard that 
 my boy was up here (he's fourteen now), and I 
 came up to try to see him. I would like to see 
 my boy. 
 
 "It was pretty tough to face my old friends 
 here, but here is where I made money, and I'll 
 try it again. There's gold here. Don't I know 
 that Golden Dick used to bring in piles of nug- 
 gets and always had lots of gold. That Indian 
 
196 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 was too cute to let any of the Indians or whites 
 find out where he got his gold. I know where his 
 cabin was ri^ht over that mountain about ten 
 miles from here." 
 
 Bud Wise: "I have spent several years here, 
 Dan, and I always supposed that this Indian 
 gambled for his money or robbed. He killed a 
 Chinaman for his purse down here in this valley. 
 He killed old man Howe, cut his head off and 
 carried it ten miles over into the hills to hide it. 
 
 "You know how he admitted all of this before 
 the mob strung him up?" 
 
 Dan Mesner: "Yes, but I tell you that I 
 know that this Indian had some place where he 
 would go for a few days and return with a pile 
 of nuggets and gold dust. It's a cinch that there 
 is a rich gold field somewhere in this region. To 
 find it is the question. 
 
 "I'll make it again. I have not given up yet. 
 I have a piece of drift here that assays three 
 thousand free gold to the ton. I picked it up 
 over there close to Eagle Peak. I have spent 
 considerable time trying to find the mother lode. 
 If ever I find that ledge, I'll be worth millions. 
 
 "I am buying stock now in new mines at low 
 down prices as much as I can spare and live. I 
 stand a chance to get in on a winner." 
 
 Witte : "Py colly, I nef er made much on min- 
 ing stocks and I haf bought fifty tousand shares. 
 Yes, I made five hundred vunce. Dare vas a 
 mortgage on mine mine of two tousand to Jim 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 197 
 
 McCann und it vas due. Py colly! I did not 
 haf the money to pay Jim. I saw Jim coming 
 und I tinks he vill vant his money. He sits 
 down py the fire und talks. He picks up der 
 paper dost schust come in und reads dot John 
 Burns, who vas so careless mit powder, struck a 
 rich vein in his mine und 'Golden Fleece' vas 
 going up. Veil, I heard Burns talking and blow- 
 ing ven he vas drunk at Butte und der reporter 
 standing dare took it down. So I knew dot dis 
 newspaper talk vas no good, but schust let 
 McCann vork it oudt for himself. 
 
 "He says, Tred, you got some Golden 
 Fleece?' I saidt, *Yes, I am lucky to haf three 
 tousand.' He says, 'How much ist it vorth? I 
 vant some und I vill puy of you.' 
 
 "I pretended dot I did not vant to sell. He 
 says, *Den you haf her money to pay me?' I 
 saidt, *Yes, I can pay you aber still a little more 
 time vood gif me a better schance to carry on 
 mine vork. The last time I noticed the quota- 
 tions "Golden Fleece" vas seventy-five.' He 
 says, *How much do you vant now?' I saidt, 
 *Vell, I ought to have a little advance to spare 
 dot stock now.' He says, 'I vill gif you seventy- 
 five for one tousand shares und vait six months 
 for der balance of mine pay.' 
 
 "I did not vant to show dot I vas anxious, so 
 I schust made oudt dot time to pay vas vorth a 
 good deal to me, but he shood make it seventy-six 
 and we vood use dere extra cent for peer und haf 
 
198 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 a good time mit dis deal. He grabbed dis deal 
 quick. Ve fixed up der papers und sent ten dol- 
 lars for peer. Py colly ! I got seven hundred und 
 fifty dollars credit on mine debt und six months 
 more time on der balance. 
 
 "McCann vent to der post-office as he hadt 
 time pefore der peer come. Veil, der peer come 
 und so did McCann come back from der post- 
 office. He hadt heardt dot der strike vas a fake 
 piece of news und dot * Golden Fleece' vas quoted 
 at one cent. He vanted to trade back aber I 
 did not vant der stock. He did not know dot 1 
 knew dot der newspaper talk vas a fake und we 
 enchoyed der peer." 
 
 Mesner: "That's the way it goes. No one 
 knows what mine may win, nor what one may be 
 a bad speculation. Gold is where you find it. 
 
 "I think it was in 1905 that along in the winter 
 about this time of the year, an old school teacher, 
 Abe Carson, came to me for work in the store 
 here. There was not much doing, never is this 
 time of the year. I told him that I could not 
 pay him much, but if he could do the work around 
 the store, I would pay him a little and board him, 
 thirty dollars a month and board. I would not 
 give anybody less than that. Well, he went to 
 work and I must say that he was an honest and 
 good man for me. I paid him each month and 
 he would buy mining stock with every cent of his 
 wages. He bought stock at three to ten that 
 went up in a hurry. Some that he bought for 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 199 
 
 ten sold for twenty-nine dollars within six 
 months. What he bought the year that he was 
 with me netted him eighty thousand dollars profit. 
 So he soon left me and went to Goldfields, 
 Nevada. He died the other day worth several 
 millions." 
 
 Hal Pickard : "By the way. Bud made over 
 a hundred last night. He was too slick with the 
 paste-boards for those traveling men." 
 
 Bud Wise : "No — ^aw — I did not make much. 
 Came out a few wheels ahead." 
 
 Witte: "I nefer gamble." 
 
 Dick Turley, the quiet, enigmatical party, said : 
 "I don't believe in gambling. I do not want to 
 risk my money when if I won I would give back 
 or feel like giving back my winnings. I never 
 try to get something for nothing. I will sing 
 you a song, "The Toiler's Struggle.' " 
 
 THE TOILER'S STRUGGLE 
 
 I will sing you a song of the struggle of life, 
 How man fights for a living is always in strife, 
 With so many contending for jobs in his line, 
 Underbidding the wages with trickery fine. 
 Not much chance to get on in the world and live 
 
 right 
 With so much of his time out work in bad plight, 
 He must wander around and be losing his time. 
 iWhen the coin is all gone, hunger drives him to 
 
 crime. 
 
200 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Chorus 
 
 Could my songs bring reforms in the customs and 
 
 law 
 That would help this poor fellow full justice to 
 
 draw, 
 I would sing and keep singing amidst the wild 
 
 strife, 
 I would sing and keep singing the rest of my life. 
 
 Let me sing in plain rhyme what I feel and I know 
 Of the toiler's hard struggle, his sin and his woe, 
 How roams out of work on his way to some place. 
 With his bed on his back, a disgrace to our race; 
 All the money he makes is so easily spent 
 And he dare not to beg any one for a cent. 
 All the chance for him left is to starve or to steal. 
 Put yourself in his place then you'll know how 
 you'd feel. 
 
 We know life is a fight for existence and right. 
 And the weak may be trodden beneath the iron 
 heel 
 Of oppression's injustice or vanity's slight. 
 
 And be robbed of inheritance and earthly weal; 
 For the strong and the cunning secure for them- 
 selves 
 The advantages over the weak and the poor, 
 And there'll be no escape for poor man till he 
 delves 
 Out the truth and reforms that will justice pro- 
 cure. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 201 
 
 4 
 
 May be some of these toilers are natur'ly bad, 
 
 But so often they're made so by law that's unjust, 
 Bad conditions, abuse, or no chance ever had 
 
 To get on in the world and be worthy of trust; 
 And they find the vile dens of corruption and vice 
 
 That are licensed to carry on trade that destroys. 
 Such conditions are causing a great sacrifice 
 
 Of the morals of men and are ruining the boys. 
 
 If conditions may cause so much trouble and vice, 
 Then by changing conditions, removing the 
 cause. 
 We'll assist these poor fellows to think and to rise. 
 To respect others' rights and to stand by our 
 laws. 
 Let subversion of mind and detention to teach 
 
 Take the place of all crim'nal and penalty words, 
 For the government's plan should propose what 
 will reach 
 The redemption of fallen, degraded mankind. 
 
 This song received a hearty encore, but the 
 story telling continued for the rest of the evening. 
 
 Bud Wise: "Just as you are raised, I grew 
 up in a Nevada mining camp where all the 
 saloons had gambling games wide open. I was 
 turned out of the public schools when I was thir- 
 teen and went to work at the mines for three 
 dollars a day. Men never worked for less than 
 four to seven dollars. No attention was paid to 
 boys then like now. Boys that could hardly 
 
202 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 reach to place their bets were allowed to play the 
 games. 
 
 "I tell you I started out young. I started for 
 San Francisco with Tom Garvey when I was 
 eighteen. Tom had a few hundred, I only had 
 fifty-one dollars when we landed in Reno. Reno 
 was wide open then. Tom took my money all 
 away from me except one dollar. One dollar was 
 all I had to shine in Reno. I placed it on the 
 roulette table, number seventeen, and called the 
 turn. I then wanted to let her ride and bet the 
 thirty-six, but the game tender pinched it down 
 to twenty, the limit. 
 
 "Well, I called the turn three times and had a 
 pile of money. Tom Garvey came up, grabbed 
 the chips, claimed that he was my brother and 
 told the game-tender to cash in. Tom took me 
 out of there and when we counted up I had four- 
 teen hundred and twenty-six dollars. I remem- 
 ber it well. I chucked the money into my 
 pockets. We caught the train and had a high 
 time travehng up and down the coast. 
 
 "Tom never gave me back the fifty. That was 
 his rake off. Yes, by Joe, I commenced pretty 
 young." 
 
 Berger said jokingly, "Wahoo! O Joe! Bring 
 in the shovel!" 
 
 Bud Wise: "That story is no con, Berger. 
 Many such things have happened among gam- 
 blers." 
 
 Mesner: "Bud, did you ever run across Jim 
 May? Yes, he was quite a character. He 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 203 
 
 tramped around several years a common hobo, 
 but he got into a good job of assessment work 
 and made a couple of thousand. 
 
 "He came to Reno and was lucky gambling. 
 One night I saw him place a fifty on the single O. 
 The game tender pinched it down. May objected 
 to a limit in the game, and the proprietor stepped 
 up and took charge and pointed to the ceiling, 
 enough to say there's no limit now, and said to 
 May, *Bet your head off.' 
 
 "May reached into his pocket and pulled out a 
 crumpled up bill and threw it on the single O, 
 and when the ball rolled into the single O on the 
 wheel, the proprietor unrolled the bill and turned 
 white in the face. It was a thousand dollar bill. 
 The house dug up thirty-five thousand and paid 
 the bet. Thirty-five to one, Jim May continued 
 to gamble and was so lucky that before morning 
 he owned the saloon and hotel and was running 
 all the gambling games himself. He was one of 
 the big guns of Reno after that. Everything 
 that he touched turned to money." 
 
 Berger: "Wahoo! O Joe! Bring in the 
 shovel!" 
 
 Mesner: "Berger don't believe our stories, 
 Bud, but I tell you we know something about 
 how fortune changed hands in Nevada during 
 those days of speculation and risk." 
 
 Hal Peckard: "Let Berger have his joke. 
 I'll tell of an experience of mine. In my younger 
 days I was in the real estate business in South 
 Dakota. I got out a big blow up of the country, 
 
204 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 listed a lot of bargains and options in real estate, 
 complimented the C, M. & St. P. Ry. and had 
 fifty thousand copies printed for distribution. 
 For this I was given free transportation over this 
 road. 
 
 "Well, this caused me to make many trips 
 when I had done better to remain in my office and 
 attend to business. One trip, I landed in Sioux 
 City at midnight. It was Corn Palace week and 
 the town was so full I could not find a bed. 
 
 "I wandered into a gambling parlor and to 
 pass away the time I took out a stack in a stud 
 poker game. A game as you know, Mesner, the 
 dealer sits in the center of a horseshoe-shaped 
 table and deals out the hands. This was a large 
 table and about a dozen were playing the game. 
 
 "The dealer in those days took such a big rake- 
 off that he generally got all the money unless one 
 played a lively game, made a stake and quit 
 before the dealer got a chance to rake it in. 
 
 "As they play table stakes in this game, I took 
 out a roll of bills. About fifty dollars I had on 
 the table. I wanted to be ready for heavy bet- 
 ting. The other players sized me up and some of 
 them increased their table money, anticipating my 
 intentions. 
 
 "I played a few hands with varying success, 
 then I got an ace in the hole. I bet a dollar — all 
 stayed. Not one dropped out. The next card 
 dealt me face up was an ace. So I had a pair 
 of aces, back to back. I wanted to work up a big 
 pot and felt my time had come to make a haul, 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 205 
 
 and only bet five dollars on high card in sight. I 
 wanted them all to stay. Only one man dropped 
 out. The next card I got was a king. The 
 dealer said, *Ace king is high.' I bet ten dollars. 
 Three called, the next man called and raised the 
 bet twenty dollars. I called the twenty, so did 
 the other three. Apparently all had paired with 
 their hole card. Just five of the 'best of us' left 
 now. My next card was a nine. The man at the 
 end paired his jack in sight. The dealer said, 
 *Pair of jacks high.' 
 
 "This man looked at my pile of money and 
 threw in a twenty. I only had a pair of aces, and 
 providing this man had a jack in the hole or two 
 pairs, I was up against it. I could not lay down. 
 In went the rest of my money. The others put 
 in what they had. The dealer straightened up 
 the pots to correspond with the money bet and 
 dealt the last card to each. I got another ace, 
 making a pair of aces in sight. The man with 
 the jacks paired his ten in sight ; jacks up in sight. 
 I felt sure that my three aces would win but the 
 dealer pointed out the man who had * jacks up,' 
 and said, 'You cannot play that hand.' This man 
 came back angrily, 'Why not?' The dealer said, 
 'We run an honest game here. You changed 
 your hole card, that's all.' 
 
 "They all threw up their hands as the two aces 
 in sight was enough. The dealer pinched a five- 
 dollar gold piece for his rake-off. I stayed in 
 the game a few more deals, picked up my coin 
 and beat it. I was over three hundred dollars to 
 the good. 
 
206 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "It's the rule that when one has gambled, he 
 will gamble again. I am an exception to that 
 rule. I never gambled again." 
 
 Mesner: "Gee I Pickard, it makes such fel- 
 lows as we are sick to think of the money that we 
 have been worth and now look at us !" 
 
 Pickard: "I never was worth much. About 
 ten thousand was my high mark. You and Fred, 
 there, have been up to the hundred thousand 
 mark." 
 
 Witte: "Py colly! I vood not dake dree 
 hundred dousand for mine mine now. You see, 
 id vill soon bay off dot voomans, and den I can 
 draw mine own check ven I vants to." 
 
 Bud Wise : "Mesner, did you ever hear of Bill 
 Pease ? No ? Well, he was digging away in his 
 tunnel but was all in for grub. He came to Raw- 
 hide and asked Pickler, the grocer, for a sack of 
 flour. He told the storekeeper that he was sure 
 to strike it soon, but Pickler refused to credit 
 Bill. 
 
 "Bill wandered out down the street talking to 
 himself. He was passing the livery stable. 
 Sparks, the livery man, said, 'Hello, Bill! What's 
 the matter?' Bill said, 'I am about to strike it. 
 Just feel sure that in another week I'll have pay 
 dirt, but I am out of flour, and as Pickler refused 
 me a sack of flour, I'll have to find a job and 
 work till I get a grub stake.' Sparks exclaimed, 
 'Refused you a sack of flour ! Well, you go right 
 back to your mine. I'll stake you.' Bill said, 
 'Well, I must hurry.' Sparks said, 'You don't 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 207 
 
 want to go today?' Bill said that he would like 
 to go, and Sparks called his son Jack. They 
 hitched up a team and took Bill Pease and a 
 grub-stake out to the mine. Bill worked away 
 a few days and struck it rich. He brought in 
 samples so rich that he had no trouble to get all 
 the money that he needed to push his work. 
 
 "Later he sold out for over a million. He gave 
 Sparks fifty thousand for having grub-staked 
 him. Pickler had stocked up heavy, and owed 
 over a hundred thousand. The panic of '93 came 
 and Pickler could not dispose of his goods. He 
 became a bankrupt when, had he trusted Bill 
 Pease, he would have been tided over the panic. 
 Bill could not forget the *sack of flour.' " 
 
 Pickard: "That makes me think of Brown in 
 the Morehave Desert. Philander Brown was an 
 old school-teacher who came West for his health. 
 He settled in the Morehave Desert. He had a 
 few cows and by raising cattle and scratching 
 around, he was just about able to live and that 
 was all. 
 
 "One day, while riding over a ridge that ex- 
 tends from the mountains into the desert near his 
 place, his horse's hoof struck a hard rock and 
 knocked off a piece. It had a mineral appear- 
 ance that caused Mr. Brown to have it assayed 
 and what a surprise for him, it went two thousand 
 free gold to the ton. It was only a small ledge 
 and his claim took it all. He got a small stamp- 
 mill and kept a few miners at work. This sup- 
 plied him with plenty of money to build a health 
 
208 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 resort for poor consumptive school teachers, and 
 he was very happy in the good work that he was 
 doing. 
 
 "One day he got a letter from Los Angeles re- 
 questing him to come down on important busi- 
 ness. 
 
 "Mr. Brown went. He was ushered into a 
 fine business ofRce. After some talk he was asked, 
 *You have a gold mine in the Morehave Desert?' 
 
 " 'Yes, sir.' 
 
 " 'Do you want to sell it?' 
 
 " 'No, sir.' 
 
 " 'Would no offer tempt you to sell?' 
 
 " 'No, sir.' 
 
 " 'How would a million-dollar offer for your 
 mine strike you?' 
 
 "The old man straightened up and replied: 
 'Gentlemen, you have not seen this mine and must 
 be playing some game on me, for I know that 
 you would not offer a million dollars for what 
 you have not seen and know nothing about. As 
 I do not care to sell I will be going.' 
 
 " 'Yes, but we know your mine. Here is ore 
 from it, here are pictures of all the surroundings 
 and here is a complete plot of your mine, tunnels 
 and apparatus.' 
 
 " 'How did you get all of this?' 
 
 " 'One of our experts worked in your mine for 
 a month employed by you as a miner. He esti- 
 mated the value of your mine. We will give you 
 two million dollars for your mine and satisfy you 
 that the deal is on the square.' 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 209 
 
 "Mr. Brown refused two millions. He said 
 that this money was safe where it was. He could 
 get all he wanted any time, but if he had two mil- 
 lion he would not know what to do with it. He 
 thought that it might lead him into temptations 
 to his ruin. He returned to his mine and so far 
 as I know he is there now." 
 
 At the close of Pickard's story, there came a 
 rap at the door. 
 
 Mr. Witte opened the door and said: "Hello, 
 Hank I Come in." 
 
 We all arose, the cabin dwellers shook hands 
 with the newcomer and I was introduced to Mr. 
 Harper. 
 
 Witte: "Veil, Hank, how's everyting oudt 
 yourvay?" 
 
 Harper: "Good. I came in late and not see- 
 ing you fellows at the saloon, I hunted you up. 
 That was easy. I just came to the cabin that was 
 all lit up. Have you heard the news of the gold 
 strike?" 
 
 All*: "ISTo! Where?" 
 
 Harper: "Out on Eagle Peak." 
 
 Mesner: "What did I tell you fellows? I 
 know there is gold somewhere on Eagle Peak. 
 Tell us all about it. Hank." 
 
 Harper: "That old man Harmon who lost 
 his money down in the valley in his deal with the 
 Meddar Irrigation Company and was deserted by 
 his wife and daughter and left alone last fall, took 
 a homestead in a canyon close up to Eagle Peak. 
 What stock he had left he moved out there. Jack 
 Carver stays with him most of the time. 
 
 14 
 
210 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 "Mr. Harmon found a rich ledge last fall and 
 took Carver in as partner. They found so much 
 high-grade ore and nuggets that they have made 
 several thousand dollars, built a fine home and 
 opened up a big stock ranch. 
 
 "They kept this find a secret, but now they 
 have taken in a small stamp-mill and the whole 
 country is getting aroused. 
 
 "Harmon and Carver have set up their monu- 
 ments and filed on a lot of claims, but as no one 
 knows how extensive this gold field is, there will 
 be a rush. I set up monuments for all that I will 
 be able to handle and hurried in to let you fellows 
 know. I will file on mine tomorrow." 
 
 This was great news for these cabin dwellers 
 and they paid little attention to Harper's story 
 in regard to the Harmons ; but Mr. Harper found 
 in me a good listener and so here is his story that 
 portrays vividly the high-handed robberies car- 
 ried on by private irrigation companies and land 
 sharks in the West. 
 
 The Breakup of the Harmon Family by 
 Hank Harper 
 
 "I knew the Harmon family back in Iowa. 
 They were well fixed with a good farm, a fine 
 house and money in the bank. 
 
 "A real estate man there whom the Harmons 
 thought was a special friend of theirs, gave a 
 glowing picture of the chance to make a fortune 
 here in Meddar, the land of sunshine and flowers. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 211 
 
 He told these honest, confiding people that they 
 could buy irrigated land here at fifty dollars per 
 acre as good as the one thousand dollars per acre 
 orchard land of Yakima. They were led to be- 
 lieve that this land would produce fifty bushels 
 of wheat, one hundred bushels of oats, three hun- 
 dred sacks of potatoes and so on to the acre, and 
 garden products and fruit beyond estimate. 
 
 "Mr. Harmon was satisfied in Iowa, but Mrs. 
 Harmon wanted to get rich and felt sure that 
 their friend would not misrepresent this land to 
 her. She is decisive and generally managed all 
 deals. She insisted on coming out here to investi- 
 gate. 
 
 "She reached Meddar in October when all 
 nature seems to work for agreeable sunshiny 
 weather in this high altitude. I. M. McFox was 
 the company's agent here then. He treated Mrs. 
 Harmon with great condescension as they drove 
 over the valley between these ridges of high 
 mountains. To a casual glance this land appears 
 level and very fertile. McF^ox pretended to be 
 indifferent as to whether he made a sale or not. 
 This had the desired effect on Mrs. Harmon. 
 He said : 'We are making a mistake to sell this 
 land now at fifty. The directors have raised the 
 price to one hundred commencing January first. 
 Those who buy now will make fifty dollars per 
 acre within three months. Of course, the stock 
 men are kicking and saying that this valley is no 
 good, the water supply is short and doing all they 
 can to keep settlers out. The United States 
 
212 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 vouches for enough of water in our reservoir and 
 this land will soon be worth five hundred dollars 
 per acre. The stock men always kick when range 
 land is taken up and fenced, aha — ^he — he — ho.' 
 (Staccato laugh.) 
 
 "Mrs. Harmon was so impressed with the 
 chance to make a fortune that she contracted for 
 three hundred and twenty acres, land and water- 
 right, at fifty dollars per acre. 
 
 "After three years, she was to pay a yearly 
 maintenance fee of one dollar per acre forever 
 whether the water was used or not. She paid the 
 first payment of five dollars per acre, or sixteen 
 hundred dollars, and hastened back to Iowa brim- 
 ming over with satisfaction, having no doubt but 
 what they could sell any day at a big profit. 
 
 "She had listened to all McFox had to say and 
 did not suspect that this reservoir up here was 
 only a skim of water over an old hay -marsh and 
 not sufficient to redeem the valley. She never 
 dreamed that this soil was black alkali adobe that 
 is hard to cultivate. She never suspected that 
 these land agents were unmitigated scoundrels 
 who never intended to keep their promises. 
 
 "The Harmons thought so much of this new 
 land of sunshine and plenty that the desire to 
 move here became too strong, and so they sold out 
 their fine home in Iowa and the next spring found 
 them here building a new home. 
 
 "They found as they cleared their new farm 
 that the land was uneven and covered with hog- 
 wallows and that it would have to be made more 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 213 
 
 level. Clearing, plowing, leveling and seeding 
 the three hundred and twenty acres cost them 
 about ten thousand dollars, which added to the 
 cost of buildings, made about fifteen thousand 
 dollars — an unexpected outlay, for Mr. McFox 
 had promised Mrs. Harmon that the company 
 would clear, plow and seed the land for five dol- 
 lars per acre. 
 
 "With big expectations the Harmons put into 
 crop all of their land and figured that this crop 
 would clear them at least ten thousand dollars. 
 
 "The grain came up, but a few ranchers at this 
 end of the valley took all the water that came 
 down. During a dry spell in May the adobe 
 dried up and cracked open. Their crop was lost. 
 
 "They got water in time for their garden and 
 it looked fine, and as the president of the land 
 company assured them that all should have water 
 the next year, the Harmons did not give up. 
 
 "Mrs. Harmon was dissatisfied and blamed her 
 husband for not fighting for his rights. The first 
 note of discord was sounded. 
 
 "Miss Meda Harmon, their only child, was a 
 beautiful young lady of seventeen. She was a 
 splendid equestrian and spent much of her time 
 on horseback rambling over the mountains and 
 valley looking after their stock. She would drive 
 the cows home every evening. 
 
 "One day she lost her way and rode for several 
 miles on the wrong trail which led up to Eagle 
 Peak. Dark came on, she got off of the trail 
 and was lost among the wilds of the mountain 
 
214 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 which is infested with mountain-lions, bears, coy- 
 otes and rattlesnakes. She was in a predicament 
 that would try the courage of the bravest. She 
 screamed for help many times with no answer 
 except the echo of her own voice resounding from 
 crag to crag. 
 
 "That buckaroo, Jack Carver, was out on the 
 round-up riding over the Eagle Peak country. 
 He heard Meda's scream and thought that a pan- 
 ther was on his trail and that it had commenced 
 to caterwaul. Again the same scream and Jack 
 stopped and listened. Off in the mountain half a 
 mile the noise continued. ( Sound travels far in 
 this elevated country.) Jack became convinced 
 that it must be a woman's voice — some one in 
 distress. Though to leave the trail and ride over 
 these rocks at night was very dangerous, Carver 
 is no coward and never was known to shirk a 
 duty, he spurred his horse in the direction from 
 whence the scream came and soon cantered up to 
 where Meda was. 
 
 "Her horse had fallen over a cliff and was 
 killed, but she had escaped with a few bruises. 
 By the moonlight, Jack saw this pretty girl for 
 the first time, her eyes sparkling with the joy 
 that rescue from death brings. This rough cow- 
 boy's heart left him. He stood in amazement. 
 His nerves tingling and his mind filled with a 
 new hope that he had met the one girl for him. 
 
 "He tenderly carried Meda to his horse and 
 placed her in the saddle. Jack insisted on walk- 
 ing, but she with tact persuaded him to ride in 
 
He stood in amazement. 
 
 He had met the one girl for him. — Page 214 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 215 
 
 front, as he could better manage the broncho. 
 Meda informed him where she lived away down 
 in the Meddar valley — a long ride, after night, 
 over a mountainous trail. They reached the 
 Harmon home at daylight with Meda smiling 
 and none the worse for her mishap. 
 
 "The whole settlement was in an uproar. Sev- 
 eral searching parties were out on the hills. It 
 soon transpired what had happened and amid a 
 general rejoicing Jack was toasted as a hero. 
 He was a hero in the eyes of Meda, and as you 
 all know. Jack was always very susceptible to the 
 ladies' charms. They were soon fast lovers. 
 
 "Jack regularly made his calls on Meda, and 
 within a month they were engaged. Meda 
 thought that Jack was a paragon of perfection. 
 
 "Mr. Harmon for months had put Jack's horse 
 in the stable when he called and treated him as 
 one of the family; but one Sunday evening the 
 old man paid no attention to the horse and hardly 
 spoke to Jack, and Mrs. Harmon gave him a 
 cold reception. Jack was puzzled, but he sur- 
 mised that that jealous old batch Pat Regan had 
 been villifying him. 
 
 "Pat was in love with Meda. He is always 
 in love with any girl who treats him well, or jokes 
 with him. He takes all jokes in earnest and 
 imagines that all the girls want him. He re- 
 sented Jack's courtship and told the Harmons 
 all about Jack's escapades to the disparagement 
 of Jack. Jack is honorable in his dealings, but 
 liberal to a fault with his money, which led him 
 
216 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 into the drinking and gambling so prevalent here. 
 Jack had a big fight and was on a spree the week 
 preceding the cold treatment. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Harmon had determined to break off his engage- 
 ment to Meda. 
 
 "Meda received Jack kindly, but in great sad- 
 ness she told him all and explained that, though 
 it broke her heart, it would be necessary for him 
 to cease his calls. She hoped that he would 
 reform and all would end well. 
 
 "Jack sorrowfulty said good-bye. He said, 'I 
 know that I am not worthy to win such a refined, 
 sweet woman like you, Meda, but the way I love 
 you it breaks me all up to lose you. It is hard 
 to reform from bad habits. I have tried it and 
 have been getting along pretty well since I met 
 you. I was imposed on the other night. I was 
 not much intoxicated. I will try to make myself 
 worthy of your love yet. Good-bye, sweetheart, 
 good-bye.' 
 
 "Jack strode his horse and rode direct to the 
 cattle-camp up in the mountains and was not seen 
 for several weeks. He lay around camp some- 
 times in gloom, at other times vowing vengeance, 
 but gradually coming to the conclusion that he 
 would ignore the meddling bunch and refrain 
 from beating up old Regan, then, when he met 
 Meda, he could give a good account of himself. 
 Such was the influence of the girl's love on Jack. 
 
 "Meda continued to drive the cows home and 
 assist her mother, ever dreaming of and mourn- 
 ing for Jack. With all his faults she loved him 
 still. He had saved her life ! 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 217 
 
 "Along in July, that's over four years ago, 
 Mr. Harmon arose at daylight as usual and 
 found ice frozen an inch thick in the wash-basin. 
 He called Mrs. Harmon and together they went 
 to the garden to find it covered deep with hoar 
 frost. Mr. Harmon said, 'Dearie' (he always 
 called her dearie) , 'this is too bad. No doubt the 
 garden is ruined. I never suspected that it would 
 frost like that in July. We ought to have in- 
 quired more before buying here. Why, Meddar 
 is over a mile above the sea, and from what the 
 old settlers tell me, this country is no good for 
 anything except stock-raising.' 
 
 "Mrs. Harmon replied, 'Well, don't blame me! 
 Why did you not do a little more advising last 
 October when that land agent was working for a 
 big, fat commission? You left it all to me and 
 I tried to do right. When I was here in October 
 that old cattle man, Whizzleback, told me that 
 everything here was sure to win. He said that 
 the soil and water supply were unquestioned. I 
 believe that old J. Noble Juggler, the president 
 of the company, has him hired to do such dirty 
 work.' 
 
 "In this mild manner the row continued in the 
 Harmon family for four years of struggle with 
 the same old story year after year. Four years 
 of failure and payments on the land had cleaned 
 up their spare cash when a worse blow fell to 
 their lot. The Meddar Irrigation Company had 
 only an option on the land, for which the Har- 
 mons were to get a deed when their contract was 
 
218 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 fully paid. The company failed to make any 
 more payments on their option and the owner 
 sued for possession. 
 
 *'The officers of this company are a set of irre- 
 sponsible gamblers. The whole water system is 
 mortgaged. There are many losers here like the 
 Harmons. 
 
 "After this Mrs. Harmon became more peevish 
 with her husband. She thought that he blamed 
 her for their misfortunes. She had a little 
 money of her own left, and with this to live on, 
 she concluded to leave her husband, and he made 
 no objection. Four years of hardships and bick- 
 ering had estranged them. 
 
 "Meda was helpless to prevent the separation. 
 She considered that it was her duty to go with 
 her mother, who was failing in health. 
 
 "She and Jack were still friends through all 
 these years. They met at parties and sometimes 
 Jack visited at the Harmons. They both 
 seemed to realize that some strange force bound 
 them to feel that some time without doubt they 
 would be ready to go down life's trip together. 
 
 "Meda informed Jack that she would have to 
 go with her mother, as she might not live long. 
 She thought that if her mother recovered that her 
 papa and mamma would be reconciled after the 
 effects of the shock of their awful breakup had 
 worn away. She said, *Jack, time will tell.' 
 
 "Well, the day came for Mrs. Harmon and 
 Meda to leave. Mr. Harmon said, 'Good-bye, 
 dearie,' and she replied, 'Good-bye, don't work 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 219 
 
 too hard, John.' Before the train pulled out 
 Meda called her father to one side and said, 
 'Father, don't think too hard of mother for this; 
 she is failing and may not live long. I must 
 take care of her. I'll be back to take care of you, 
 father.' The old man broke down and wept so 
 piteously that the eyes of the most hardened filled 
 with tears. 
 
 "Mr. Harmon went back home alone, but as 
 the former owner had won his suit and must have 
 possession, there was nothing to do but to vacate 
 the premises. He filed on that homestead in an 
 Eagle Peak canyon. Jack Carver came to his 
 assistance in removing his stock and property and 
 helped him to build the new home. Jack was 
 always welcome and stayed with Mr. Harmon 
 most of the time. Now they have struck it rich." 
 
 I was called away from Meddar the next day, 
 but later I read in the papers that the Harmon- 
 Carver strike had proven to be a local affair, just 
 a blowout of bull-quartz and that many pros- 
 pectors and fortune hunters had been disap- 
 pointed and a few stranded at Meddar, but Har- 
 mon and Carver had struck it rich and liberally 
 assisted those in need. 
 
 One day I ran across Hank Harper in San 
 Francisco. We had a long chat about how our 
 friends, the cabin dwellers, were doomed to dis- 
 appointment again, but that they were still living 
 in hopes. 
 
 Here is the closing of Harper's story of the 
 Harmon family in Harper's vernacular : 
 
220 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 The Reunion of the Harmon Family 
 
 "Mrs. Harmon and Meda went to a southern 
 California health resort. Mrs. Harmon regained 
 her health and soon began to worry about how 
 her husband was in danger living out in a canyon 
 alone. 
 
 "Along in the next spring, having not heard 
 of the gold strike, she told Meda that they must 
 return and that she would just write and tell 
 John that they were coming. She said, *I just 
 know your papa will be glad to see us come home.' 
 It was not a question of money now with Mrs. 
 Harmon. Mrs. Harmon wanted to share with 
 her husband the struggle in poverty. 
 
 "When Mr. Harmon received the letter from 
 Mrs. Harmon, I happened to be present. The 
 old man, with tears streaming down his cheeks, 
 went wild with joy. 'My wife and daughter are 
 coming home! Hank, how I do want to see 
 them. Dearie always was a good girl.* 
 
 "The reunion was a memorable event at Med- 
 dar. All were invited to a great feast and gala- 
 day at the canyon home, given presents of gold 
 nuggets and served with feasting for a week. 
 
 "Mrs. Harmon said, *I expected to live with 
 you in a cabin, John, and be happy ; but now that 
 we are rich, I must get used to it.' 
 
 "Meda flew to Jack's protecting arms, and 
 Jack was not slow in claiming his prize. As all 
 parental objections to Jack had passed away, 
 there was no trouble in naming the day. Meda 
 whispered : 
 
 " 'Jack, time has told.' " 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 221 
 
 FOUND THE WAY 
 
 I 
 
 I had wandered from the road, 
 
 I was lost and it was dark; 
 I was weak beneath my load. 
 
 Drifting like a sailless barque; 
 I was sinking in the mire, 
 
 Falling over rocks and logs; 
 I was dodging flames of fire. 
 
 Tumbling into ruts and bogs; 
 Then I heard some one near by, 
 
 And I said in angry fear, 
 "I will shoot if you come nigh, 
 
 What's the use of nonsense here? 
 
 99 
 
 II 
 
 An amazing light appeared. 
 
 For the Lord was standing there, 
 With a halo, and long beard, 
 
 A bright light He held with care; 
 And He looked so kind to me. 
 
 As He said, "I am the way." 
 I awoke, and now you see 
 
 Twas a dream I had that day. 
 Twas a dream I had that day. 
 
 But the Lord had talked to me. 
 And He said, "I am the way. 
 
 Follow me, and you shall see." 
 
 Chorus 
 
 Twas a dream I had that day 
 When the Lord to me did say: 
 "Your reward is for good deeds; 
 Help the poor in all their needs; 
 Keep the law if you'd be saved; 
 Then your road to Heav'n is paved." 
 
222 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 III 
 
 Twas a dream, which I record, 
 
 When the Lord did talk to me. 
 "I am not against Thee, Lord, 
 
 But I know not what I see." 
 And the Lord made this repty, 
 
 "If you're not against me, then, 
 You are for me, and that's why 
 
 You are called to say to men: 
 'Your reward is for good deeds; 
 
 Keep the law if you'd be saved; 
 Help the poor in all their needs; 
 
 Then your road to Heav'n is paved.' 
 
THE ABSOLUTE FAITH 
 
 1913 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 My crops are stored away; I have plenty of 
 supplies on hand, and must continue my writing. 
 
 I write not to tear down, but to build, 
 to remove false and decayed material from the 
 foundation, to restore and fulfill or point the 
 way. 
 
 That dream last night makes me think, makes 
 me write. I dreamt that I arose early, took the 
 old rifle from the kitchen and stepped down to 
 the gate. I then looked at my watch and found 
 that I was up two hours earlier than usual. 
 
 I looked up the inclined plane that lay before 
 me. The great, red rising sun was just peeping 
 over the hill. There appeared in sight what at 
 first looked like hyenas, but changed to be two 
 mammoth buffalo that walked deliberately and 
 unconcernedly toward me until within a few 
 rods. I tried to shoot them, but my shots had 
 no effect. These buffalo just opened their large, 
 stupid eyes and looked as if to say, "What is he 
 trying to do?" 
 
 223 
 
224 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 I thought that I must get them, and what a 
 great catch I would make. I whirled and ran 
 to the house, calling, "Father! father!" I thought 
 that he could shoot better than I; but the hired 
 girl said, "Keep still! Your father wants to 
 sleep." 
 
 I grabbed a large, new rifle, ran out and began 
 to shoot at the beasts. They turned and slowly 
 retreated in a different direction from whence 
 they came. I filled the magazine and kept pump- 
 ing away. I could see some hair fly, and noticed 
 many old scars, welts and bruises, but the beasts 
 looked back in amazement and a little apprehen- 
 sion and seemed to wonder why I was bothering 
 them. In my excitement, the rifle changed in my 
 hands to an old fountain pen, and I awoke. I 
 was safe in my retreat. 
 
 The house and gate were from my childhood 
 home. The landscape came from the broken 
 and rolling plains near the Bad-lands in South 
 Dakota. I have no idea where the buffalo came 
 from, nor why a rifle should turn into a fountain 
 pen. 
 
 These impressions must have reached the mind 
 some way and remained there dormant to appear 
 again in a dream ; or may it be that the dream has 
 a meaning? If dreams are given us for a pur- 
 pose, their meaning should be plain, so that we 
 would know just what to do. "O God, give me 
 strength to comprehend my duty and I will do 
 it," I prayed. The answer came to my con- 
 science: that the two beasts are Superstition and 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 225 
 
 Capitalistic Government; that they do not know 
 that they are wrong, nor can they understand the 
 warfare against them ; that armed force and bru- 
 tal war are of no avail ; and that the new rifle, or 
 weapon, is the pen ; but that it is a little early yet 
 to see the effects, except that these beasts are on 
 the retreat, slightly disfigured and apprehensive. 
 They appeared to be two big mullet-heads devoid 
 of reasoning faculties, and that their strength 
 dulled their intelligence and gave them disdain 
 and disregard for the weak. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 If one, who reads, observes, experiments and 
 ponders should try to express all the thoughts 
 and speeches that pass through his mind, his ideas 
 would be smothered by the profuseness of the 
 volume; just the same as the growth to full size 
 of all the embryo plants and animals would 
 smother out all life in a few months. That should 
 teach us to be concise, and shows us that death is 
 a natural necessity. 
 
 The teamster, when asked why his horses 
 balked, said: "That is the way they do!" The 
 boy, when asked why his kite arose, said: "That 
 is the way it does." The scientist will talk scien- 
 tifically about psychology and the laws of attrac- 
 tion, but when asked why is mind, or attraction, 
 has no better answer than the others. 
 
 Still the more we learn about the way things 
 do, and are sure, and have absolute faith in the 
 dictum, "That what things do they do again 
 under the same conditions, and that there never 
 was and never will be anything to the contrary," 
 the more we become possessed with certain knowl- 
 edge that can be turned to our use without fearing 
 the result. 
 
 Then, do not fear to get Knowledge, for she 
 will bring you to an understanding of the Light 
 as far as is vouchsafed to man, and will make 
 you strong in reasoning. 
 
 226 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 227 
 
 Polemics of the past have been unavoidable on 
 account of the lack of knowledge, and this same 
 failing is still a prolific breeder of discord. 
 
 It is natural for man to form steadfast opin- 
 ions, right or wrong. They are the deep marks 
 upon his mind when it was receptive, and serve 
 as his guide unto death. Thus the mind becomes 
 the stable record of our important experiences 
 and conclusions. We must be on our guard 
 against false conclusions. 
 
 Sometimes I am amazed as to what we are, or 
 what we are doing. We do not know. The 
 most learned cannot answer. Once I thought 
 that one who could talk scientifically knew all 
 about it, but my own investigations have shown 
 me that man is a poor, helpless creature after all. 
 
 Fall down and beg for mercy, pray for an 
 understanding and faith, and it will be given to 
 you as far as you are capable of receiving. This 
 is the change of heart. This is being born again. 
 God will not tell you his secrets. Take hold of 
 what you can understand. Let your suffering 
 teach you to cause no one pain of body or mind. 
 If you are not too far gone in error and will turn 
 and do right at all times, you may be restored; 
 but if you do not quit wrongdoing in time, your 
 wages is death, morally and physically. 
 
 How foolish is man in his egotism! In our 
 egotistic grouch we give the look of contempt 
 instead of the sweet smile of innocence and purity 
 of heart. Discontinue that hateful, exultant 
 laugh of superiority and egotism over a brutal 
 
228 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 deed, or joke at another's discomfiture — showing 
 the nature of that animal from whence you 
 sprung which could not talk but chattered the 
 ha ! ha ! of exultation over its fallen victim in the 
 wilds of animal struggles. 
 
 Proven laws call for absolute faith, but un- 
 proven laws are issues of the day, subjects for 
 further investigation. They must be judged in 
 the light of reason and by their effects. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 But one will ask: "How did primitive man 
 get the idea of God, a spirit, or immortality?" 
 This may be answered. Pristine man having no 
 knowledge by which to account for the simplest 
 phenomena of nature, he naturally conceived the 
 idea of a Supreme Ruler who is all powerful and 
 directs all things personally, instead of all things 
 being under control of His unchangeable laws. 
 They naturally thought that the bolt of lightning 
 that killed a man was direct from the hand of a 
 Living and Angry God just over their heads, 
 sitting on a throne of glory, and so he was led to 
 the sacrifice of much life to appease God's anger. 
 
 Not knowing much about mind, he thought 
 that his dreams showed that he had a second self, 
 or spirit, that left his body and came back when 
 he awoke. 
 
 A desire to live forever makes all mankind 
 hope for eternal life. 
 
 Primitive man's abject fear of the terrible 
 forces that he saw in everything, subjected him 
 to the vagaries of assumed revelators, who were 
 endeavoring to answer the unknown, making a 
 business of it for a living, trying to lead man into 
 a better understanding, or using such so as to 
 better control the people and maintain despotic 
 sway. 
 
 229 
 
230 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 When a false sophistry has taken hold of the 
 human mind, it takes a long and arduous struggle 
 to displace it with the truth. Death and cruel 
 separations make the mind an easy prey to false 
 sophistry. 
 
 The suffering of man through his mistakes, and 
 violations of law in his ignorance or perversion 
 has been, and is, the teacher of the law of duty 
 and is raising man to higher conceptions. Suf- 
 fering serves for a purpose. It is the great 
 teacher of all and has produced all the great 
 teachers. It teaches us to sympathize with others 
 and should teach us to put ourselves in the other 
 fellow's place at all times before rendering judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Primitive man could only account for suffering 
 by creating a big Devil and a lot of little devils 
 who raised "impious war in heaven," and were 
 about to overthrow Omnipotence, but lost in the 
 battle and were hurled down into a pit, there to 
 continue scheming against God and at times 
 marshalling their forces for another battle. 
 
 We know better than that now, or think we do. 
 We believe that God is Supreme, knows His 
 business and is constant in all things. We be- 
 lieve that what was typified as a devil and sin is 
 the suffering natural to life, or the effects of the 
 disobedience of law. 
 
 Get this absolute faith, follow the moral pre- 
 cepts of Jesus and Buddha and violate law no 
 more and your reward is sure. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 231 
 
 My doctrine seeks not to destroy truth, but to 
 establish truths that will unite all mankind in a 
 common brotherhood. 
 
 We can not add to, nor subtract from the 
 truth. It is everlasting. We may err in our 
 understanding of what the truth is and suffer for 
 so doing. 
 
 If the rule of ages is against our sense of the 
 right and truth, it is our duty to try to change it. 
 Though free moral agents, we are badly hindered 
 by inherited conditions, traits of character and 
 customs from the past. 
 
 We can only change the customs and condi- 
 tions as fast as we prepare ourselves for the 
 change. We must solve the problems and pre- 
 pare the way for a better day. 
 
 Self-preservation is the motive of all human- 
 made laws, and suffering brings them to pass. 
 Our suffering teaches us to show mercy to others 
 and demand laws for the relief of all. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 According to old legends and the history of 
 many of the great ethical teachers, their lives 
 and works are clouded in mysticism. No doubt, 
 many of them pretended to have occult powers 
 in order to gain an audience to their teaching 
 and thereby establish their ethics. 
 
 Many taught before writing was invented, or 
 taught verbally, and their teaching went to the 
 world by hearsay, from one to another, from 
 parents to their children for generations before 
 any attempt was made to put them in writing. 
 The writers of these reports and rumors were 
 prone to exaggeration and coloring to suit their 
 individual opinions. They often gave a meaning 
 to some circumstance, or report that was never 
 intended by the teacher. So all of these accounts 
 only serve as poor indexes to what might have 
 been the real teaching. These are facts — and 
 such facts as to clear the way for a liberal inter- 
 pretation of all accounts. 
 
 About all of these many, great teachers have 
 been deified by their followers and therefore 
 man has been taught that they were infallible. 
 If any were infallible, these accounts, written 
 by man, kept and translated by man, would be 
 fallible — for what man has written or translated 
 can not be accepted as infallible. 
 
 232 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 233 
 
 The indexes to the teaching of Jesus and 
 Guatama (Buddha) shorn of all mysticism, indi- 
 cate that they were the two greatest reasoners 
 and teachers of pure ethics that ever tried to lead 
 mankind into the light and beauty of purity of 
 life and duty of one to another. 
 
 They taught love, faith, hope, charity, mercy, 
 pity, generosity, forgiveness, resignation, duty 
 and the obedience to law. 
 
 One is reported to have taught eternal life — 
 a transfiguration to a spiritual heaven ; the other, 
 eternal life by living a perfect life and becoming 
 a part of the All Good as a drop of water becomes 
 a part of the ocean. 
 
 One taught a place of punishment or total 
 destruction; the other, suffering for sin and pos- 
 sibly transmigration. 
 
 They both opposed old forms and all sacrifices 
 to appease an angry God or any other angry 
 thing. They both taught that we should serve 
 to relieve the suflPering of the living, and not to 
 worry about the dead. 
 
 They both taught a new doctrine and forbade 
 and condemned the forms and cruelties of the 
 Old Orthodoxies. They both took their illustra- 
 tions from nature and one should suppose that 
 they intended rational interpretation. 
 
 They both sacrificed their lives for the good of 
 man. 
 
 Buddha, according to the accounts, did not 
 claim infallibility, nor was he sure that trans- 
 migration is true, neither did he claim that all 
 
234 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 others are liars. This answers why his followers 
 will listen to others without protest. 
 
 Jesus, according to the accounts, claimed in- 
 fallibility and is made to say that all who believe 
 in him will be saved, and all who do not will be 
 damned. Here is where the report got twisted. 
 I believe that he said: "All who do not believe 
 in and obey the law of God will be damned." 
 That is the truth. They damn themselves by 
 their disobedience of the laws of their existence. 
 
 This one mistake in the record of the teaching 
 of this just and holy man has caused untold 
 misery and the cruel tortures and deaths of mil- 
 lions of people and prevented the advance of the 
 very truths that Jesus taught. 
 
 The spirit of the One who said, "I did not come 
 to destroy lives, but to save them," had nothing 
 to do with these cruel deeds in His name during 
 the long, dark night. Those who built His 
 Church made the same mistakes of dead forms 
 and phylactery to escape an angry God as did 
 those of the old orthodoxy which Jesus con- 
 demned. 
 
 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Did 
 he say to kill any one? Here are a few of his 
 commandments and teachings. 
 
 Every one shall be rewarded according to his 
 deeds. If Jesus taught, "Every one shall be 
 rewarded according to his deeds," he could not 
 have taught that one who did not believe in him 
 was sure of damnation. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 235 
 
 You have answered right, obey the law and you 
 shall live. 
 
 If a man hear my words and believe not, I 
 judge him not — for I came not to judge the 
 world, but to save it. 
 
 The truth shall make you free (from tradi- 
 tion). 
 
 Do not pray to be seen of the public. Go to 
 thy room and pray in secret. 
 
 He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, 
 but on Him who sent me. 
 
 I did not come to destroy lives but to save 
 them. 
 
 If a man speak a word against me, it shall be 
 forgiven ; but he who refuses the spirit of the law, 
 shall not be forgiven. 
 
 The kingdom of God is within you. 
 
 The kingdom of heaven is in the heart. 
 
 You shall not tempt God (by violating law) . 
 
 Blessed are the pure in heart. 
 
 Love your enemies and those who despitefuUy 
 use you. 
 
 You can not serve God and mammon. 
 
 Judge not that you be not judged. 
 
 Not every one that saith Lord ! Lord ! showeth 
 the good spirit. 
 
 There shall no sign be given. 
 
 Why do you transgress the law of God by your 
 Tradition? 
 
 He found them fast asleep. 
 
 God is a good spirit. 
 
236 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 You can not change yourself. You must be 
 changed. 
 
 Let him that is without sin cast the first stone. 
 
 Go thy way and sin no more. 
 
 God is supreme; God is just. God is love. 
 
 As you would that men should do to you, do 
 you also to them likewise. 
 
 Condemn not and you shall not be condemned. 
 
 Forgive and you shall be forgiven. 
 
 Serve the law only, not riches. 
 
 Repent and quit your evil ways. 
 
 Blessed are they who thirst to do right. 
 
 Ye blind guides that strain at a gnat and swal- 
 low a camel. 
 
 Let your works shine before the world. 
 
 You must not even think of doing wrong. 
 
 Do not swear by anything but use pure lan- 
 guage. 
 
 Resist not any one. If one takes your coat, 
 give him your cloak also. 
 
 Give to him that begs, and lend to him who 
 would borrow. 
 
 You should not find fault with your brothers, 
 for perchance you have a much more grievous 
 fault. 
 
 Do not cast gems of thought to those who 
 refuse to hear. 
 
 Give alms secretly. 
 
 This world is greater than any temple of wor- 
 ship. 
 
 The good and the bad are allowed to live. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 237 
 
 Everything that is not truth shall be rooted 
 out in time. 
 
 He that is not against us is for us. 
 
 He that is not with us is against us. 
 
 The laborer is worthy his hire. 
 
 He who shows you mercy is your neighbor. 
 
 Why, even of yourselves, judge you not what 
 is right. 
 
 Go only where you are invited. 
 
 It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, 
 than for any part of the law to fail. 
 
 A good prayer: "God be merciful to me, a 
 poor sinner." 
 
 The spirit of truth is a holy spirit. (Holy 
 ghost. ) 
 
 To the question: "What shall I do to be 
 saved?" Aiiswer: "Keep the Law." Jesus 
 did not say to go through any ceremonies. "Keep 
 the law." 
 
 Chapter 23, St. Matthew, is as applicable to 
 the churches to-day as it was to the old Jewish 
 churches. Read it. 
 
 The parable of the Judgment teaches that 
 those who take care of the afflicted and serve all 
 mankind, though not aware of their good deeds, 
 gain salvation ; and those who work for self only 
 are condemned, though they think that they are 
 good and cry, "Lord! Lord!" 
 
 The first statement of St. Luke shows that 
 many were trying to write an account of the 
 rumors, reports and legends in regard to the 
 life of Jesus, The third chapter of St. Luke 
 
238 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 shows that he was speculating some; but all 
 accounts establish the fact that this suffering, 
 merciful, lowly Nazarene taught the purest and 
 most just system of ethics that was ever given 
 to man. 
 
 He forfeited his life for all. Where man has 
 died for man is holy ground. I bow in reverence 
 to the name of Jesus. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 "O God, must I go on with this writing?" I 
 prayed, and the answer to my conscience came, 
 "Go ahead. What man has undertaken con- 
 scientiously, let him finish it." So I must finish 
 my work. 
 
 The poor, superstitious church people who are 
 lulled to security by formal obedience to rites, 
 Sabbath holiness, loud prayers in public and sac- 
 rifice of money to carry them to heaven, after 
 death, without strict obedience in truth and in the 
 spirit of the law, are found fast asleep. Their 
 performance is worse than nothing; for they are 
 stumbling blocks in the way. 
 
 The sincere and faithful church people, who 
 know that they are right and that all who dis- 
 agree with them are lost, are too narrow. The 
 law is broad enough to reward all who do good. 
 The law is based on deeds worthy of bringing 
 results. Do the good deeds and the effects must 
 follow. 
 
 I write not to drive the spirit of Jesus from 
 the world; but to restore it in its simplicity and 
 truth — so plain that none may err therein. 
 
 Superstitious, idolatrous ceremonies and mam- 
 mon have buffaloed the church and the teaching 
 of Jesus and are fast driving man to his ruin. 
 
 239 
 
240 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 Only absolute faith in all laws of nature and 
 nature's God and a just judgment of all man- 
 made laws in the light of reason and by their 
 effects can unite all mankind in one brotherhood 
 and accomplish his destiny. 
 
 Man has now reached that point in his develop- 
 ment when it becomes necessary to submit to 
 man all man-made laws for his approval, know- 
 ing that the effect of unjust laws will soon bring 
 their repeal. 
 
 Let us declare an amnesty to all of those who 
 disagree with us, and form ties of friendship in 
 the name of suffering humanity and a common 
 brotherhood. 
 
 If the love, charity and non-resistance of Jesus 
 has sway in the human heart, or as long as we 
 have logic and justice, instead of selfishness and 
 proud superstitious orthodoxy, majority consent 
 to all laws is safe. 
 
 This is not written for the sincere believer in 
 the precepts of Jesus and the sisters of charity 
 who belong to the church to do good. It is writ- 
 ten for the pompous hypocrites who buffalo the 
 church and the people for their own aggrandize- 
 ment. They have prostituted the church to the 
 service of mammon and idolatrous ceremonies. 
 "They honor God with their lips but their hearts 
 are far from him — for they bind heavy burdens 
 and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's 
 shoulders." 
 
 "O God, give us strength to quit our evil ways. 
 Thy law is supreme and must be obeyed. May 
 
 I 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 241 
 
 we ever be on our guard to do what is right and 
 emulate the spirit of truth as taught by Jesus, 
 and be ever ready to amend what is wrong, and 
 submit to thy law with absolute faith that our 
 reward is sure for well doing. We forgive evil 
 doers, for they know not what they do." 
 
 16 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 People are generally better at heart than they 
 appear outwardly. They often show to their 
 worst advantage and hide their real, kindly na- 
 ture. A desire to escape ridicule, maintain an 
 appearance, or protect themselves from want or 
 imposture, often causes them to appear or act 
 hard-hearted and covetous; however, when those 
 who have become the most brutal in the present 
 system of animal struggle for the mastery in all 
 lines are shown kindness in their hour of trouble, 
 they become gentle and show their real nature. 
 They then show what they might have been under 
 just rule. 
 
 Life is now a battle in which few win wealth 
 and power. Many greater than these and the 
 masses are hidden and crushed by chill penury, 
 or are debauched by evil influences. 
 
 The spirit of Jesus comes to one who honestly 
 serves mankind by doing the deeds commanded 
 by his precepts — not by faith in useless and idol- 
 atrous forms, baptism, sacrament. Sabbath holi- 
 ness and man-made creeds; but still killing and 
 robbing the poor laborer, taking his money and 
 eating his dinner, but throwing away the "meat" 
 because it is Friday or a fast day; or depending 
 on charms, hoodoos and rabbits' feet. 
 
 242 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 243 
 
 It matters not who Jesus was or is, or whether 
 he is God or not; he forfeited his life to Old 
 Superstitution and Mammon to teach a God of 
 Love. His precepts are perfect. His faith was 
 absolute. 
 
 "O God," I prayed fervently, "must I tell 
 man the truth in plain language?" and the answer 
 came to me, the still voice of God talking to me 
 in my conscience. These are the exact words: 
 "Man has had buffalopathy and the truth in 
 homeopathic doses and hidden language long 
 enough. Give it to him in allopathic doses and 
 plain language." 
 
 You do not know that you are right without 
 indisputable proofs. 
 
 The truth will make you free from superstition 
 and old nonsense. 
 
 Evil shall be rooted out in time and nothing 
 but the truth established. 
 
 Let your hypotheses be stated as such and lead 
 no man falsely. 
 
 You may hope for eternal life, but no sign shall 
 be given. 
 
 Man has not heard the vocal utterance of God 
 at any time. 
 
 Your own relatives may not believe the truths 
 that you teach. 
 
 People should be known by their character and 
 deeds. 
 
 Creeds, rites and Sabbath holiness are non- 
 essentials and may do injury. 
 
 Teach the essentials, duty and the obedience 
 
244 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 to law first, and let the others come as they may 
 as results. 
 
 It is easier for the earth to pass away than for 
 the law to fail. 
 
 All old things shall pass away and everything 
 become new, but law never changes. 
 
 Man was not made for the Sabbath. The 
 Sabbath is provided for a day of rest, recreation, 
 or worship. Let every one enjoy this day for his 
 special benefit — free from the cares of toil. 
 
 The efficacy of prayer consists in putting the 
 mind into a receptive mood by which one receives 
 the truth in his conscience of what is his duty, 
 and gives one strength to decide to do right and 
 eschew wrong. 
 
 Long and loud prayers for wealth, advantages, 
 or dominion are an abomination. 
 
 Self-righteous prayers are injurious. Always 
 pray in humble submission. 
 
 Go to your room and pray in secret. 
 
 Pray for strength to do right, and it will be 
 given to you. 
 
 A prayer for anything that violates law is an 
 abomination. 
 
 Obey the voice of good in your conscience and 
 your reward is sure. 
 
 The spirit of God exists in everything. Every- 
 thing existing is a part of God. 
 
 The kingdom of heaven is in the heart. Heaven 
 is a condition, not a place. 
 
 Man only receives according to the develop- 
 ment of his mind. 
 
CRATER OF GOLD 245 
 
 Evil is he who thinks evil. He who does evil 
 is still worse. 
 
 Evil conditions are the effects of wrong doing. 
 
 Every good deed has its reward. A good deed 
 gives power to do more and may lead to a refor- 
 mation — a change of heart. 
 
 There is no resurrection of the body except in 
 the laboratory of nature. 
 
 Flesh and blood can not enter the kingdom of 
 heaven. 
 
 He who says, "I will not obey the law," but 
 does, has his reward. 
 
 He who says, "I will obey the law," and cries, 
 "Lord, Lord," and does not, is a hypocrite, gets 
 no reward and injures himself. 
 
 There is no intention to lead any one from the 
 truth. I talk from the battlefield of life. 
 
246 CRATER OF GOLD 
 
 KEEP THE LAW 
 
 What must you do if you'd be saved? 
 
 Keep the law. 
 The road to heav'n will then be paved, 
 
 Keep the law. 
 Reward is sure for each good deed: 
 
 Keep the law, keep the law, keep the law; 
 Do only good is all you need — 
 
 Keep the law. 
 
 Good deeds give power to do more. 
 
 Keep the law. 
 Your sins just sink you low'r and low'r, 
 
 Keep the law. 
 Obey the law, it's easily done. 
 
 Keep the law, keep the law, keep the law; 
 Treat others right, then you have won. 
 
 Keep the law. 
 
 The law of nature's law for man. 
 
 Keep the law. 
 It'll never change and never can. 
 
 Keep the law. 
 To save your soul and have good health. 
 
 Keep the law, keep the law, keep the law; 
 Your strength will then add to your wealth. 
 
 Keep the law. 
 
 And Jesus taught us what is right — 
 
 Keep the law. 
 In fear and trembling day and night, 
 
 Keep the law. 
 Reward according to your deeds, 
 
 Keep the law, keep the law, keep the law; 
 Go help the poor in all their needs, 
 
 Keep the law. 
 
 End — Part I 
 
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