 In the Calaveras County mining camp of Carson Creek, a miner named Israel Norman died. Norman was very well liked and respected by his colleagues, so they decided to have a formal funeral for him. Another miner, who had been a preacher in the East, agreed to officiate, and they dug the grave about 100 yards from the camp. As the minister began the eulogy, one of those in attendance began to play in an absent sort of way with the dirt from the grave site. It proved to be heavy with gold. "Gold!," the preacher cried. "The congregation is dismissed!" The dead miner was hastily buried elsewhere, in "played out" diggings. |