dry goods shop, Anderson’s Hotel. A wide road split the two rows of buildings.
Grandfather owned a little town!
CHAPTER 2
Grandfather’s Town
No one spoke for a moment as they gazed into the canyon. Dust blew down the dirt road that divided the buildings.
“That looks like a Wild West town,” said Violet in awe.
“It is a Wild West town,” Grandfather said with a grin. “And it’s ours!”
“You knew about this?” asked Henry.
“I wanted to surprise you,” said Grandfather, his grin broadening.
Jessie still couldn’t believe it. “Well, you sure did that!” She tapped the map. “How come the town doesn’t show up on this map?”
“It’s a topological map,” Grandfather answered. “It only shows roads and land formations, like mountains and rivers.”
“What’s the name of our town?” asked Violet.
“Tincup, after the creek,” said Grandfather. He checked his watch. “Well, we’d better head back to Eagles Nest for that afternoon snack. We’ll have plenty of time to explore the town this week.”
Back at the motel, they went into the dining hall, a large room made of logs. Sofas and a fireplace were at one end, while a long table and chairs were arranged at the other.
A lanky young man with carrot-colored hair stood by the fireplace. He stared at Marianne Harrington as she arranged pitchers on the sideboard by the table.
Mrs. Harrington came in when she heard the Aldens enter.
“This is Corey Browne, our new guest,” she told James Alden. “He’s a student at Colorado State.”
“Hey,” said the green-eyed young man, still watching Marianne.
Jessie stifled a giggle. It was obvious Corey had a crush on pretty Marianne.
“Ready for snack time?” announced Mrs. Harrington.
“Mmm,” said Benny appreciatively. “I’m starving!”
But the “snack” turned out to be a few limp celery and carrot sticks with water to drink. Disappointed, Benny gnawed on a piece of celery.
He was so hungry, he forgot about the town until Grandfather said, “Mrs. Harrington, I showed my grandchildren the town. What do you know about it?”
The motel owner sat down at the table.
“It’s quite a story,” she began. “Tincup,” she said, “is a ghost town!”
For some reason, Violet shivered. “A ghost town! That’s neat,” she said.
“It’s been that way for over a hundred years,” said Mrs. Harrington. “Way back, a forty-niner going home camped at Tincup Creek.” Then she explained, “A forty-niner was somebody who went to California for the 1849 gold rush. His name was Duncan Payne. One morning he washed his face in the stream and saw something yellow, like gold.”
Everyone at the table became still.
“Duncan had sold his mining stuff before leaving California,” said Mrs. Harrington. “All he had was a knife and a tin cup. He dipped the cup in the stream and caught the gold. Duncan dug and dug, but he didn’t find much gold. He did find a lot of black sand along the creek. He took samples of the sand back to Denver. It turned out to be silver ore.”
Corey nodded. “Silver is an important part of Colorado’s history. But it’s hard to find. No one had ever paid any attention to the black sand along the creeks,” he said loudly.
Corey seemed nice, thought Violet, but she didn’t like the way he practically yelled when he spoke.
“Until Duncan Payne came along,” Mrs. Harrington said. “Duncan started a mine. Soon a town was built near the mine. It was called Tincup after the gold Duncan found in his tin cup.”
“I have a cup,” said Benny. “It’s old, too. I used to drink milk out of it.”
Mrs. Harrington went on with her story. “The town of Tincup grew. Singers and dancers and actors came to entertain the miners. One night during an opera, Duncan fell in love with a singer. Her name was Rose. She had beautiful blue eyes and black hair down to her knees.”
Jessie hugged herself with delight. “This is so romantic!”
“Then what
Grandfather owned a little town!
CHAPTER 2
Grandfather’s Town
No one spoke for a moment as they gazed into the canyon. Dust blew down the dirt road that divided the buildings.
“That looks like a Wild West town,” said Violet in awe.
“It is a Wild West town,” Grandfather said with a grin. “And it’s ours!”
“You knew about this?” asked Henry.
“I wanted to surprise you,” said Grandfather, his grin broadening.
Jessie still couldn’t believe it. “Well, you sure did that!” She tapped the map. “How come the town doesn’t show up on this map?”
“It’s a topological map,” Grandfather answered. “It only shows roads and land formations, like mountains and rivers.”
“What’s the name of our town?” asked Violet.
“Tincup, after the creek,” said Grandfather. He checked his watch. “Well, we’d better head back to Eagles Nest for that afternoon snack. We’ll have plenty of time to explore the town this week.”
Back at the motel, they went into the dining hall, a large room made of logs. Sofas and a fireplace were at one end, while a long table and chairs were arranged at the other.
A lanky young man with carrot-colored hair stood by the fireplace. He stared at Marianne Harrington as she arranged pitchers on the sideboard by the table.
Mrs. Harrington came in when she heard the Aldens enter.
“This is Corey Browne, our new guest,” she told James Alden. “He’s a student at Colorado State.”
“Hey,” said the green-eyed young man, still watching Marianne.
Jessie stifled a giggle. It was obvious Corey had a crush on pretty Marianne.
“Ready for snack time?” announced Mrs. Harrington.
“Mmm,” said Benny appreciatively. “I’m starving!”
But the “snack” turned out to be a few limp celery and carrot sticks with water to drink. Disappointed, Benny gnawed on a piece of celery.
He was so hungry, he forgot about the town until Grandfather said, “Mrs. Harrington, I showed my grandchildren the town. What do you know about it?”
The motel owner sat down at the table.
“It’s quite a story,” she began. “Tincup,” she said, “is a ghost town!”
For some reason, Violet shivered. “A ghost town! That’s neat,” she said.
“It’s been that way for over a hundred years,” said Mrs. Harrington. “Way back, a forty-niner going home camped at Tincup Creek.” Then she explained, “A forty-niner was somebody who went to California for the 1849 gold rush. His name was Duncan Payne. One morning he washed his face in the stream and saw something yellow, like gold.”
Everyone at the table became still.
“Duncan had sold his mining stuff before leaving California,” said Mrs. Harrington. “All he had was a knife and a tin cup. He dipped the cup in the stream and caught the gold. Duncan dug and dug, but he didn’t find much gold. He did find a lot of black sand along the creek. He took samples of the sand back to Denver. It turned out to be silver ore.”
Corey nodded. “Silver is an important part of Colorado’s history. But it’s hard to find. No one had ever paid any attention to the black sand along the creeks,” he said loudly.
Corey seemed nice, thought Violet, but she didn’t like the way he practically yelled when he spoke.
“Until Duncan Payne came along,” Mrs. Harrington said. “Duncan started a mine. Soon a town was built near the mine. It was called Tincup after the gold Duncan found in his tin cup.”
“I have a cup,” said Benny. “It’s old, too. I used to drink milk out of it.”
Mrs. Harrington went on with her story. “The town of Tincup grew. Singers and dancers and actors came to entertain the miners. One night during an opera, Duncan fell in love with a singer. Her name was Rose. She had beautiful blue eyes and black hair down to her knees.”
Jessie hugged herself with delight. “This is so romantic!”
“Then what
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