Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

We'’ve all heard the expression, "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the records of Western mining camps.

For example, the gold camp of Aurora, Nevada,

produced this strange tale of two men destined to be...

[ ax thuds ]

Sam, how many times have I told you not to play with the tools?

You wanna cut your foot off?

Nonsense. Anyone can chop wood.

Anyone but you. You gotta face it.

Now, you'’re a real smart fella, but you got them two left hands.

It'’s not fair for you to have to do all the hard work, Cal.

Work I don'’t mind. I'’ll tell you the truth.

My nerves can'’t stand watching you swing that ax.

Besides, you got some of them $5 letters to write.

This here mine'’s petering out.

You go on. I'’ll chop that wood later.

All right. But I'’ll thank you not to malign my artistic epistles.

I wouldn'’t do that even if I knew what it meant.

I mean, there are editors of two California papers

who promised me $10.

Ten-- $10 for one letter?Exactly.

Well, for Pete'’s sake, man, start writing.

Well, write a bushel of them. [ hoofbeats approaching ]

Old Whiteman headed back to his bonanza.

Hey, go get the coffee pot on.

Maybe we can get him to talk.

[ chuckling ]

Here you go.

It'’s really a cement mine.

I tell you boys, them there nuggets

are scattered around in that cement like raisins in a cake.

Here. Take a look.

The man don'’t lie.

Some raisins.

I'’ve got them nuggets counted in case your fingers get sticky.

[ chuckles ]

Nary a stick.

I wish there was enough in that strike for us.

We'’re barely making enough for grub money out of this here sinkhole.

Oh, there'’s plenty of gold there.

Trouble is, I stopped trusting people when I was four.

It'’s the worst habit a man can get into, trusting people.

Now, take you two.

I suppose you trust each other, huh?

Well, I'’d trust Cal with my life.

Likewise.

With your lives, yes.

But what about the important things?

What about gold?[ chuckling ]

Even with gold.

Must be that scribbling you'’ve been doing

that softened up your brain.

Here. Give me another cup of coffee.

Yes, sir.

Did you see them there varmints follow me up from camp?

Yeah, we saw '’em.Well, they'’re still out there, hiding.

Crazy fools. They'’ll never learn.

I'’ll lose them up in the hills tonight.

There ain'’t nobody gonna follow the old horse

over to his gold mine.

Better be careful. There'’s some mean fellas in that bunch.

They don'’t know what mean is.

If they keep messing with me, I'’m gonna teach 'em a lesson or two.

And look. There'’s one of them

riding up into your camp after me.

Oh, no, that'’s no miner.

That'’s a very good friend of mine-- Tom Knight.

He runs the ranch down at--I didn'’t ask you what he run.

Now, wait a minute. You'’ll like him.I won'’t.

I ain'’t even gonna meet him.

I'’ve wasted enough time already today on people.

Thanks for the coffee.

Come on, girl. Come on.

Come on. [ mutters ]

Cal, you'’re about the only person I know

that could really like that cranky old goat.

You know, I think he likes me, too.

He'’d bite his self before he'’d admit it, though.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]

Howdy, Sam, Cal.How you doing, Tom?

Sam, got a letter for you. Storekeeper give it to me.

Don'’t say who it'’s from, but...

got a Virginia City postmark on it. Mm.

Can'’t tell a dang thing about what'’s inside.

Oh, I'’m sorry. I'’ll have my correspondents use thinner envelopes.

[ chuckles ]

I got a letter once.

Woman run a boarding house in Carson City.

Claimed I stole one of her towels.

Hey, it'’s from that newspaper fella in Virginia City.

What'’s he want, Sam?

Mm. [ chuckles ]

Nothing important.

He'’s still after me to take a job as a reporter.

Did you, Tom?

Huh? What?

You swipe that towel?

Oh, it was tore anyway.[ chuckling ]

Doggone. This fella sure likes to use big words, don'’t he?

What'’s this one mean? Uh, J-O-U-R-N-A-L-I-S--

D, I think.T. A journalist.

It means somebody who writes for a newspaper.

Like old Sam here.

No. I'’m just a letter scribbler. That'’s not a journalist.

Well, you could be.

I'’ll bet you know as many big words as this fella. More, even.

It takes something besides big words, Tom, but thanks anyway.

Still think you could be.

I almost forgot. Listen, get your rifles loaded and pick some cover.

What'’s up, Tom?

I saw a bunch of tough-looking fellas sneaking up this way.

Whole raft of '’em. I think we got trouble.

Take it easy, Tom. They'’re after Old Whiteman, not us.

Besides, where'’d you get this "we" business? You weren'’t involved.

Well, that'’s a devil of a thing to say to me.

I'’m your friend, ain't I?

Yeah, you are that. Thanks for the letter.

Sure.

Oh. Did you fellas get in on that Wide West Mine deal?

What'’s that?Oh, a bunch of promoters down there.

Handing out ore samples. Claiming they made a big strike.

Lots of people buying, too.

Me? I put my money in Cal'’s.

[ chuckles ]

Well, so long.

So long, Thomas.Bye.

The Wide West Mine, huh?

I wonder how much they'’re asking.

It doesn'’t matter. We don'’t have enough

to buy a lead foot two miles from discovery.

Yeah, I think I'’ll mosey on down there

and get me one of them ore samples.

All right. Let'’s go.No, no, Sam. Me.

You got them letters to write.

Oh, but, Cal--Look, I think I can dig out

enough for beans the next month or so,

but if you want coffee and bacon, you gotta make that pencil fly.

Hey, Sam, you know what I think?

No. What do you think, O mighty one?

I think you oughta take that job as reporter.

Aw, don'’t you start.

No. I mean it. You ain'’t no miner.

That there is what you really like to do.

No. [ chuckles ]

What I'’d really like to do is buy some of that Wide West Mine.

It looks pretty rich, all right.

A few hundred feet.

A hundred feet, even, and we could retire.

Aw, that'’s the kind of life I want.

Rich.

Fat and sassy. [ chuckles ]

Nobody to boss us around.

Hey, maybe my brother...

No, no, no, no, no. I bought everything from him but his gold teeth.

Aw, Cal, the only problem with being poor

is we don'’t have any money.

Hey, Sam, this here rock'’s a fake.

What? Let me see.Lookit there.

The rock'’s full of gold. You can see that plain without the glass.

Yeah, it'’s rich enough. That'’s the richest rock I ever seen.

Make up your mind, Cal. You just said it was--

I just said it was a fake, and that'’s what it is.

This rock didn'’t come from the Wide West Mine.

Are you sure of that?Well...

You mean to tell me that they'’ve been promoting that mine

with gold from another mine?

Yeah, I'’d bet on it.

One thing I know about is rocks.

Hey, let'’s check it out.

Oh, they'’re not gonna let us just walk in and start comparing.

No, no. We don'’t have to go in their claim.

There'’s a ledge on the hill running right straight into their main shaft.

We get a sample outta there, we'’ll know.

You game?

[ chuckles ] Of course.

[ laughs ] We better get our rifles.

We get caught snooping around up there, there'’s gonna be some real trouble.

Why don'’t we wait till sundown?

Yeah. You may be right.

You stay here and keep a lookout while I work.

Me? Why don'’t I dig, and you-- Sam, look...

Okay, muscles.

[ hammer thudding loudly ]

Hey. Don'’t make so much noise.

What'’s wrong? Somebody coming?

No, but you'’re scaring me to death.

Well, take some deep breaths.

[ thudding continues ][ breathing deeply ]

[ holding breath ] Cal?

Now what?

[ exhales ]

It doesn'’t work.

How long you gonna take?

Not long, if you'’ll shut up, but I got to get well into bedrock.

Sam, get up here quick.What'’s the matter?

It'’s gold! A wide vein of it.

What? Let me see.

[ rock thudding ]

Now I'’ve done it.

Enough noise to wake the dead.

Never mind that. Look at this.

Look at this.

Cal, is that real?

Oh, that vein must be a foot wide!

And all ours. We'’re rich, Sam. Rich!

We better move outta here fast, or we won'’t live to spend it.

We'’ll go down and record this thing right now,

and then we'’re gonna celebrate like a couple of millionaires do!

[ laughs ]Let'’s go.

[ Sam groans ]

[ thud ]Oh.

Ohh...

[ groans ]

[ water splashes ]

If I wasn'’t a rich man, I'’d kill myself.

Now, we are rich? I didn'’t dream it?

Nope.

We got it recorded last night before we started celebrating.

Got a little development work to do,

but we got ten days to do that.

If I stay alive.

Well, two of us working together,

it'’ll just take a few hours.

[ hoofbeats approaching ]We got plenty of time.

Well, I'’ll be darned.

Howdy, Whiteman. What brings you back so soon?

Ain'’t none of your business, but I forgot to buy some licorice.

Well, have some coffee. We just put the pot on.

Nope. I'’m in a rush to get shed of this place.

Hey, Sam, watch the coffee, will you?

I'’ll be back in a while.

Come on. I'’ll walk on down with you.

It might do me some good.

What'’s wrong with him?

I think he just discovered that rich or poor,

a hangover'’s still a hangover.

Sam! Sam, wake up!

It'’s me, Dooley!

Hello, Dooley. Good-bye, Dooley.

Sam, come on. Get up.

You gotta come out to Tom'’s place with me right away.

I brung you a horse.

Dooley, my friend, you are truly mad.

I wouldn'’t get on one of those beasts today

for a guaranteed pass into heaven.

But, Sam, ya gotta. Tom needs ya.

Let me put it this way: no.

Okay.

I was just being neighborly.

I don'’t care if he dies.

Dies? What do you mean? What happened?

Tom took his self a bad spill.

Doctor says he scrambled up his insides,

busted some ribs.

He'’s awful sick, Sam.

I'’m no doctor. What can I do?

Doc says he needs somebody to stay with him.

Kind of take care of him kind of like a nurse.

Oh, that ain'’t coffee, that'’s tar.

Well, can'’t you find somebody that--I can'’t do it.

I gotta get back to my claim.

I thought you was a friend of his, and--

No. Look, you don'’t understand.

There'’s some development work I have to do. Maybe in a few days--

He may not even last that long.

Oh, forget it. I guess I made a mistake.

No, no, wait. Uh...

I'’ll leave Cal a note.

Sure he won'’t mind doing all the hard work.

Maybe I should see Cal first.

No, he said he'’d be right back.

Let'’s go, Dooley.

[ grunting ]

You know, I savvy a sweet tooth myself,

but, uh, 50 pounds of licorice?

Man, you must really love that stuff.

It'’s for Agnes. She'’s crazy about licorice.

Fool animal costs me a fortune.

You got plenty left in that there cement mine.

I suppose now that you struck it rich,

you wouldn'’t be interested in taking a look at it?

You mean you'’d take me over there?

Well, I figure this would be a pretty good time.

That is, if you wanna see it, that is.

Sure, I'’d like to see it, but I can'’t leave here for a day or two.

If you could wait around, maybe-- Nary a minute.

No. Wait a minute. Hold it. I mean...

it'’s just a few hours'’ work.

Maybe Sam could take care of it.

Sam?

Hey, Sam!

I can'’t leave before I see Sam. Can'’t you wait a few--

Write him a note. He can read, can'’t he?Well, sure, he can.

But I can'’t just-- I mean, I oughta at least tell him--

Suit yourself.

All right. Wait up. I'’m coming.

Wait up! I'’m coming!

As you were.

Aw, Sam, all I wanted to do was sit up.

Doc said flat, no moving.

But it'’s been almost two weeks now.

I feel fine, honest.

Why don'’t you just go on back?

I can do for myself now.

Doc'’s coming tomorrow. We'’ll see what he says.

How come you keep writing those things now that you'’re a rich man?

Habit, I guess. I'’m not sure.

You'’re awful good at it, Sam.

You oughta keep it up.

Not me. Not now. [ chuckles ]

Only things I'’m gonna write from now on are checks.

And not any $10 ones either.

Come on. I'’m gonna give you the thrill

of playing casino with a millionaire.

Okay.

Sam?

Hey, Sam!

Oh, no.

[ mutters ]

[ grunts ]

Thanks for the ride, horse. I'’ll never forget ya.

Well, if it isn'’t my millionaire partner, Mr. Calvin Higbie.

What'’s the matter? You look sick.

Well, I feel sick. Look at these.

Well, this is my note.The other one'’s mine.

Oh, no, Cal.

You mean--Yeah, Old Whiteman was in a hurry,

so I just left a note on the nail over there,

and then when you didn'’t answer, I didn'’t bother to look inside.

Then the development work wasn'’t done. That means our claim was--

Yeah, it'’s forfeited. Johnson and some boys filed on it the next day.

It'’s gone. We had millions. It'’s gone.

All because I'’m too stupid to walk inside there--No, none of that.

I was just as much to blame as you are.

I was just as stupid and just as careless!

It don'’t matter now. It'’s gone.

Wait a minute.

Old Whiteman'’s cement mine.

Sam, do you hear me? We can grab a claim right next to his.

We can still have those millions.

Not me this time, Cal. You go ahead.

I'’m going to Virginia City and take a job on a paper.

What do you mean? You can'’t pass up a chance like this.

This and all the others to come.

I don'’t know whether this is gonna make me a millionaire,

but this is my gold mine from now on.

And a gold mine it was for Samuel Clemens

and the millions who read and loved his books,

Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and many others.

In one of his early books, Roughing It,

Sam wrote this dedication:

"To Calvin H. Higbie, of California,

"an honest man, a genial comrade, and a steadfast friend.

"This book is dedicated by the author,

"in memory of the curious time

when we were millionaires for ten days."

Next week, another true story from Western history.