Joshua's Treasure
by Paul Bradman
Joshua looked uneasily at his parents. His father was perusing the newspaper, which he had just brought home from his weekly trip into town, while his mother stood peering over his shoulder, looking displeased. "Papa, what are you reading about?" Joshua asked as he set the table with the family's simple tin plates. "Does Mama look so upset because something bad happened?"
"No, son, something marvelous has happened!" Papa said, laying the paper down on the table. "A man discovered gold in a river in California—big chunks of gold worth hundreds of dollars! It seems the rivers in California are filled with gold, and people are traveling there from all over the nation to find their fortune."
"California?" Joshua frowned as he tried to recall the United States map that hung in the schoolhouse, attempting to calculate the distance from Ohio. "Isn't that about as far away from here as you can get?"
"Pretty much, but I'm fixing to be on the next wagon train heading out there. Just a few chunks of gold could change our fortunes forever."
Now Joshua knew why his mother looked so distraught. Traveling to California would take months, and who knew what might happen once Papa arrived. But finding gold would be a blessing, considering how much the family struggled to make a living on their tiny Ohio farm. Joshua felt a tingle of excitement run down his spine and asked, "Can I go too?"
Papa smiled and said, "I was hoping you'd feel that way because I sure could use an extra hand or two . . .digging for gold will be difficult work."
Once Joshua insisted on going to California and his parents approved, he was astonished at how quickly arrangements were made. Mama said she and Joshua's siblings could look after the farm, and Papa borrowed some money to buy the essentials for the trip. Soon, he and Joshua were on the next wagon train, and although the journey west was long and strenuous, Joshua loved every minute of it, marveling at the amazing scenery along the way. Finally, he and Papa reached San Francisco, the largest city in Gold Rush territory. Papa spent the rest of his money on supplies before the two headed toward a mining camp that had a vacancy.
Joshua's heart sank when he saw their new home. The tiny shack barely kept out the rain or the summer heat, and it made their little farmhouse back home look like a palace. Still, despite the adverse conditions, they hoped to change their fortunes, and they had to start somewhere.
The next morning Papa and Joshua headed out to find their treasure. Joshua thought they would dig up gold nuggets, but instead, they submerged a strange-looking pan in the water to scoop up the dirt from the bottom. Papa displayed how to swirl the water around so that the dirt drained out, allowing any pieces of gold to stay in the bottom of the pan.
The two worked side by side for days. At first, Joshua couldn't wait to inspect every load of dirt, but as the days passed with no results, he felt discontented. It seemed like a Herculean effort. "I wonder how Mama is doing back home," Joshua said one day as they dumped another load of useless dirt back into the river. He knew Mama was depending on them to find treasure.
Then, one rainy morning, it happened. Joshua peered into the dirt and saw something shiny. Could it be? Joshua's hope flickered as he hurried to show Papa, and the grin on his father's face told Joshua they had hit the jackpot. "Don't say a word," Papa said, looking to make sure there were no other miners around. The two worked together feverishly, dredging up more and more tiny pieces, and by the time they finished, they had handfuls of the bright golden flakes.
Joshua thought they would look for more but Papa shook his head. "I'm not greedy, and I know we could lose this fortune as quickly as we found it. No, son, we're going to return home and use this treasure wisely. Our Gold Rush is over, but it's just the start of great things to come."
5
Read the sentences from the passage.
" 'California?' Joshua frowned as he tried to recall the United States map that hung in the schoolhouse, attempting to calculate the distance from Ohio. 'Isn't that about as far away from here as you can get?' "
"Traveling to California would take months, and who knew what might happen once Papa arrived."
Which conclusion is best supported by the sentences?
A.
In the past, visual aids were used in schools to help students better understand things.
B.
Joshua and his father considered California a safe place to live.
C.
Joshua and his father were adventurous and liked to travel to faraway places.
D.
In the past, transportation and communication were limited.