Psychology and Copper
by W. C. Tuttle (1883–1969)
- Free to read
- 10 min read
- Reading level: 6th grade
"Psychology and Copper" by W. C. Tuttle is a humorous fictional tale that falls within the early 20th century adventure genre. The story mixes elements of mining prospecting with light-hearted commentary on psychology and luck, revolving around characters exploring their fortunes in the western mining landscape. The narrative likely discusses the clash between scientific approaches to mining and the capriciousness of luck in striking it rich. The plot follows Ike Harper, who partners with the eccentric and scientifically minded Magpie Simpkins as they navigate the challenges of mining claims. After reluctantly accepting the involvement of a quirky capitalist named Peters, they experience unpredictable twists of fortune, culminating in the discovery that a fellow prospector, Tellurium Woods, has struck gold while they had been sidelined by their own theories and plans. Tuttle cleverly intertwines themes of friendship, ambition, and the folly of over-reliance on science, culminating in a comedic revelation of human behavior in the face of unpredictable outcomes in both life and mining endeavors.
- Short stories
- Western stories
- Miners
- Simpkins, Magpie (Fictitious character)
- Harper, Ike (Fictitious character)
- Piperock (Montana : Imaginary place)
Read the opening
Psychology and Copper
by W. C. Tuttle
Author of “Magpie’s Nightbear,” “When Oscar Went Wild,” etc.
“Scientific prospectin’ has its merits,” announced Ike Harper, as he climbed out of the gopher-hole and sat down beside me on a boulder and filled his pipe, “but fool luck has uncovered more bonanzas than science.
“Now, there was ol’ Jerry Sullivan’s burro went skatin’ down th’ hill off th’ trail one day and slid th’ coverin’ off th’ Silver Cross, which made uh millionaire outa Jerry. Hen Berry accidentally fired his six-shooter into th’ ground oncet and uncovered one of th’ richest gold veins in th’ State. Yuh can talk science till yer tongue hangs out, but if yuh ain’t lucky yuh never hit it rich. Do yuh happen to know uh elongated person named Magpie Simpkins?”
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About this edition
This free edition of Psychology and Copper by W. C. Tuttle comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #65949, released 2021-07-28. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Humour, Adventure, Novels.
Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).
