The Golden Nugget: Book 4

By N. K. Beckley

The Golden Nugget is the fourth book that Mrs. Beckley has written. It is an interactive book and introduces the reader to the history of the Reed Gold Mine in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1799. It was the first goldmine in the United States of America.

I hope that this part of history sparks a discussion both in your classrooms and in your families, maybe at the dinner table.

The names of the people are fictional, but the information about the Reed Gold Mine, Italy, and South Korea are correct.

Look for the last book in the series called Emily to be out sometime soon. The rest of the books should be out soon.

I hope you have enjoyed the books as much as I have writing and researching them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514439319

N. K. Beckley

Mrs. Beckley grew up in suburban Philadelphia in the small borough of Rose Valley—until she and her family were transferred to Detroit in 1976. She is the mother of two grown daughters and the grandmother of five grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to read, write, cook, bake, teach American Sign Language for the Deaf and music, after school. She also enjoys dance and American Musical Theater. Mrs. Beckley has taught music and elementary school in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for over thirty years. All of her students learned to Sign for the Deaf whether it was in her classroom or in her music classes.

Book preview

© 2016 by N.K. Beckley.

Library of Congress Control Number:         2016900081

ISBN:               Hardcover                                   978-1-5144-3933-3

                         Softcover                                     978-1-5144-3932-6

                         eBook                                           978-1-5144-3931-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 04/13/2016

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

730988

Contents

Chapter 1 The History of the Reed Gold Mine

Chapter 2 The Classroom

Chapter 3 The New Year and The Wiz

Chapter 4 New Classes for Everyone

Chapter 5 The Book Report

Chapter 6 The Reed Gold Mine Article for The Wiz

Chapter 7 The Message

Chapter 8 The Surprise

Chapter 9 The Article

Chapter 10 The Meeting for the Re-Opening of B’J’S

Chapter 11 The Article

Chapter 12 The Assembly

Chapter 13 The Wiz Format

Chapter 14 The Re-opening of B’J’S

Chapter 15 The Ghost

Author’s Notes

Bibliography

End Notes

Dedicated to Aunt Anna who introduced me to

The Reed Gold Mine, and its history in the United States.

CHAPTER 1

The History of the Reed Gold Mine

B eth and Jerry were now in sixth grade at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in suburban Philadelphia. It was, September of 2011.

Both Beth and Jerry had had a wonderful summer swimming, playing baseball, going to the park, and attending picnics and, fireworks. But their favorite past- time of all was going to the library, and reading anything and everything they could get their hands on. Judy Ryan always took Beth, Kip, and Jerry to the library on Wednesdays because she could take Patti to the story hour at the same time, while the older children picked out, some books in the Young Adults Reader Section from their Summer Reading List for school.

Ever since Jerry had come, back from North Carolina and the Reed Gold Mine he had become interested in panning for gold anywhere in the world. He had become an authority on Gold Mines in the United States, but today was different; he wanted to read something different such as The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe or The Last of the Mohicans. It would be a good change for him, since his parents had been deployed to South Korea for two years and he could stop worrying about them. He had started to read more and more to take his mind off his worry for them. Beth seemed to be the only student besides Kip who could talk with him. It seemed they had all become avid readers of anything from travel to sports and everything in between.

What did you find, Jerry? Judy asked, and she was surprised at his response I wanted something different, so I chose The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe and The Last of the Mohicans. It is on our reading list too," he replied.

Beth, what did you find? her mother asked.

"I found three books about a girl named Clementine, who is in Third Grade and gets into all kinds of trouble. It seems her second home is the principal’s office. It’s a change from what I’m used to, but it looks so good," said Beth.

What did you find, Kip? Judy asked.

"I like Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hatches an Egg, and I can read it to Patti."

"Don’t you think you should read a chapter book too? Kip’s, mom asked.

Yes, but I want to read some fun stuff too! he replied.

School had started last week, but they were still on half-days and Judy wanted to find something useful for all the kids to do in their afternoons.

Beth had become interested in United States history from 1799 to 1814, she had learned that the United States Constitution had been ratified in 1789, ten years before the Reed Gold Mine find in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1799.

Sister Mary Jacqueline was their sixth- grade teacher, and she also taught all the history classes. They were also able to still have Sister Joyce for English and of course The Wiz. Now they were able to walk from class to class instead of being in a self-contained classroom.

Beth had spied a book called The Time Machine that looked very interesting, but Kip saw it at the same time. It was written by H. G. Wells. Kip read the book flap and had asked his sister if he could read it first.

Okay, she answered, it will give me the time to read all three books of Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. Since we have to read a lot this year and keep a book log for Sister Joyce, it’s Okay, with me."

Thanks, Beth. You’re the best, he answered.

Beth, Kip and Jerry all got in line to check out their books. Sometimes, when Patti got bored with the story hour she liked to stay and play with the puzzles in the Kid’s Corner, but this wasn’t one of those days.

Beth, Kip and Jerry sat down in the bean bag chairs in the Young Students Library and started to read their books. Just then Patti came out of the Kids Corner ahead of her mom.

Are you all ready to go for some ice cream? asked Judy.

That sounds wonderful! said Jerry. They all then walked to the mini-van and put their books in the car. The ice cream parlor was only a few blocks from the library. How about we all go for the short walk? asked Judy. She got the stroller out of the van and off they went. Jerry always liked pushing Patti in her stroller. It made him feel needed and a real part of this family. He always let the Ryans