Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1881)
7 THE WEST SHORE. March, 1881." ONE STORMY NIOIIT. A eUarmy eight, indeed, the rain name down In eUaama, m if lha eky were grael eteva, end art a ray of light found lU ey through the bin h elooda. The giant (If Uaae Wat tod swayed la the IWna wind, and Mitt their wild, wailing otoee dowa through gulch end sanyoa to mingle with the row of oraek and eauract, or fell before the rwks that eraahd down lha moantaine' eidns. The larrthaj callle lowed end erld In their oorrala, huddling twthrr lur warmta and sympathy, laduon, puile draw near tntfethar, orowding around lha hearth-Area tliat blaard in a fitful, almost anoenny way. la a wejenle Inn on lha mountain road, a lit- ll eoaipeny aat thua gathered about an ImnwnH Ura flaoo that (lonwl end ileanad lit uaotira, and, not anUl lib chMrw tha 1 raal room, eaot lie heeonn light oat at lha a indues to defy tha night and Ua eturm. There wee Mike Mahma, tha landhird, and Kilty, bia fat, funny ifri litlla Meiia, lha Hpaaiah girl whom Mike and Kilty had "reredi" Jake, tha alel-la man, and but, because mit important, "list, lha rrracb Canadian mxl eullar. There ee nothing in Ilia young Id Inv'e apaatana to euirg lha tnitl hurmr huM name ba boi, It ee merely a enubrt quel (.if HaplUta, Jake seldom availed himself ul Uia abbreviation, but alnnly and emphetio- ally atltd him Cauurk," usually prrlfiing a daaoripllve thai had ami fort than ali-tanx. It aas ill Batumi, to aay Uia (Mat, fur llet aeoaeof the kludeel frllowe In lha world, "and lha aeyeul him," aa Klllyaaid "wee wan elhremo euaehinei but euro." aha added. "Jaka u U.el Jreluus that ba can't Ihrata him daornl, though I d anoaer at Marue quiet In her areve nor married to tha llkaa ev bun. Air aha'a In lua ld tha Krlurhmea? There ya here ma nw. Khe'e lhat quaraaad thy, Muaa la, that ) nlvar oaa tall haf mind till alia nlai ee to bH ya know, and oa Una auhal aha been 'I blaart yiL" And that wee quite Iraa, fur whin llat's blua yM, iaiklli'( "lib fan and deep with lha tight of luva, baaaied a una lha litlla dark eyed beealy. bar HWg laahta eaepl haf eheekei eume limea nut aaill lha qakk ayaa uf Jaka hal aaan tha oouwlagian of an nnaaannf biva, Ihuagh ut all lUl'a gallant rotMUji aould lm a otd a4 It to bar liiia-ailaat, oaalumi lilUa Maria, ba duulilml tba gay mannata of thia rolluking katfbi 01 ua at 'Did avr ya UW U lha b'ika o' lhat T aiiaim4 Mika, at a aailila waalung anund, L . . 1 II. ...1 ik...!.,.. L,mnU bat Jaka, iih unuMitcU, aullan la, aal ami kaml at lit nia. Kaddaaly Malta aurang an, aii'ilatlly 1 "ll aj aHr aba anaJ. "Indaila, thin, li t lha of maauy a- iban, laugbMl Kilty, Uon ralkar narroualy. "I I la a tuman trowai it la aallina fur nlii " r rdlr. It a da d.UUa d.M aaid IUL "l a kohody balaa'll b on da rad aark a ifkl Ilka dat. I u Ut ka a call lor Jaka," ha kdlwt rnfMhly. A nVaMT aluwar aa Jaka'l okly rdy, bat IML lilliaa ba baL ba aadi Itha'a iifhl, Mara M ibar k aoaM km alltu'." "Oat td yM, nw, till lha rtarua!" vranl Kitty, aitaikg Mika'akatandaualaaJ IhrutUag tbam npu turn, y'i attaVtn', " aatd Mika, rvafaUy pra aniwj ta baava aha tliairy baaHb. ta, rnai by tha .ht la Mana'a taabma aioa, atMg an ailk antbaaiaMtt, ft. k ba it aiwba, bia aa aat a ta4 baiwa aval. Ilia Ui 4rala nxoily brn of tailaa aad warwbod by tba a(fifdiaMaa of olhrn. Jaka aall.ly )a4 lhaaa, but batai lhy rvtxtad lha d4 It oiawd, and I all la Uia r lubt (uiaml a tall furat, and baadaaaM, y4 b'r bowUad fan aUlku.( tUoUra, lib tba Ami aubt h a barkd. tha oM diril, mho bringa ya out in tha loika o'UiiaT . . 1 doa'l go abroad Id tha iietrin nama, wti.. tk. (kwrfnr. makinif hit way to tha lira, aoJ Uking tha obair that Kitty had baataoad to plaoa lur him. "No mora ya don't Diwlhar; it Hivan own aarvant yt ara," aha aaid earneiily. Bttir yaralf, ilika, and tiring him aomatliin hot to drink, for iwlada, h.icthar, ya'ra the oolor of a ghoak" "!' bail a orally tough tima to gat bera, and a faw minolaa ago I waa mora likaly to ar na at lha bottom of tha gulch, whera my poor bona ia now. ' l ha Ihiotor'a oioa tramUoil, and h eyn wara wal with But unmanly Uan, for, aa tha litlla oompany wall knaw, tba bona waa a pet and a bnauty. Ah, wuaathaniKlit: "waiioUMtiy. i nivar llnd a bailhar baata nor a hamlanmer wan nd ao proud ha aamad to bear ya, Uia poor faithful cfatura!" "Yta, wa'tra pollad through many a tough plaoa tngrthar, and ha navar llmchrd nor failtd ma, Tha alinnat human cry ha gava whan ha want down lli at horriMa ultra will ring in my aara aa long aa I lita," aaul tha Doctor, ihuilihr- Ing. "Ilul who a guiiig l iliow ma tha way to Kimanr Then a a trail over tha mouulam, lan't thara!" Ilxarrv. thtra waa wan. " aaid Mika, with graat baaiutiun, "hut a vary ilivil of a way ia II foind It now lha Irani 1I0 Iw aracKin auu kllm ahiI lha rtwVm a nialiu' ilottn in il?at an inlarnal mannar. It'a aa much aa yrr loifa it orth to ya to gat Ihrra. "And whoa ailm or tliaia, annyway: akal Kitty. "I Ihiuk ll'i tha bahv. Kuma ona loft won! at my ollloa tliat thry faartd ona of Kraaar'i ohihlraa waa dying." "Ihirnad if I'll nk my nrck fur ona of Fra- aar'a kula," aaid Jaka, emphatically, going back to bia aaat by tha lira. "No groat riik, thin," ratortwl Kitty. "Thim aa la born to ba hangad '11 niver ba ilnrownwl. "An aura," aaid Mika. ilancinc at Kitlv. "I'm thinking we'ra aa aafa outaula u in afther thia, Wa ra in fur it, annvhowi but danunl if I'm nnn.ui to drag my owld rheumaticky Ipki oear anny Iran m-nighl. Ina Hurturlookail at Ilat Maria, too. hail looked at him, and that luuk bad fired hia anul with tha oourage of an old warrior, whatever tba riak or tha terror. "U eial eat la ptii," thought Hit, thrilling umvaw nm wan, "W ell, a guaaa a know dat way pretty wrll, aa' if bane bug ia happen I gut ila lliwUir, ain't it?" aaid IUI, gaily brnihiug back hia brown euna, and draam, over them tha veritable blua now that ba bad Worn in tha ha:kwuo.U nl Canada, Than, In hie dioll way, ba took aolr mn leave of Kitly and Mike, Implunng them, if anything honld pravaat hia return, to ba good to Jaka Ova Mana'a little brown hand ha lingered long eanoiih to aay nnheani by all but bar: "I cweae agu b) lhe-le l aima." And ia a language nmlereUiod by all, the dark ayaa anaweredi "I Wire lhae." And ia a laogaege known and Uught by lha rather of Kvd, Milan J.ke replied to bia laugh. T l.',,7r,'b'r " J-pry r me." with a U of haired and a eulWa, 'llo to bell t" "lUhiad ton, my dear," aaawerad Ilat, with a profnand bow. tWl lain the Mark and Urnbla night want Um two mea -oaa obeying tha mandate of bia aobU prolaioa, ttllad with tha aympathy it bad Ua(kl him to gtr to .arrow and euuVrin. etwywbwai tba eW, bia heart glowing with ohiralrte rv. b.m.lf . hero i. It '.V v u H-,,Jl" br . volu. bU Uaaka of Mike and K.lly, by tba ball pwad. bail aaitoa. aad alUvelhar loving, gua ju-'-W 'fAnd Satan cama alao," thought the Dootor, obterving the look, , . . , Maria, too, turnea in iimo vu nun . ..... 1 1 : 1. - . l.,1 i n rr fl.m fA iiiid. 11 waa uei aa an "b lookoutlortiiebnuKeoVBri'fMcracrccK. Th.n tha door oloaed. and while the wind and the rain beat furioualy againet it, and Mike and Kitty ipeoulatoa anxiouaiy upon me i... nl thir aafa arrival at Fraaer'a, Maria tudicd Jake'a faoe aa he gared intently in tha Hie, where, from a pme knot, me luria jsie 01 flame darted out and leaped wildly npthe black vault, aa if eager to join their kindred apirita in the etorm. Hudilcnly Jake aroee, and, muttenns lome- thinu in tha wav of a iiood-niiiht, alouohed ont of the room. Maria, too, went loftly out, re tiring to her own apartment. Meanwhile, eafcly on their way.through wind and rain and thick darkneH, over fallen treea and raging watera, went the two men, Bat'e jo Lil.nt huart averllowinu in droll ipeeohea, and aongi that he aaug at tha too of hia voice to care away evil iiinta, 11a aaiu mu u uwiw aid he ahould think it would. But it did not, for behind them orept one whoae intent waa blacker than the night, more oruel than the an gryitreama 1 et on llicy weni along ine narrow pain, with the overhaDging rooka on .their right, and on their left, the fearful precipice; yet gaily on ward, with oautioui itepa, uutu they reaonea the onttago, whoae light ihown out like a atar in the black night. - "lly golly, we've got here, don't it?" aaid Bat, drawing a long breath, aa they pauaed at the door. Ia there anything, I wonder, that atira a phy. ician'a heart more deeply than that look of mingled thankfulneta and mute appeal, that greeta him on hia lint arrival where life and death are atruggling toguther? "Hod blraa you! ' cried Kraier, who, alone with hie wife, wat watching the little one that lay fluihed with fever, and moaning with pain. 'Html bleat you, Doctor we didn't think you could get here," "There 'a a ipecial providenoe for d 00 ton, you . know," he answered, imiling. The mere sound of hii pleasant voice seamed to give them oourage, and tha mother, with a gleam of hope in her eyee, and a deep sigh of relief, laid her baby in his arms, that' olasped and bore the tiny bunion with the tenderpeta of a woman. When a man has a gentle he art,tan der not merely toward his own.but with a sym pathy that reaches taalthelpleaa,iuffuring crea turn, how gnat it is! , "I was t'liikin'," said Bat, gravely,"'bo't dat providence you lieen spikin' abo't, why it ain't take care of Doctor's horses de same time." After the Doctor and Bat had eroesed Fraaer'a creek, the eteallhy figure that had followed them thus far, with something in hii hand, etopped, cowering nnder a fir tree, till the gleam of their lantern waa like a firefly in the diatanoe; then he approached the bridge, and, with eyes grown accustomed to the darkueaa, eiamiucd the end that lay upon the bank. He oould eee autHciently well for his purpose, whioh waa soon aprent, for, Uking up hie pick, he oommenoed digging into tha bank and diaplao ing the rocks, working with a Hendiah rn r. ' "Curse him," he aaid between hia teeth, "1 Hi him ao that no doctor can't save him!" And so, with muttered oursea, with the hoarie. bellowing torrent beneath.and the shriek, ing pines above, the work waa doue, and the Uwboi left in such position that one attempting to crosa upon it would eauee ita fall. It waa horrible to think of-plunged into that hell of watera and whiihng debna, to be daahed againet the sharp rocks or carried swiftly down the dark ravine to a death aa sure and cruel If not aa uddea. 'Thara, you infernal Canuck," aaid the man, i?."? i". J00' don ynr ' lova-makin'. . iUt ,ilU hi"""""") off your hands," he added, with an ngly laugh. "Hut lint you'd better repair that bridge." 7.M..Mn1' w,lh ' euddenlv tamed full upon him. by ma am I, U 1 IM Itaaibar, la tba kaaat