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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1887)
m THE WEST SHORE. " Who are you down there, or what The pillow of He'inrich's bed never are you, anyhow ? " Wt more downy than that night, and " Heinrich Dorsch," answered he, joy- happy tears fell from the mother's face fully on er son " Oh ! the Dutchman's boy," said the " T'ank Got ! T'ank Got ! " she kept hearty voice above, addressing his com- repeating o'er and o'er, panions this time. " He's from down to Heinrich was thankful to the Great the Thompson mine camp. We must Father who had bo kindly witched over get a rope and get him up." his life, and had snatched him, as it In less than half an hour, poor Hein- were, from the jaws of death; and, also, rich was on top, pale, weak and trem- for teaching him a lesson, which he bling, but alive and very happy, indeed, never forgota lesson of caution and Indians had been disturbing the neigh- prudence, which all must learn, soon or borhooJ, and these were a band of stur- late; but not all, thank heaven, in so dy miners, who were after them, and hard a way as poor Heinrich Dorsch, hearing the wolves, had feared some- " I'm sorry I lost the tree though, thing was wrong. Heinrich related to mother, after all," he said, just as she them his experience, and the men ex- bade him a last long good-night " The pressed sorrow for him. children will be disappointed when they " Tomorrow is Christmas," said one awake." of them, " and let us spend it in hunt- " Better it is not tink about dot," said ing for the Indians." his mother. " It vas enough mine Hein- Tho m?n were of one mind. " But rich vas safe und not eat up mit de first," said one, " let us help the kid volfes." home. Here he has worked all day to But such a clatter and stamping and get a Christmas tree, and old Gotlieb grating as there was in the gray of the Dorsch is no doubt now up on the moun- early Christmas morning, outside the tains looking for him." cabin door of old Gotlieb Dorschl What "And must I lose my tree?" said a noise it wasl And who could sleep poor Heinrich, aloud, for the first time under it? Old Gotlieb sprang out of realizing his loss. But he was only too bed in dismay, and pulled his night-cap glad to seo a chance now to reach home, closer on than he had ever done before. "Just so, just so," said thegood-na- AH the little Dorsches lay shivering in tared miner, winking at his comrades, a fright, thinking Santa Clans was crazy, brilliant idea striking him. " JackRab- and intended carrying them off. Then bitt, suppose you put the youngster on there was a silence, and a chorus of min your horse and ride him 'long o you. ers sang these words, to the tune of The rent of us have something else to do. " John Brown : " Jack Ilabbitt did as he was bid, and, . f . , WW Heinrich on his horse, they rod pic,8 SMjl. home under the chill moonlight, for it was midnight, and the moon was rising. In chorus Christmas morning. nrtv!r! r tim6 to C0t 01 a "cheers and a tiger "were then Em Th r ,Dg Cn a 6Careh ,or Bi-Md wri of treating foot tl J I ."0 ,r. more'but steP9 'te ears of those inside khbo . of i L I 8 h' 10 drew bMk the W & his cabin door, ncghbor. of the nppcr camp. and &e momiD Mi M