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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1888)
THE WEST SHORE. 05 point of taking my own worthless life, but lacked the moral courage to strike the final blow. Now, how ever, fate has intervened, and laid before me a better path than that of absolute self murder. Dear friend, do not deny what I have asked of you. Leave that cross above yonder grave, write a letter which I shall dictate, sign your name and send it to her, and you will have lifted from my soul at least a portion of the load that weighs it down. Nobody knows me here; nobody knows aught of me in the countries to which I shall go upon leaving here. Keep my secret, and Roy Mason will be dead to all the world but you." Reader, I did not yield at once to his pleading, for, God knows, my heart misgave me in the contem plation of so ghastly a deception; but his magnetic power and eloquence conquered me at latt, and I con sented to do as he wished. The following is a copy of the letter I wrote at his dictation, and sent to a certain small town in a far Eastern state: Yi m Yi'M, Okkqon, March 2."), 1802. To Mrt. Edith Mason, C M , Deak Madam: It becomes my painful duty to communi cate to you the tidings of the death of your husband, Koy Ma son, which sad event occurred here three months ago. Iecp snows and interrupted mails have delayed this communication until the present date. 1 1 is last request was that I make known to you, as early as practicable, the fact of his death. 1 also forward by this mail a letter of instruction to his lawyers, Messrs. I'lank & Lotan, in the city of I , which letter was written at his dictation, two days previous to his death. By express, I forward a small ltox, containing a I took, a photograph, and some little mementoes that you may value for his sake. In case there is anything I can do for you, I stand ready, as your husband's friend, to serve you. Sincerely yours, Cham. M. I'ukk. " How is she situated pecuniarily?" I asked, as that somewhat practical question presented itself to my mind. " She is well provided for," he replied. " I sold out my business before 1 came away, and deposited one-half the net result, $9,000.00, to her credit I learn, however, that she has never drawn a dollar of the money. She is a gifted little creature, intellect ually, and capable of making an independent income for herself with her pen. Besides that, she is tho only child of a wealthy, widowed mother." Mason and I went together to the postoffico to mail the letter, after which he wrung my hand, with tears in his eyes, and left me, saying only " Roy Mason is dead, but if you ever need a favor or a friend, remember Henry Morris lives." And so I parted with the man who had won from me a kind and degree of affection bordering on tho romantic Oh! how lonely and lost I felt, as I went back np the trail to tho cabin on tho mountain. Tho day was drawing to a close when I reached it, and tho pale disc of the moon was just visible above a crag. With bated breath, and a queer, superstitious thrill at my heart, I walked around tho end of tho cabin and looked at the grave, and at tho cross' which boro that painted lie. " There's something uncanny about all this," I thought " It isn't a nico placo to bo alono in, and I think I'll get out of it before many dayB." Then suddenly in upon tho weird stillness broke a sound, that, for onco, was welcome to my ear. It was a long-drawn " Y-a-h h-e, Y-a-h h-o " of Damo cles. 1 went into tho stable, and, leaning my head against tho poor bruto's shoulder, let fall a few lonely tears, unseen of man. 0. Blake Mono an. (To Ih continual). WAY OUT IN IDAHO. To sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell, To slowly trace tho forest's shady scene, Whero things that own not man'i dominion dwell, Ami mortal foot has ne'er or randy Itcen ; To climb the trackless mountain all unseen, With tho wild flock that never needs a fold ; Alone o'er steeps and foaming falls to lean ; This is not solitude; 'tis but to hold Converse with nature's charms, and view Her stores unrolled. OUCH sentimental consolation wo surely need in tho O mountains of Idaho. Sinco tho fimous Florence placers were discovered, there is hardly a gulch or stream bed in tho territory, which has not echoed to tho tread of tho self-denying miner. From beyond the Mississippi, men who had known no greater hard, ships or severer labor than guiding tho plow or loom, camo by hundreds, all buoyed up with tho hope of immediate fortunes. In camp at night, during their journey, they dreamed of golden harvest and a speedy return to tho scenes of their childhood. Ma tron and maiden shared in tho privations and hard ships incident to tho trip, not only without a mur mur, but actually courting tho god of jxK'sy and song. Tho anticipated golden bounties of Idaho were chant ed, as tho heavily loaded wagons creakM au accom paniment Ono happy, joyous voice, in an origiual rhyme, might have ken singing We n-ed no pick or shovel, no pan, no sjadu or In, Tor tho target ( hunks arv top of ground, wy out in Idaho. Ono party "struck color" on Loon crekt a trilm tary of tho Salmon, in tho region now known as Cus ter county, and at ono tirao there were a thouand miners at work at that tqot From theno placers, tens of thousands of dollars wcro cxtract'xL Tho ground, or tho richest jortion of it, was worked out,