Image provided by: Santiam Historical Society; Stayton, OR
About The Stayton mail. (Stayton, Marion County, Or.) 1895-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1904)
TOILERS OP the COLUMBIA jL By Paul De Lancy & . J J jV , k 9 > j| Author o f “ t o r t o f »hr D esert." "O reoon Sketches." oiid other Pat.itlc Coast stories c new found mother's breast. “ Oh, it w ill get along all righ t," said one. “ Yes, so long as it eats, tin a <na are good," »aid another. “ Just BO you don’ t give it loo much,” remarked an elderly woman alio was watehing the proceedings. “ But 1 fear it ir all over with the old gent,” whispered one of the w »men who had just returned from the adjoin ing room where the men were working with the child’s elderly companion. The men were luhhiug his arms and legs, and irons were being Inated to place at hie feet. Some bramiy had iieeii forced through his lips i'Ut it was slow in showing encouraging effects. His eyes were fixed in his head, his features were as pale as death. His firm lips were set as if in hi* last con scious moment he had fixed his determ ination upon some given object. He was a little more than five feet as he lay upon the bed. Still he was rathei plump and well-kept for his age. Bnt his skin was smooth and his mus cle* soft, which indicated tiiat lie had not been a man of toil. When the hair was pushed hack from ilia face a broad intelligent fore head was expeted. Had those fisher men been able to read phrenological signs they would have discovered that the aged man before them was no or dinary Wing. His intellectual fore head, small feet and hands, dress and general appearance indicated that he had followed one of the professions. In the meantime the village physi cian arrived ami aided in resuscitating the old man. The child gradually passed away to sleep after its wants were satisfied and slept as soundly as if its own mother still hovered over it. It was a soft sweet sleep such only as is seen in the repose of the innocent Wfore the trials and tribulations of life have come to their knowledge. It knew not of its lost mother and father, the fearful atorm at sea, the hoars in the water, the terrible night among the driftwood on tne W adi. It slept in a repoee akin to perfect bliss. ‘ 'She's a darling little g irl,” said the woman who had shared tier own child's clothing w ith the little sleep* r. “ What pretty bine eyes she has,” remarked she who had warmed the milk. “ Such dainty Tittle limbs,” said the woman who had run about the pla<e nervously trying to do everything and had accomplished but little. “ But look what pretty features and sweet lips,” said the one who had nursed the child to sleep, with an air of superiority. The child did not exceed one month in age. It was probably younger. Its light hair, fair skin and pretty blue eyes even at so young an age showed that it was a born Wauty. Still its features were much like those of the Finlanders, s<> many of whom had set tled along the Columbia in the fishing districts. “ They think the old man is dying,” said one of the women in a whisper who had Wen watehing the men work with the aged sufferer. “ Oh, such a p ity,” remarked the women in a subdued chorus. “ We w ill never learn the child’ s name or anything about the late of its mother or father.” “ It must have Wen born on the voy age,” said one, “ for they say the ship was a Finnieii vessel and has been many week* at sea.” “ Old Seadog’ * action in the matter is a mystery to everybody. Why he made such quick haste to hoard the ship is Wyond all understanding. And he actually pointed firearms at the men when they attempted to go ah<*ard t'le vessel,” said a woman who had just Wen talking with her hmband on tiie outside. “ But the officers will ravel the matter out,” she continued as she rememWred the details oi the episode as given her by her husband. Then there was a commotion out side. A fisherman had just arrive«] from the sand spit. He had brought news of the arrival of officers at the scene of the wreck. “ 01<1 Seadog and his boys are all un der arrest!” was wbiajtered from lip to lip. said the old man. Then they all put to and gave le f t master of the situation, old Sea- their energy to securing the iron chest. dog pursued his investigations. The The old man abandoned his lookout ship had tilled with sand in the neigh and joined the boys in the work. The borhood of the captain’s quarters. It timbers were interlocked about it and was this veiy point that attracted the at the same time deeply imbedded in ciafty fisherman's attention. the sand. Shovels were secured and the boys ‘ ‘ Get the capstan lever, boys; get were ordeied to delve their way into the capstan. We must have her now the captain's room. It w as easy to find | or it w ill be too late!” exclaimed the the doot since the sand only extended the old Seadog. about half way to the ceiling of Some ciowbars had t>een unearthed cabin. . . . . ,___. from the ship’s tool room and with the W hile the boy9 were shoveling back .... . f. . . .. } - I addition of the capstan lever they set the dripping sand, old Seadog was al to work with renewed vlgoi. ternately on the lookout inside and out. ‘ ‘ Pry down to the left, boys, pry He let nothing on the stranded vessel down to the le ft!” shouted the father. escape his observation and kept a con Already the exhaust of the govern stant vigilance ont over the bay to see ment launch could be heard as it slowed that no one was approaching. up to weigh anchor at a safe distance ‘ ‘ I f I can make sure that they were from the sandbar. aboard my future is no longer an un- It would only require the lowering ce ita in ty ," said the old man as he of a boat and a few strokes of the oars mueed to himself., ‘ ‘ It was impossible to land the officers upon the fishermen. for any one to survive,” he continued. Fortune had always favored old Sea- ‘ ‘The whole crew and all aboard went dog and it favored him again. With a to the bottom of the sea and the crabs heavy lurch they brought the chest w ill have disfigured their bodies be from under the timbers tiiat held it yond recognition before they rise to the 1 surface. And even should they escape ' 1 Fortune doubly favored him. When these busy scavengers they may drift the iron receptacle had been turned back to the ocean where they w ill furn- ro(md jt WM found t U t , he keyfc still ish food for the largei fish. I remained in the lock. The cap'ain The fisheimen were already suspici had possibly attempted to open it at ous of old Seadog and when driven fro m . , , . . , , , . . , , * , ... .. the last moment and had been driven the w reck at the mnzz e of his gun they out by the waves immediately returned to the village “ Rush outside, boys; rush outside; and spread the news. I w ill do the rest!” commanded the ‘ ‘ The officers ought to take the mat stern old parent. The boys were ter in hand,” said o n e .' barely in time. They were confronted “ Yes, he is up to stealing the ship by the officers immediately upon climb and cargo,” said another. ing to the deck. The justice of the |>eace was appealed “ In the name of the government, to as well as the village constable, hut men, we proclaim you our prisoners,” these two functionaliee declared tiiat calmly spoke one of the officers. they had only jurisdiction on the land The boys looked bewildered but and not on the sea. spoke not in the absence of their fath “ But the pillaging should be stop er, to whom they had always looked ped.” insisted the honest fishermen. for advice and guidance. When the justice of the peace saw But the old man was busily engaged. that his neighbors were bent on some W ith a surprising quickness he had kind of legal action, he informed them opened the chest and tor» from it the that the higher courts had jurisdiction register roll. Then he closed the on the waters; that the government chest, locked it and cast the keys into itself would act if it were informed; the water at the lowei end of the hole. that the vessel was a foreign one and Then he climtied ont through a port that the consul of the country from hole at the rear, hurriedly secreted which the vessel came would protect it the roll in the sand at a safe distance from the hands of the land pirate«. from the vessel, climbed hack through Astoria then had her customs offi and joined his boys who were prison cials and she had a United States com ers on deck. But befoie he had hidden missioner. Cape DiBsappointment had the parchment upon which the ehip’ s her lighthouse, bnt it was before the register was made he had turned days of telephone and telegraph service through it qnickly. His eyes had at that point and there was no way to rested upon two names. This brought communicate with the government from him the ejaculation: authorities at Astoria, sixteen miles “ Old Seadog rejoices at last; old away on the south bank of the river, Seadog rejoices at last; old Seadog has except by crossing the stream in a cause to rejoice! In the language of email boat. the convict who swam to the Diamond But those men of the river weie not Isles, ‘ the woild belongs to old Seadog slow in arranging for the trip. A small now!’ ” sail boat was launched and three of the most intelligent went aboard and were C H A P TE R IV . soon cutting their way across north of Odd Companions. Band Island as fast as the wind could carry them. After releasing the old man and the Old Seadog’ s watchful eye did not child from their entanglement they let them escape unnoticed, and he were carried to the nearest fisherman’s knew that ordinary matters did not cabin. The man, though lashed to the prompt his neighbors on such a jour spar and pinioned to the earth by the ney. driftwood was held no closer than was “ Dig for your lives, boys; lift out the babe. His arms held it like a that sand! We may have trouble be vise. They had been so long about it fore our job is done. Some of those that they had formed like clasps halfbreeds have gone to Astoria to around the body and, benumbed by raise trouble and we must get well and the cold, they were as difficult to pry through before the storm blows back.” apart as are the cieepers which bold a Old 8eadog did not mean to disturb vine in its upward climb. the property left on the vessel. He Young as it was, only a few weeks had a personal motive in view. His old, the infant posse sed more vitality mission was not in quest of gold; than did its aged protector. It neither would he have carried away stretched forth its little hands and legs the smallest thing of intrinsic value, with surprising strength and cried piti- but would have risked his life and that fully, though in a voice that showed (To 1 e continued) of his boys for tiiat which he sought that its lungs were still strong and T h e O t h e r F e llo w 's Job. W hile delving their way into the healthy. There's a craze among us mortals that I* cabin they came upon many valuables. But the old n.an s-arcely breathed. cruel hard to name, These were cast aside as so much rub He opened his dull eyes for a moment Wheresoe'er you find a human you will bish. Gold and silver trinkets were and stared blankly into the faces of find the case the same; thrown upon the heaps of sand as if those directly in the line of his vis Yon may seek among the worst of men or they were of no value. seek among the best, ion, and then closed them. He was It was several hours after they had unconscious of all that was going on And you’ll find that every per*on I* pre cisely like the rest. begun work and old Seadog was already about him. His long gray Hair hung casting uneasy glances toward the in strands about bis face and neck. Each believes that his real calling is along some other line south side of the river when the boys His silken gray beard was matted with Than the one at which he's working— struck the sea captain’s iron chest. the sand and trash of the beach. But take, for ¡iistani-e, yours and mine. W hile battling with the storm the for the slow pulsation of his heart he From the meanest “ me-too” creature to rocking, tossing vessel had shaken this would have been pronounced dead by the leader of* the mob. heavy receptacle from its usual place those around him. There's a universal craving for “ the oth and had hurled it about the room like The women were running about as er fellow's job." a ping pong bail. But like a wedge it busy as only women can be when they had been driven into a heap of fur are doing some great ant of charity, There are millions of positions In the busy world to-day. niture and baggage jammed together in and their devotion was increased by one corner of the room and backed by the fact that some dead mother’ s chi d Each a drudge to him who holds it, but to him who doesn't, play; these and the heavy bank of sand piled had fa'.len into their hands, and each upon the top of the whole, it. seemed a felt a double responsibility on this ac ! Every farmer's broken hearted that In youth he missed his call, thing as solid and immovable as the count. While that same unhappy farmer is the hull of the vessel itself. Some were bringing dry clothing envy of us all. It was at this crisis that old Seadog from the wardrobe of their own chil Any task you care to mention seems a vastly better lot discovered a revenue cutter approach dren, others were warming cow’s milk ing from the south, at whose helm in a small l>Min on the stove, while a ; Than the one especial somethin;; which yon happen to have got. more thoughtfir mother was sharing floated the stars and stripes. There’s but one sure way to smother the breast of her own babe with the “ Exert yourselves, boys, exert your Envy’s heartache and her sob; selves for your lives, or all is for littis waif. And thoee good women Keep too busy, at your own, to want naught I those foots have informed the smiled with tears in their eyes as the "the other fellow's job.* officers and they w ill soon be upon us,” little stranger tugged greedily at its , —Success. C H A P T E R I I I — Continued. Guest— I want a good porterhouse steak. Walter— Gents what order por. terbouae steak are required to uiaks a deposit, air.—Chicago Tribune. Swatter— I aee you are mentioned In one of the hooka Juat publlahed. Prim ly -Indeed! Whut lunik? Swatter— The directory.— Chicago Xewa. Gabber— You ought To meet Dyer. Awfully clever Imitator. He can take off anybody. Mlsa Duncan (wearily)— I wlah he w ai here now.—Tit lilts Stringent Bay, do you want to get next to a scheme for making money fast? Nibbles Surit I do. Strlngeiu— Glue It to the floor. -Chicago New«. At the Art Exhibition; First Judge — Dauhlelgh la a prolific painter, Isu t he? How would you eatlmate hta work? Second Judge— lly the quart.— I.tfe. Roosevelt and Parker outdistanced: Stella — Men are so stupid. Bella — Yes. Indeed; do you suppose It would take me weeks to write a letter of ac ceptance?— Exchange. Customer— The last fish I had from you didn’t seem very fresh. Ftab Denier— Well, mum. 'ow can you ex pect fresh fish to couie out o' suit water?— New Yorker. First Physician—So the operation wan Just In the nick of time? Second Physician — Yes, In another twenty four hour» tin* patient would have recovered without it.- Harper's Bazar. At the seaside; She— Oh! George, what lovely wave»! He— Very nice; but, poor things, they’re*Juat like me— we both arrive at ttie shore In splen did style— ami go hack broke.—Judy. Visitor (at Putin Bay) What do you do In here all summer? Native- 1 .«af and flnh. Visitor— And what do you Jo In the winter? Native We don't fish.—Cincinnati Commercial Tribune. "I suppose," anld the drummer, "you labor on the Snbhnth, and rest the re mainder of the week." "N o." replied the village parson: "I try to ooll«»ct my salary on week days."— Chicago News. More Troublesome: "It’s pretty hard to be worried by n lot of debts yon can't pay." "Nonsense! That's noth ing to being worried by a lot of debts you simply have to pay.”— Philadel phia Ledger. Diagnosis: Patient— Do you con sider this trouble fatal, doctor? You know my means are limited, nnd — Doctor— Well, ns a rule, the patient succumbs to It after atxiut two thou sand dollars' worth of treatment.— Life. Sure enough: “Of course, I don't wnut to criticise, but 1 don’t think It was altogether right for David to say 'all men are liar».’ " "Well, at nny rate. It was safer than to pick out ono man and say It to him.”— Philadelphia Pres*. Artist— Hare you taken my picture to the exhibition? P o r te r — Yes, sir; It seemed to please the gentlemen very much. Artist— What did th«'y say? Porter—Oh. they didn't say nothing, but they laughed that 'earty.— Glasgow Evening Times. "Did yon ever make any money on the board of trade?" "Yes, I uiHde one hundred and seventy five dollars there one day In less than twenty minutes." “ Whew! What did you do with It?" “Oh, they got It back before I had a chance to toe It."—Chicago Itecord- Herald. Teacher— Have you looked up the meaning of the word “Imbibes,” Fan ny? Fanny— Yes. niH’am. Teacher— Well, what does It mean? Fanny—To take In. Teacher—Y«*s. Now give a sentence using the word. Fanny— My aunt lmblb«** boarder«.— Woman's Home Companion. “Mr. Heavyweight” "«Id the min ister. “Is willing to subscribe $10.«**) for a new church, provided we run get other subscriptions making up the same amount.” "Yet you seem dis appointed." aald his wife. “Yes, I was In hopes he would contribute $100 in cash."— Brooklyn Life. Jones— It la Just Impossible for mo to keep a lead pencil. People are al ways borrowing, you know, and they always forget to return. Brown— Why, I never have any trouble. See. I’ve got a whole vest pocketful of pen cils. Jones— Doesn’t that prove Just what I said?— Boston Transcript. The Elder Miss Spinster (appearing at the back door)— Tell me, my good man, are you the person who called h«*re last w«*ek? Knight of the Hoad — You dont’ mean the bloke wot you give the ’omade pie to? No, mum, I ain’t Mm. ’E Ipft me his ole togs when 'e pegg«-d out, that's all.—Judge. “There's mighty few people,” said Farmer Corntossel, “that knows what to do with a farm after they get one." “ I have noticed that,” answered the girl with frizzes; “ they always Insist oil filling the whole place up with corn and oats and things, when they might have such lovely tennla courts and go.f links."— Washington Star. % Fla., daughter of Recorder of Deeds, West, who witnessed her signature to the following letter, praises Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound. “ D k a h M km . P im k iia m : — T h ere are but frw wives and mothers who hav» n<>t at times endured agonies and such pain as only women know. I wlah such women knew the value of I.vd lix 1!. Pinkhant'i \reg<etubto Com* p o m itl. It is a remarkable medicine, different In action from any 1 ever knew and thoroughly reliable. “ I have Been many cases where women doctored for yenrs without per manent IxoietR, who were cured In less than three months after tuking your Vegetable ('<>in|H>und, wIdle others w It» were chronlo and incurable came out cure«l, happy, aud in perfect health after a thorough treatment with this medicine. 1 have never used It myself without gaining great benefit. A few dosea restores my strength and appe tite, and tones up the entire system. Your medicine has tx-rn tried and found true, hence I fully end«.rse It." — M ks . U. A. A ndriisos , 3J& Washing ton St., Jacksonville, Fla. — $ 6000 forfa it It original o f abort lattar proving gain,* ntnoao * • * - pvt bo proJocod. No other medicine for women haa received such widespread and umiualL tied endorsement. No other medicine haa such a record o f cures of feninle troubles. Refuse to buy any substitute. • He N e e d e d Assistance. They had been pressing blm hard the whole week. The bouse w'»s full of widows and pretty girls and alt tbs other men but himself had down be cause they could not stand the pa«-e. He refuse«! to lx* dlstrutxxl In Ids sum mer arrangements and so he stayed on. Hunday night they had him In the corner aud the time began to wane when some one started the game of "what you'd rather he If you had your choice." There were a lot o f answer« sud a chorus of laughter a ml the usual noise that goes with summer n*sort past inn-*, and they saved the lone man for the climax. When It finally reach ed him. says the New Y'ork Times, It found him not only ready, hut willing. “ What would y«iu rather l»e If you <x>uld have the powerof changing your- m ltr “ A syndicate,” was hta reply. Pi so ■ Curs 1» s reined v for roughs, nolda and consumption. T ry it. Price cents, st druggist* Itavls First Han Night Train*. Henry Gaaouway Davla found bis first advancement when he s««cured th« coveted |x>sltlon o f lirakeman on a freight train on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It was not long before he was advanctxl to tue more respon sible i>o«ltlon o f freight conductor, re sponsible In these days, but far more so, relatively. In those. At 24 he was again prornot«Ni, this time to the posi tion of superintendent In charge o f the running o f all the trnlns. He Intro duced an Innovation which mnrked a decide«! advance step In railroading. Up to that time, It ha«l not been con sldered practicable to run trains at night; when nightfall came, freight trains and passenger trains alike w«-re “ tied up,” their Journeys to be resinned only when daylight came. Davis held there was no good reason why they should not he run by night as well as by «lay, and proved It. His first night train from Cumberland to Baltimore marked an Important epoch In railroad ing.— Ig*slle's Monthly Magazine. Positions G uaran teed. IVOU forfeit placed with a National Hank la make good any failure <>n uur part. I-essoo* t»y in»11. practically free. W rit« today for catalog Beutel Business College, TACOMA, WASH H K N w r it la g ta a «tv a rtls a rs p l e e e e l m e n ti..n th is p a p e r. I