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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1908)
" x ., . . . v . ..V-'. ATHE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, ; SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 1(T?' 71 CINATING FEATURES For FOLKS J AS YOUNG) How Ernest Saved The Herd preaching cloud of dust that told him the men were coming. But was it really the men 7 The cattle never came see him and give warning unless he had been sur prised and captured. . Older heads than Ernest's would have been anxious By WILDER GRAHAME 5T T WASN'T very r "asant to be Irt outside me Stockade to guard tbe corral Rates, with no com panlons but a pony and the three thousand six hundred half-wild and restless cattle. Most boys v'i'S of fourteen would not hare relished the position 3, even In a time of peace. And now a band of des parados of the worst type was known to be approach , lug. White savages who have no fear of the law are -' worse than savage Indians. A,'' scout had brought 'Jrord that the terrible "Bolter gang" were on their ' wax to raid the cattlemen of the valley, and all bands '. &ad since been busy gathering the scattered settlers Into the central stockade for protection against this marauding band of "rustlers," or cattle thieves. I Whatever may be said agalnat the cowboy, laziness tand cowardice are not among his fallings; so It Is fact . surprising that the ranchmen began to prepare most actively to give their unwelcome visitors a warm peceptlon. I tfpon the mountain lay the scout, waiting to send JQie signal of warning when the foe should enter the . pass. Below, fearless riders dashed over the plains, fliringlng in the scattered cattle and preparing for a ' long and vigorous defense. Until the signal came , fthere Was no danger, and, as all hands were needed In driving up the more distant herds, the stockade was for the time left comparatively undefended. That was how It came to pass that Ernest wss left alone to guard the corral gates till the remaining cattle were driven In and the heavy fastenings safely secured. There was little for him to do but watch till the other .herds arrived. Then he would have to swing the big gates open and help turn the leaders In. This might " mean some hard riding and not a little danger. Often the least unusual thins h encush to start those herds of half-wild rattle on a mad stampede before which there Is no safety but In flight. A single misstep, and horse and rider would be trampled to pieces by a thousand hoofs. The cattle were restless that day ready for a stampede on the slightest provocation. As though they scented danger, they sniffed ths air, pawed and lowed till Ernest began to fear they would attempt to break from the inclosure. Within ths stockade the women were doing what they could In preparation for the coming fight Ouns were being cleaned and examined, ammunition boxes 'dragged Into more convenient places, and tbe little fortress strengthened in every possible manner. In fact, every one was busy at some active work except the scout, away up on tbe mountain, and Ernest. No wonder the lad felt almost alone In the world. Would the men be ready to return before the signal cams? Of course they would be all right, anyhow, for they would have time to get back after Bolter ' came in sight of the scouts. They could leave the rest of tbe herds, if necessary. But the excitement , ot tbe cattle he was guarding seemed contagious, and Ernest's restlpssncss, like theirs, increased. He gal loped up to a little plateau, and, dismounting, looked anxiously toward the spotVhere the scout was sta tioned, as If expecting his signal. Ilia attention was about equally divided between the trail by which the men would come and the lookout on the mountain. The lad was not by any means a coward. Accustomed as he was to the dangers and hardships of frontier life, even the cowboys admired bis daring. Still, it was with a keen sense of relief that he saw an ap 5 '."7V 4. ' Ik. . in : ' ?V .."V '. f-a' t "4 ''sr -4 t rrr -:'- . , - IT WAS WITH A KEEN SENSE OF RELIEF THAT HE SAW AN APPROACHING CLOUD OF DUST THAT TOLD HIM THE MEN WERE C OMINQ. like that unless they were stampeding. Surely that at that moment. Furiously the cloud of dust ap couldn't be Bolter! The scout would have been sure to proached, drew near, then parted, and out of It there came, not horns, bat hones ridden as If thJ evil one possessed tbe reins. There was there oonlJ be no more doubt It was Bolter and his gang. Ernest'e flrat thought .waa of tht men acattere hopelessly over the valley; then rf the women an children in the stockade, defenseless and as yet on conscious of their danger; then of the cattle, f Ah the cattle! Putting spurs to his horse, he dashed V the corral gates, tore them wide open, and the flev to the rear of the inclosure, and. shouting like maniac, swung his coat in the air above his head. To one Instant three thousand six hundred beads ward in the air. The next four times as many hoofs wen thundering down the valley in a hopeless stampedeJ A railroad train would not have stopped that mh Nothing could withstand or check it The advancing horsemen drew rein for a moment astonished at tbe commotion. Then, as the full aenan of their danger burst upon them, they turned about! and fled helter-skelter for their Uvea. Desperate men they were, and only desperate riding could save them When the cowboys returned, the noise and dustj had died away, and the desperadoes were disorganised! and scattered. Here wss the ranchmen's chance, aaa so well did they Improve It thanks to their habit of! Quick thinking and acting in an emergency, that! Bolter left nearly half his gang prisoners In the hand. of their intended victims. Cowboy skill soon rounded up the scared and scat tered cattle. Tbe scout T Poor fellow, he had kept his last watch. Bolter's sharp-shooters had surprised! him at the post of duty. And Ernest T Well, a week later, a half-dozen of the ranch owners came up from Denver and held a meeting In the main ranch house Aa they sat around the fire they were told the atom of Ernest's exploit, and immediately they clubbed to- gcther to send him East to school. He graduates with high honors, and not many years later becam the prosperous owner of the very ranch which hi: pluck and cool-headedness had saved from Bolter an his desperadoes. & A AN OLD-TIME CALIFORNIA BURGLAR, by JOAQUIN MILLER- 4 IN the fall of 1849, Mr. Andrew Jackson Larlson A sailed out of Boston harbor for the gold mines Of California. The first day out the handle of his name was knocked off, for this bright and handsome boy , war working his wsy on a sailing ship around Cape ; Horn, and sea captains of those days had no time to waste on long names. He was only Larlson after he left land and his visiting card behind him. Qn landing in 8an Francisco, Mr. Andrew Jackson Larlson of Boston, Maesachusetts, was taken dowu wita smallpox. Tbe poor fellow left the hospital without a dollar or a friend, and with hardly a spare '(garment Still he was stout of heart, a brave and determined boy, as were ten thousand others of those times who were trying to make a little fortune for the dear ones at home, and he did not falter. The day after leaving the hospital, with his pale, thin face all in dots and spots, he engaged to work Ids passage up the Sacramento River to the mines. MWhat Is your name?" demanded the gruff captain ; With a green patch on his right eye and a sllver- taounted Biz-shooter In his belt. ! iAndrew Jackson Larlson, sir," said the pale young 3nah with the spots and dots on his face. i"Hey? Well, Mr. Andrew Jackson Lazarus," roared Jthe captain, "take that coal-shovel and report to the (mate, and be quick about it, too." - And so Lazarus became his name Lazarus, and , lLazarus only, for soon the other parts of his name )wwe again rubbed off. :- 1 .When young Larlson reached the goid mines he (found there had been a great stampede for mlb.es said fc be of fabulous richness farther on over the moun tains. All along the banks of the little gold-bearing trtvef he saw deserted cabins the latchstrlng hang jlng out ready for any who chose to enter and take possession. A 1 good custom was this In the old days. Let a jparty of gold hunters, game hunters or even punters after health, gonto the mountains and build a cabin for the season, care was always taken to leave It neat and clean and ready for the first poor wayfarer who might pass that way. . - Larlson pushed as far on up the stream as hla legs Would take him the first day. Near the lead of the (placer mines he found a cabin with the rickety door wide open.; He entered and took possession. 11 A ine stream of water ripppled and ran through khe mossy boulders under the great, sweeping pine end fir and yew trees. The place was so still that the young man could bear his heart beat as he stood on Jthe earthen flood before the huge fireplace and looked bout In one corner was a battered old rocker, a shovel, pick and a few other tools. In the southwest corner arose a tier of "bunks," not unlike the berths of a ship jn arrangement. In each bunk waa spread a thick layer of fir and pine boughs, which gave out a pleasant odor. But on the topmost bunk, best of all, the thoughtful miners, on going away, had thrown their rough, outer clothing aa well as some empty flour sacks, gunny bags and so on. Larlson hastily climbed up to this topmost bunk, by setting his feet on the two lower bunks as if mounting a ladder, and the poor fellow soon had a fairly comfortable bed arranged on top of the fragrant boughs. Then he descended, struck a match, and from the pine quills and pine knots to be had at the door for the picking up, he built a fire so bright that it lit up the laughing little stream through the open door. He went out, washed his hands and face in the cool water, took a refreshing drink, returned to his cabin, closed the door, and dined heartily on cookies and cheese which the gruff but kind old captain had made him put In his pocket on leaving the boat. Our young gold-hunter slept soundly. He was now "an honest miner," with cabin, bunk, tools, claim all things, indeed, but gold. Was the gold there In the ground, down on the bedrock, deep under the big mossy boulders 7 He would soon see. With sleeves rolled above his elbows, and with bare feet, he wrought and he wrestled till nearly sundown. Not a "color," although he struck the hard, -blue bed rock in many places that first day. He climbed out of his claim, very tired and hungry, but not disheartened. Tbe water had sung pleasantly to him all day. Beautiful Wl! flowers had leaned out from the bank, as If to cam tort him in his solitude. The great solemn pines sang their mighty monotone In the warm winds of the sierras high over his head, and it made him think pleasantly of the pine woods of home. He had passed by a small grocery store the even ing before, a mile or so down the stream. Thither he now returned, after arranging his tattered raiment as best he might, and laid his case before the bearded Missourian who kept the "store." As the Mlssourian was both kind and anxious to see work resumed at' the deserted diggings, he readily let Larlson have "on ' tick" what he timidly asked for a codfish and two pounds of crackers. Next day tbe same song of the pines, the same sweet flowers leaning from the banks of the tumbling little stream, the same strenuous toil, too but not a color of gold. The lad was growing dizzy as he leaned over to strike a few last blows in the depths of a crevice of the bedrock which he had been following all day without even a color to encourage him. His pick sank deej deeper than ever before and the clear "THE SMELL OF HAM HAD MADE THE. BEAR A BURGLAR." water took on a dirty clay hue. He leaned over, took a handful of this dirty yellow stuff from the point of his pick, and was about to throw it behind him and strike again, when he saw something glitter in his hand. He stooped to the water, and saw "Gold! gold! gold I" It did not take long to let the water wash the clay away as it ran gurgling down the crevice Be fore it was yet fairly night the hungry man had nearly filled with gold dust a little pint cup which he found in the cabin. But it was clear that this was only a "pocket." If he had had half a day still before him he would have been able to scoop it out and turn his back on it all; In which case this story would not have been written. The resolute boy had those dependent on him far away who wore very dear. They would need all the gold. And then It was only one more day at furthest. He would remain to get all. With this resolution and a light heart, although a heavy Btep, he tottered down to the store. He would not--he could not leave his gold behind him. He went his way, think ing all the time what he would have to cat on his return. Ham! Ham and onions! Fried ham and on,lons! That was what he wyuld have. He almost ran as he neared the Etore. Four men were playing cards at a table as he came in. Two others lay on benches asleep. Tho return tide of the stampede had set in, and men wero not nearly so scarce in the camp as before. Larlson let his gold sink deep down in his pocket. He found the bearded Mlssourian behind bis counter, and asked to pay his bilL The storekeeper seemed to have forgotten him. But after looking him In the face for a while he said: "Oh, jee, yes; I re member you now. Lot me see what it was you got." Turning around to the wall he put his finger on a number of little dots and spots. These were, for Lari son's name; for the storekeeper could not read. Under the spots and dots were the tall of a fish and the outline of a craoker, with four llttlo marks below. "I also want a ham and a pound of crackera a whole ham. I'm hungry. And I want onions a pound of onions!" The storekeeper handed over the ham, tied up the crackers and took the gold and weighed out bis due. Larlson Immediately picked up his bundle and start ed for his cabin. How fast he did walk! And, how fragrant was that ham as It fried and cooked in the new fire on the hearthstone! The bag of gold he laid on the table. Now and then the young man turned his eye from the pan to the gold with a happy heart. One more day, then home! He set the pan of frizzing ham on the table, closed the door and sat down to his meal. 4 Suddenly there was a noise outside. The yound man started to his feet, trembling and palo. The nols ! grew louder, as of many feet, now close to the door. But he did not lose his presence of mind. He wa: certain the noise was of the four men he had seen at the card table. He had noticed them shrink from him and whlspe among themselves. At the time he had (bought tbeyf were referring to the fresh marks of smallpox on JbJH face. The singular way In which the storekeeper had set down his name on the wall confirmed him In this But why should those men come to rob him if then believed he had the smallpox? Was his gold mora precious to them than life? How quickly a man thinks at a time like this! What was to bo done? He was alone and unarmed There were, he believed, four burglars no doubt all well armed. The noise grew louder. There waa great battering at the frail door. Suddenly Larlson made his plan. He dashetLthef gold against the stone wall that formed the back oq the chimney. Tho precious contents sank down, tafei in the deep ashes. Then with one bound Larlson sprang up high In thel topmost bunk and covered his face as he groaned "Smallpox! Smallpox!" The door was now broken open with a terrlflo crash. Then Larlson heard the din and rattle and noise ofl heavy feet. But there was no word spoken except! by the youth with covered faoe, high up In the corner. who uttered the wall of "Smallpox! Smallpox! Small-I poxl" I Aiur a lime Sanson paused 10 listen, txe cotulu now hear nothing at all but the beating of his heart He rubbed bis hands with glee at the thought of his shrewd device. The gold, be knew, was all thera In the ashes. Half an hour's washing would restore ltJ to him. Then he would get the rest out of the pocket and strike for Massachusetts by the shortest possible route. Planning this, still full of heart and hope, bef turned over in nis Dunx ana fell asleep. The sun was high when he awoke. Peering, onu cautiously, quite ready to hide his head and 'cry! "Smallpox!" at the first sight or sound of an ln- truder, he saw, heardnothing at all! Then he came down and looked about The crack-l era were gone. The frying pan lay upsido down on the floor. The ham was gone also! Turning to the door in a bewildered fashion hd saw on the soft earth outside the tracks 'of his as-l sallant They were big, broad tracks the tracks ofl a grizzly bear. The smell of ham bad made the bean a burglar! But Larlson was rich! THE BETTER PART OF VALOR by Carolyn Wells The fearlesscst baby you ever did see LWas little Xantippe Zenobia ;U Eeej-;::'.- V.- , n. m. . j 1 j 1 r ... 1 1 n She calmly stood still, without tremor or shock, When she saw her. great grandmother's great turkey-cock. .When to ruffle his feathers the turkey began, Do you think that Xantippe Zenobia ran ? No ! She turned up her queer little nose, and said "Fooh ! You needn't think that I'm frightened at youl" The turkey swelled bigger; his tail-feathers spread ; And ha puffed up his virrgs. Then he waggled his head And looked toward the babyj With agonized squeals Xantippe Zenobia took to hex? beefs! Copyright, ly Century Co. i 'rV, ' ! V 1 1 v
