TOILERS of the COLUMBIA
By Paul De Loney Ms
ft
Author of " Lord of the
and other Pacific Coast Stories
CHAPTER I.
The Storm.
"Down she went!"
"All aboard were lost."
"She made a gallant fight."
"Seel She comes to the
surface
again
t
Ihe loreoging exclamations came
from a group of fishermen who etood
upon the ehorea of Baker's bay and
watched a ehip battling with the waves
on the Columbia bar.
The rain fell in long, slanting, twist
ing sheets. It appeared as if the heav
ens were a vast waterfall svrayed and
tossed by all of the gods of fury. The
wind howled and moaned like a power
ful monster, making the earth and
everything upon it tremble while it
pursued itE way as steady as a tide from
the deep.
Trees bended their boughs to the
cround and writhed and auivered to
the end of their tiniest roots. Houses
rocked and s waved like a weather vane
upon their foundations. The more
timid of the men and the women and
children, though accustomed to storms,
crouched and trembled with awed ex-
pressioi s upon their faces as they lis
teneu to the deafening din which was
eweeping the earth.
The Waters at the bioad mouth of
the Colun bia river arose like wild
steeds as they met the storm-driven
waves of the Pacific and battled with
them for supremacy. The combatting
elements formed like a mountain rang
along the bar, showing, with the rapid
ity of a kalefdeecopic view, peaks,
gulches and canyons , as the waters rose
and clinched and then fell and divided
'lor another attack. -
t jyatureigave her picture additional
'irandeur by the coloring. The ap
proach of night through such a storm,
$rhile there was still enough ehaded
light to cast a lurid haze over the scene,
the mingling of the. blood-red waters of
the river with .the.green and, white of
ocean streaked the whole, with a hue
emblematic of contest and death.
The tides from the deep seemed to be
angered by the battle above their heads
and rose higher and higher, with a
power that made the. rock-bound
shores shake, to crush out the wild con
test between river and waves. The
spray dashed up even to the timber
belt above the beach, creating a fog en
the windows of the high-perched light
house that made the newly lighted
lamp appear dim, and the whole moun
tain range along the coast to the north
quivered to its foundation while stay
ins the mighty rush of the waters from
the ocean.
' A group of fishermen stood at a point
on the shores of the bay. They were
drenched to the skin, but they did not
mind this. They were more intent
upon watching an object battling for its
life on the bar of the river. f It was
these who had made the exclamations
given at the introduction of this chap
ter.
It was the severest storm for many
years. They had been partially drawn,
practically thrown ashore in their crude
fishing boats by the receding waters
from the conflict between ocean and
river. While anxious eyes watched
them from the windows of the fishing
village in the rear, which was wrapped
in the landstorm, they looked more
anxiously out to sea. Having been
handled so mercileBsiy by the waters
which had spent their fury and were re
treating from the battle at the bar, they
trembled at the fate of an object which
they discovered in the center of the rag
ing conflict.
It toseed and leaped and rose and fell
like a wounded and bewildered animal
pierced by a bullet from some hunter's
rifle. Now on a peak, which shot up
like a rocket from the depths below;
now on the brink of a deep canyon,
formed in the twinkling of an eye; now
on a narrow ledge pending over a deep
abyss, and then in the depths of a
gulch, whose watery walls were crash
ing down upon it then it disappeared
from view!
"Down ahe went I" said one fisher
man. "All aboard were lost," said another.
"She made a gallant fight," remark
ed a tbiid.
"Seel She comes to the surface
again 1" exclaimed the man who had
first spoken.
The ship had instantly appeared
again. But it writhed in the roaring
surf like a stricken serpent. It had
been a fine rigged sailing vessel, but
now it was a mere bull with part of a
deck and a few stumps of masts left.
It had been the pride of a country and,
like a brave soldier wounded and dis
armed, it was fighting the enemy even
in its dying gasps.
It lunged this way and that. One
moment it careened on its side; another
it stood on its beam ; then it reared op
li-e an animal in desperation, and with
the agility of a cat regained its position
on a. wild wave and rode it with a gal
lantry that charmed the fisherman.
Then lost for a n.oment it appeared
again as if it had been discharged from
one of Neptune's greatest guns sta
tioned on a moro of the deep.
"Bravo!" shouted a fisherman.
"She deserves to live," said another.
"But look!" shrieked a third.
The shattered vessel had crossed the
bar and was heading straight for Sand
island. Caught on the receding waters
ahe was dragged mercilessly toward her
doom.
Desert. Orrmw Sketcfiea."
The storm grew stronger in its fury,
As if angry at the prolonged life of the
dismantled (hip, it gathered over the
spot where it was making its last feeble
fight to live. The sheets of ram grew
thicker, the steady wind grew stronger
the waves dashed together behind her
and reared high up into the air. Then
they broke apart and those receding
sent the vessel on more rapidly. (The
spray from the ocean and the sheets of
rain from the heavens formed a veil
which obscured all lor a brief time.
The fishermen stood like statues for
a few moments. Night was'closing in
But for one brief instant there was
glimmer from the departing day ana the
men ashore saw the stranded vessel
standing withnose in the sand while
the victorious waves were pounding
her at a rate that must soon break her
to pieces.
But to render aid to those aboard the
sinking ship was impossible. No
earthly craft could live in euch
sea. Slowly and sadly the toilers of
the Colubmia wended their way to their
homes in the village where they told
the story of the wreck.
CHAPTER II.
Age and" Infancy Drift Ashore.
With the closing in of darkness the
storm abated. As if rebuked by the
deep shades of night it skulked away
like a Bubdued trespasser. Only its
rumblingr-disappearing footsteps ctuld
be heard in the distance.
-out lorjne Dooming or old ocean's
mad waves, who seemed to feel that she
had conquered all within her grasp and
was reaching out her arms for the sky
and rocks to catch all above and about
her, a stillness would ha?e p retailed
such as only exists in a calm after
great storm.
The fishermen began to emerge from
their homes. The news of the terrible
fate of .the ship and her crew had
spread about the village. .While there
was none of those hardy fellows who
would dare the white-capped waves.
yet they could not sleep while succor
might be rendered in some manner.
Heacon lights were kindled upon the
hills along the shore and above the safe
landing places . so - jthat if.,, any craft
should have survived the storm it
might steer for the place whre landing
did not mean certain death, though the
best was hazardous.
"More wood!" they shouted, as the
fires began to die down and in every di
ruction spectre-UKe iorms were seen
moving about like shadows among the
big trees that lined the hills near the
hore.
Others lined up near the water's edge
with ropes in hand, and strained their
eyes and ears for a glimpse or a sound
that would direct them to a place
where humanity's most charitable act
could be bestowed.
But it was a night of work and vigi
lance without reward. No an object
was seen, not a sound heard save that
of the receding waters as they returned
to the deep from which they came.
The son shot above the horizon the
following mornjng with a flash. The
sky was as clear as a crystal. The
waters were as smooth on the bay as a
lawn. Only out on the bar did an oc
casional whitecap show its head.
The beach was soon lined with men,
women and children. The smoldering
fires on the hillsides sent swirling
streams of white smoke straight toward
the heavens. The great trees above the
leacb had straightened their boughs
and no evidence remained of the battle
with the storm save the broken limbs
and the high piles of driftwood that
littered the shore.
On the approach of a newcomer a
first glance was cast out over the bay.
It was followed by a cloud of disap
point men t on his or her face. Sand
Island had claimed many victims and
another disaster was to be added to her
record.
Buried deep into her sands was " the
hull of another vessel. Only a few
stumps ot masta remained above the
wreck. Strain their eyes as they would
under the shadow of their Lands or
through their strongest glasses, not . a
living thing could be discovered on or
about the remains of the vessel which
had made such a gallant fight the pre
vious day.
Suddenly a boat shot out from the
shore to the east. An involuntary hiss
escaped through the lips of the other
fishermen. It was old Seadog and his
boys. They l.ad slept through the
night while others kept the beacon fires
burning. They were not now on a mis
sion of charity bent. They had gone
for plunder before.
But old Seadog had other motives in
view. His keen eyes had pierced deep
er into the storm the previous day.
He had also been reading the marine
news, besides letters and newspapers
from a foreign land. He thought he
recognized the vessel's country, by the
vessel itself and had a motive for being
first aboard shonld his surmise be true.
On they dashed, propelled by the
skilled oarsmen, growing less and less
until like young jackals they lifted their
boat on the sands and climbed over in
to the hull of the stranded vessel.
The people began to break away in
small groups. They were silent but
old Seadog and his boys were con
demned in the minds of many. Still
they did not know the real motive that
prompted the land pirates.
The men scattered up and down the
beach that they might find whether any
evidence of the vessel or her crew had
drifted ashore. This had always -been
their custom and small boats and. dead
bodies had .often been ' found. even so
soon after great catastrophes." V
In a tew hours the searchers began
to return to the Village empry:handed.
Aa they came each : reported in turn
that nothing had been found.;. Ithad
been .a severe . storm, however, and
everything had probably been dashed
to pieces against the rocks about Cape
Disappointment, and the bodies of the
crew, they thought had been sent to
the bottom of the sea or were lashed to
the remnants of the vessel where all
must be dead. '
The forward party which followed
the beach toward the ocean, and had
proceeded about a mile was startled by
a noise while climbing among the drift
wood in a little cove. -
"A wharf rat!" exclaimed one.
"No, a weasel," said another.
"It is the voice of a human being, as
sure as you live!" shouted a third,
who was nearer the sound than the
others. '
'On then," replied the man who
had first spoken.
The members of the party all rushed
to the place from which the sound em
anated. , '
"jjian't i ten you7" said the man
who had proclaimed it a human voice,
when he reached the place.
.wen, I told you that it was a
small human being, and it is," replied
the man who had pronounced the.cry
aa cuiuuig nom a wnari rat. ;
r i -
It s mate is old enough for you,
remarked one of the fisheimen. '
"Yes, but he is of little use now, he
is dead," was the reply.
"Not much, see, he opens his eyes!"
shouted one of them joyfully.
A , sad picture, yet one that gave
pleasure to the fishermen, presented
itself. A short, stout old man, with
gray hair and whiskers, lav lashed to
a broken spar of a ship. He was
probably three score and ten. Tbe
spar lay upon his right leg and he
could not move. Had this not been
the case he could never have relaeeed
himself fiom the timber, for he was
numb and dazed, more dead than liv
ing and the chords had drawn deep in
to nis body, But in toe aged man's
clasp, like that of the dead, he held
close to his heart a crying infant.
CHAPTER , III.
Old Seadog Rejoices.'
Long before the old man and the
child were found, other fishermen had
launched their Doatsand had pulled out
on the bay.
Some went to the fishtraps and oth
ers made straight across to the wrecK.
but. oia beaaog naa prepared to go
aboard the stranded vessel and to hold
it against all comers until he should
carry out his plans. Firearms had
been secreted in his small boat before
leaving shore and these were trans
ferred to the wreck. .
One of the boys was left on guard
while the old man leading the others
went on a searching tour of the ship,
They soon found that the vessel pos
sessed but little that was of value for it
had discharged its cargo at San Fran
cisco, and nai come to the Columbia
for a return consignment.
But it was not wealth of the kind
that the world considers valuable that
old Seadog was looking for , it was that
which would remove all cloud from the
title to his own wealth.
It was while thuB engaged in ran
sacking the unfortunate vessel that the
advance guard of the fishermen arrived
in their small boats. Old Seadog ' was
always first appealed to by his ions be
fore action was taken and the one on
guard called to his father And informed
him of the approach of their neigh
bors. The old man rushed upon deck and
seizing a gun, ne presented it and said:
"Upon your lives, come no closer,
men! Stop where you are and return
to your boats or I will shoot!"
"what r;ght have you to the craft?"
asked the bolder of the party. ,
"The right of salvage men, tbe right
of salvage! We were first to board her
after she went aground," replied the
old man.
"Well, we will report you to the i
law," shouted one of the fishermen ae
tbey left the place, some returning to
the village and others pulling for their
traps further np the bay.
(To be continued)
Dug Into a Wolfs Den.
An Oklahoman named Lawson ha
an unpleasant experience while visiting
his brother-in-law, Mile Blodgett, who
lives near Adobe Walls im the Texas
panhandle. Lawson went wolf-hunting
alone. ' Next day his horse was
found saddled, but without a bridle.
Blodgett summoned about thirty neigh
bors and began searching for Lawson,
who was located after nearly a day's
hunt. His feet were sticking from the
top of a wolf den and about three feet
of dirt rested on his body. Lawson
was so fastened that he could not ex
tricate himself.
He had dug down in the wolf den
about five feet on a slant in a manner
something like the entrance to a dug
out, then lay down in his trench to
reach in after some coyote pups. , He
caught one and threw it out and it is
supposed that this frightened his horse,
which was tied to a bunch of bear
grass near the hole. The horse, making
lunge,, caused tne oanKs to cave, the
dirt falling on the prostrate body of
the man, covering his body and head.
The dirt caught him with his arms
stretched out in front so he could not
use them to much advantage, but he
managed to work his hands and shove
the dirt down the hole until his head
was uncovered and he could get air
from the top. He lay in this position
from 5 o'clock Thursday afternoon till
10 o'clock Sunday morning. Kansas
City Star. ' ' . -
Laplanders have been known to skat
a distance of 150 miles in one day
The oldest graduates of Yale and
Harvard are ministers. .
A Japanese bride gives her wedding
presents to her parents as a slight rec
ompense for the trouble they have
taken in bringing her up.
The power of an engine In India is
sometimes given in elephant instead of
horse-power, an elephant-power being
equal to twenty-two horse-power.
In England, the annual consumption
of Southern fruit amounts to fifteen
pounds per head. In Germany It aver
ages not quite three pounds per head.
The average passenger haul on steam
railways has increased from twenty-
three to twenty-seven miles since elec
trical lines have been competing for
suburban business.
The botanical papers report that De
Vries, the great Dutch experimental
evolutionist, has by long continued se
lection produced a variety of clover
which has normally four leaves.
India was in possession of a steel
secret once, which is lost now. This
was the inlaying with gold of steel
blade3 in such a manner that the
strength of the blade was not impaired
nor its temper spoiled.
An investigation of the Obi and
Yenesei Rivers, made under the aus
pices of the Russian government, has
revealed the fact that these streams
are navigable by ocean stamers for a
distance of 1,000 miles from their
mouths.
A Chelsea (England) hospital Is
mourning the loss of a bequest of $6,
000 through a legal informality. The
testator signed his will in his bed room,
and the witnesses thoughtlessly carried
it into another room before signing it,
thus making the document invalid.
An English watchmaker has just fin
ished making a tiny watch in. the form
of a shirt stud. Its dial is two-six
teenths of an inch in diameter, and it
Is to be worn' with two other studs. By.
turning the upper stud the watch is
wound, while by turning the lower one
the hands are adjusted.
More than 8,000 women are employed
in the various government offices in
Washington, 2,044 of .whom have en
tered the service after competitive ex
amination. Nine hundred of them are
paid salaries ranging from $1,000 to
$1,800 a year, the others being paid the
compensation of ordinary clerks $600
to $900 a year. ;
"Conscience money" In Great Britain
now amounts to thousands of pounds
annually. The first sum noticed was
on March 30, 1789, when $1,800 was
carried to the public account in conse
quence of a note received by the chan
cellor. The writer with troubled soul
implored him, "as an honest man, ' to
consider the money the property of the
nation, and to be so just as to apply it
to the use of the state in such a man
ner that the nation may not suffer by
its having been detained, and thus to
ease the conscience of an honest man."
INSURES HER LIFE FOR A CLUB.
Chicago Woman Evolves a Strikingly
Original Plan of F inane-.
Mrs. Pauline Harriette Lyon, secre
tary of the Woman's Athletic Club, of
Chicago, has evolved a strikingly orig
inal plan to pro
vide the club with
a permanent and
palatial home of its
own. She has had
her life insured for
$350,000 and with
the policy as collat
e r a 1 a Chicago
banker will ad
vance the amount,
which will be used
Miia. i'. h. Liua. in addition to $zw,-
000 already on hand for the erection of.
magnificent 12-story clubhouse. For
ty members of the club, which includes
Mrs. Emmons Blaine, Mrs. J. Ogden
Armour, Mrs. Harold McCormick and
others of equal social and financial
prominence, have agreed to pay the
premiums on the insurance. The club
will have a natatorium, gymnasium,
recreation rooms, libraries, fountain
room, bowling alleys and numerous
sumptuous apartments for Chicago's
select women and will be the best fit
ted elub of the kind in existence.
Ollfl or Kacnral Glass.
A cliff of natural glass can be
in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming.
seen
It is
half a mile long and from. 150 to 290
feet high, the material of which It con
sists being as good glass as that arti
ficially manufactured. The dense glass
which forms the base is from sevewty
flve to one hundred feet thick,- while
the upper portion, having suffered and
survived many ages of wind and rain,
has naturally worn much thinner. Of
course, the color of the cliff is'not that
of natural glasa transparent and
white but is mostly black and some
places mottled and streaked with
brownish red and shades of olive green
and brown.
Heaviest in Winter.
Some curious experiments have been
made at one of the royal philanthropic
institutions in Copenhagen. For some
years back the seventy boys and girls
in the place have been carefully weigh
ed every day in groups of fifteen and
under. Thereby it is proved that the
children gain weight mostly in autumn
and in the early part of December.
From that time till the end of April
there is scarcely any increase in
weight. More remarkable still, there
Is a diminution till the end of sum
mer. Show some people real, diamonds
and they will Insist tbey are glasa.'
Miss Nellie Holmes, treasurer of thel
Holmes,
Young Woman's Temperance Association
of Buffalo, N. Y., strongly advises all suf
fering women to rely, as she did, upon
Lydia E Pirildiam's Vegetable Compound
DBAS Mrs. Pinkham : Your medicine is indeed an ideal woman's
medicine, and by far the best I know to restore lost health and strength. I
suffered misery for several years, being troubled with menorrhugia. My back
ached, I had bearing-down pains and frequent headaches. I would often
wake from' restful sleep, and in such pain that I suffered for hours before I
could go to sleep again. I dreaded the long nights as much as the weary days.
I consulted two different physicians, hoping to get relief, but, finding that
their medicine did not seem to cure me, I tried your Vegetable Compound
on the recommendation of a friend from the East who was visiting me.
l am glad that I followed her advice, for every ache and pain is gone,
and not only this, but my general health is much improved. I have a fine
appetite and have gained in flesh. My earnest advice to suffering women is
to put away all other medicines and to take Lydla E. Pinkham'S Vege
table Compound." Miss Nbiaik Holmes, 540 No. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Hiss Irene Crosby, prominent in Social Life in East
Savanah, Ga., adds her testimonial to the value
of Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound.
Remember that erery woman
Mrs. Pinkham if there is anything about her case or symptoms
she does not understand. Mrs. Pinkham's address is Lynn, Mass.
Her advice is free, and is cheerfully given to any ailing woman
who asks for it.
$5000
FO R FEIT U if cannot forthwith produce the original letters and Signatures of
Move Msumanuua, wmca wui prov
Cause and Effect.
'Now, that is what I like te see,
observed the rural merchant to the
proprietor of the great "department
store. "All your clerks are full of vim
and energy."
'Yes," replied the proprietor with a
sarcastic smile. "We close at noon to
day and they are getting ready to go
out"
Mothers will find Mrs. Winslow's Soothing
Byrnp tne best remedy to use lor tueir cnuaren
during the teething period.
Heredity.
Binks Speaking of heredity, do you
remember Forrester, who bought some
wild land and turned it into a -farm?
Winks Yes; he was the inventor ot a
very effective stump puller.
Binks Just so. Well, his son is a
very successful dentist.
riTO rennanehtur unrea. iroataor
110 after first ey"s nm ofDr.KHne's Great Narva
Bestorer. Send for Frea S)2 trlalbottleandtraatlaa.
Sr. B. H. Kline. Ltd.. ur -Jcb St..- FhUadelnUa, Pa,
New York's Classic Cities.
New York State is full of cities and
towns of classic nomenclature. There
must have been a wave of Graeco
Roman lore when the christening of
municipalities took place, with a by
product of Asianism as a seasoning.
There are such names as Rome, Troy,
Athens, Cairo, Syracuse, Ithaca,
Sparta, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Tyre,
Memphis, Venice, Florence, .Corinth,
Parma, Milan, Naples, Hector, Ovid,
Delhi, Delphi, Diana, Paris, Pompey,
I lion, Palmyra, Palermo, Marathon,
Mycenae, Napoll Nineveh, Babylon,
Romulus, Siloam, Smyrna, TJtica, Vir
gil, Homer, Cicero, Ceres, etc.
CASTOR I A
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Bears the
Signature of
So Convenient.
Mrs. Urban How. yon must enjoy liv
ing in the eoontry. I suppose you can
get all the fresh fruit and vegetables you
want.
Mrs. Annex Oh, yes. Such a nice ped
dler comes out from the city three times
a week. Brooklyn Life.
Deab Mes. Pdteham : "It always gives
me pleasure to find an article of real value
and - unquestioned merit. I have found
Iiydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com
pound well calculated to relieve and cure
the various troubles arising from irregulari
ties and menstrual pains.
" Much, suffering could be spared if we
only paid more attention to proper living and
diet, but as long as women do hot do this,
vour Vegetable Compound has come to
the front as a true friend in need. I have
been very pleased indeed with, the relief it
has brought me. I find that I have perfect
health now, and that my mind is also more
clear and ' active since I used your Vege
table Compound. It has been of great
benefit to me, and I gladly recommend it.
Very sincerely yours, Miss Irenb Cbosbt,
313 East Charlton St., East Savannah, Ga."
is cordially invited to "write to
mmr aosoiuce genuineness.
Iff dl B. Fimkiutm Bled. Co., IVynit, Ma
Muscular Faith.
Mrs. Meeker 1 don't take
any stock
in these faith cures brought
the laying on of hands.
about by
Mrs. Strongun Well, I do. I cured
mj little boy of the cigarette habit in
that way.
Miseries of Wealth.
Binks There is a man who can afford
to hang his overcoat on a fifty-dollar hall
rack, instead of suspending it from a nail
in the wall.
Winks-How do you know?
Binks His oyercoat is humpbacked.
ABSOLUTE
SECURITY.
Genuine
Carter's
Little Liver Pills.
Must Bear Signature of
See Facsimile Wrapper Below.
Terr nail aad aa easy
to take as avLgasw
FOR HEADACHE.
FOR DIZZINESS.
FOR BILIOUSNESS.
FOR TORPID LIYER.
FOR CONSTIPATION.
FOR SALLOW SKIN.
FOR THE COMPLEXION
eunjnn Muarwn
as cmts I nrely "VeffetaMe.,
CURE SICK HEADACHE.
CURES WHERE ALL ELi FAILS. '
I Beat Congh Syrup. Taster. Qoed.
. uaa
in time. noia py araggista.
I
llagMWak.
CARTER'S
IflVER
I
- - - I