The Florida agriculturist., 1884-08-20
Helping Hand Canyon
BY HELEN HARCouRT.

low-as young fellows are very apt to do,
only that my tumble in that direction,
was the first and last.
Katie Carew was true, noble girl,
and though / had nothing. at my back
but tolerably good education, and
small clerkship, she would have married
me in spite of her fathers opposition, if
| had urged it.
But was not mean enough to wish to
take her from a comfortable home, and
place her in another as poor and plain as
mine would have to lge for many year,
if l kept on as l had begun.
knew | could trust Katie to remain
true to her affection for me, even if was
not to see her for years to come, and so |
resolved to 60 North and seek my for |
tune.
Those were the days of the California |
gold excitement, and the end of it was,
that one bright morning mustered up |
my courage, and my worldly goods
and started out to seek for gold beyond
the Rockies.
There were three of us started together,
all young fellows, full of hope and pluck,
and bound to make our fortunes III lltfy,
or else we'd know why.
We did know why, too, before very
long. Bob and Bill Green were old
they were, always getting into trouble,
and making more for their family; it
was really to get them out OF the way,
and be rid of them, that their California
fever was encouraged. Everybody said
they were sure to come to bad end
and-but won't anticipate.
We were none of us over rich, so we
kept with the caravans crossing the
plains as long as we could get lifts along
the road, and then footed it the best we
could.
We had been trudging for some weeks
over a pretty rough piece OF country,
among hills, valleys and mountains, with
here and there narrow, rapid rivers tear
ing along between walls of rocks, that
looked for all the world, as if they had Z.
been tunnelled out by machinery, they |
were so straight up and down, and so |
clean cut, only a narrow ledge, and |
puny bush here and there.
We got along slowly, for it was hard |
travelling, and we had to keep sharp
look out for Indians besides, for they
were pretty thick in those days, and very
quick to pick off struggling parties OF
white men.
Well, one day, at noon, we camped
close to the brink of one of those rivers
\ I've just spoken of, natural canals, one
might call them, if they were not all
strewn with rocks, with the water foam
ing and churning among them
The slope to the shore was gradual
where we altnd and sscSs'f -felassd !
what we had been longing for chance "
to do, took good dip in the river-we a
had had our dinner first, and the bath b
made us feel so lazy, and sleepy, espe- a
cially Bob and Bill, that we agreed to Al
rest there till the next morning. O
| was the best gunner in the party, so
left them stretched out on the grass, t.
and started off to look for game for sup al
per and breakfast. o
kept close to the bank of the river a,
for fear of losing my way, and it was a h
good while before met any game; and d
then only bagged a few rabbits-still,
that was better than nothing, so 1 slung ST
them behind me, and started back for fc
the camp. m
1t took me less time to return, than it m
had to come, for had been going up b.
hill all the time then; the land rose
sharply, and as looked over the bank al
at the river now and then, l saw the W
water cleaning and foaming over the l
rocks, far down below me, rushing along
between two steep walls, could hardly al
believe it was the same stream, it was so b
different a mile or two below the camp N
from what it was just there, ,and for seve- tc
raj miles above it; below, it tore along
like demon seeking for mischief to do d
above it was quiet and peaceful, with d
green slOping shores. OF
1t was still quite early in the afternoon, | tC
but as | knew the rabbits would be al
enough meat for the present, did not IL
sstop, to look for more, but stepped along tC
for the camp at quick step, for, you
see, l was tired enough to feel like rest m
ing myself, as we'll as the others. tt
/ saw them as / came near, looking e,
as comfortable as could be, each of them b
sitting back against tree, and wonder
ed little at their laziness in not coming 81
to meet me, as they were in the habit of b
doing, and l called out to them, but they d
made no answer. fa
So, then, l decided they were asleep,
and that | would give them scare, to c.
show them how easily Indians might u
have surprised them; and creeping up t.
softly, gave Bob shake. c.
1t sends a chill of horror all over me ii
now, from head to foot, to recall that l
moment He fell over like log, and t.
his cap tumbled off-he was dead dead Q
yes-and had been scalped, too! s
Too stunned to take the whole truth
in, and half believing had the night C
mare, / touched Bill, and he fell over Fl
just the same way. Then 1 leaned up r
against tree and stared at the two poor v
fellows had left only couple of hours
before full of life and spirit. O
had heard no rife shots, and looking t
closer, saw that their death had come il
from knife-thrust, and no doubt in their f,
sleep-for there had been no struggle, n
that was plain enough the Indians had a
taken them unawares. They went to o
sleep in this world, and walked up in the
other. V