Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1890-02-26

Inc Tcu eaftn
is soft and soppy. It mires to the ankles.
The dark green of the chaparral on the
hill sides seems today almost black. The
hue of the river by my cabin door is yell
lower than ever. The water mark is
three feet higher than last night, and it
creeps upward every hour. Over the
mountain craSs yonder white sheets of
foam are tumbling where none has been
seen before for many months. This is an
enforced day of rest. have finished my
breakfast and sit down for few min
utes in keen enjoyment of idleness
There il a ceaseless patter of raindrops
on the cabin roof. The river roars loud
er than ever over the rifle close bv.
That roar is the first sound hear in the
morning and the last at night. 1t has
roared thus for me these three years. In
one sense Of times duration they seem as
three hundred years; in another, they
seem not much over three months. 1t is
three months when think only of the
date of my arrival on Frazier's flat. 1t
is three hundred years as attempt to
recall the daily round of experience and
thought since l came here. Outwardly
1t has been what many would consider a
monotonous experience. Weeks have
been SO much alike that they leave no
distinguishing marks in my memory.
wonder how many years more shall
spend here. l wonder if must live and
| die here. | am no nearer fortune than
three years ago, not SO near bv three
| years. ] seem more and more chained
down here by force of habit. seem fit
for little else but to dig. l long to see
something of the great world beyond
this lone foothill nook. Yet without
n,ncy feel less and less capable of go
ing out and getting on" in that world.
And as for saving honeywell, we call
| this u three dollar claim" which means
an average daily profit when all ex
! penscs are paid. Of two dollars, more or
less. These thoughts are making it as
| gloomy within as the weather l., with
out. l must get out of this. My gray
flannel working shirt needs mcnding
Tho right sleeve is ripped from wrist to
elbow. 1t has been 50 ripped for about
| six weeks. l have rolled that wet sleeve
up to the elbow about Il hundred times a
| day, and at every tenth stroke of tho
| pick it has unrolled again and Tapped in
my face. | sew up the sleeve, with a
very large needle and very coarse
thread doubled. This is Il good time to
| clean up Il little. will be domestic to-
day. will bake a frc, batch Of bread
and make q pic. 1t shall be minrc pic.
| We "rcten miles from the nearest bakers
mince pie. 1t shall be made of salt beef
previously soaked to freshness. dried APP
pies, moiasscs, and vinegar in lieu Of
cider. The crust | roll out with II junk
bottle on q smooth, fiat board l bake it
on shallow tin plate. 1t will be, when
done, a thin, wafery pie; bu, it will be
pic--thc shadow Of y pie 1T leas.--such
AS used to cat at home; only a shadow.
| Rain. rain, rain. The wind is UP and
about too, tearing around amoa, the
trees and shai:in, the cloth roof of my
cabin. Here and there little trick!cs of
water arc coming tA:ou n anl running
down the logs. Mine isa H., cabin of
the voushcst make. -Four los piled
atop Of each other form the SIDES. \
mud chimney at oHc end; door 1T the
other. The logs are Very Cry and very
rotten. and abound III t.lps2 iaarc:s that
delight il rotten wood l have found
scorpions under the bark and occasion
ally an carwis promcnades over the
table open the door and look out Oh
the river. 1t il, rising. Wrecks are co,a-
ing down-boar;is. logs, lam Der and an
occasional siui.'e and pieces If Cunliny.
There is an eddy around TIE turn OF thc
hill above. where r.uca Of this drift runs
in. | repair thi,A,. and make few
haulS. secure u kali deem good boards.
soaie pieces of joist. soEie dritlwood for
fuel. and pile it UP on the bank out of
the swelling waters reach. "Haiioa.'
This. cry is from IA couple G: meu on the
o,htr s.'.e OF the river, pioldin, down
the ,.iil il o;lskins. know them. Two
OF the bays from Poverty lar. They
are going to Priccs s:ore. two miles be-
low-stcrc, grogs!,oo, boarding house,
! polling booth At election. tt.r;. etc. pl;n.
rainy day they are going there /, get
drunk. That is net their avowe! llir-
! ps'.,c on setting ou., iu: it'- rs near "A crr-
,alnty as anything can b, il this world.
| return to ny cabin. The pie has
| baked. Ii il hroW;.sr ,l.uu had intend
cl j. shoUil lie, On o.:.. ai,.e i: l., !. most
| black. tt Il ,-:I.in,Cn,aI ;ti.o,t Ia. rim
vita Il row # sco!lalS ,.at,, l., pressure