Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-11-28

had been stopped in their travels bIh{
snow.
The members of Rocky Gorge chi
felt that they had little to be thanfI
for on this stormy Thanksgiving iy
and so they ate their dinner of blot
and bread. with what few vcgetableSlA
camp afforded added by way of luIr3
the same as on ordinary days
True, MANY of them thought of let
happy homes of other days, when et
hearts were full of Joy and thanksgk4
for the rich promises life held in Ipit
for them. But that was all past Hi
gone. What had they to be thai II
for, shut off here in the lonely mi but
aims, struggling to wrest bare exisIn@,
from grasping earth? Let thoscfHt
had homes and loving families be Hub,
and give thanks, but for them %t
foolish to even think of it: for md b
these men had seen better days andhht
had comfortable homes, but cru< he
verses had come and sent them on vii
nigh pennilcss to battle with the yrld
and forget that they had been hapff
Still they had kindlicr. more trh@l,
feeling toward one another thar VIA!
their wont; IL feeling that perha ps h{n
was something better in store for lHn
and for their mankind than the |ntr,
drudgery of this life.
Perhaps it was this feeling that dukct
them all to assemble OH this nightk Bio
George" the only tavern in the TON!
1t was hotel and saloon confined
yet one could obtain his fill of liqpf /;
great deal easier than one cold OIL
wholesome food at the Gorge.
IT was here that the two strhger.
were staying, and they were in tn bar
room with the rest of the populaAn OF
the camp. Outside the snow was klline
steadily down in soft, white flakk. l
had been falling steadily for twddays
the sides of the mountains and boke(
ready to come crashing down IMP the
valley and sweep the little camp ut o
existence. But there had neves beer
any destructive slide in the historbf tho
camp. True, there had been somsmal
ones that had buried a cabin or 10 and
entOmbed their inmates. but II res
soon dug them out uniniurcd.
The two strangers at the Gork were
but little alike in personal APPEARANCE
One of them was a tall, welcomed
young man, with a Kindly
face that invited the friendship dali.
His companion was a differenfort o.
man. Some time. perhaps, he I'D beer
handsome, but dissipation had bng err
this wiped out the last trace o4his for
mer good looks. His should9 were
slightly stopped, and his eyes kbt wan
dering restlessly about, as t4ugh il
search of someone, or in watch b, som,
hidden danger.
The recognized leader i'll the eAmpYea
"old Tom Perkins," He was Fun sM
feet tall. rOad-shouldered. and SWer
fully built Ills countenance W. Oper
and firm, and made one inclincd6 trus
much in the man. His hair al bearc
We're snow white, but not from ak alone
Trouble had had much to dokith it
Physically, no man in campkas hi.
equal in an encounter. and h4lad the
reputation of being the handles man in
the mountains with his "weepi3n when
compelled to use them. Butihe wa.
never known to provoke qu3rel, ant
lie was ever ready to chamlon the
cause of the weak. Those Wo knew
him best knew that there was astory O
sorrow and misery connected With hi!
life. but what it was they nebr coult
learn, for that was one subjectle would
not converse upon.
He must have been a very kndSOmt