The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-11-21
THE mine JUMPER"

peUerihS out. lt Is now mere hole in tho
ground The half dozen shanties aud cabin.
near II have long ago fallen into disuse Their
roofs have fallen in, and it is years since the
gulch IN which their ruins are was the habita.
ton or men. The entire gulch is deserted now.
ana the Little Christabel is only memory to
those who once shared In che prosperity II
once brought to Faiiplay gulch
long, narrow pile of decaying logs and
parts of a clapboard roof mark the snot
where the boarding house was. There are
still living many of the men who once gath
cred around the long, rough pine table that
ran the full length of the cabin One of them
told me the story of Miss Milicent.
Miss Millicent Hay was the only woman
ever seen at the Little Christabe mine.
When Harley Vance, the owner of the
mime, advertised in a Denver paper for a
COOK Tor his boarding house. Miss Milhcent
hay answered the advertisement in person.
Sne came walking up the trail leading To
the camp carrying a little hand sachel and a
stout walking stick.
u have been staying down in Camp Crys-
tai she said to the surprised Mr.. Vance, who
had advertised for man cook. aand I
thought the place would just suit me. The
stage brought me to the mouth of the gulcb
and walked the rest or the way. Il isn,t
more than six miles, is it?n
She was a small but resolute looking
woman, with keen gray eyes and a mouth
indicating great firmness of character. Her
thin brown hair was combed plainly back
from brow beginning to show signs of
wrinkles, although she was but 40 years old.
do you think couldn't do the work. she
asked. Il am quite strong and have known
nothing but hard work all my life.r
&ba hal
spoke. They were rough and wrinkled, with
BENT fingers and calloused palms.
you might do the work, said Mr. Vanca
There are only about fifteen boarsiers and
we live in plain, rough way, and there is a
boy to help. But it wouldn't be pleasant
place for lady to live There are no women
in this gulch.n
Il care nothing for that" said Miss Mill
cent. "Men are sometimes kinder than wo-
men" she added, with tinge of bitterness in /
her voice.
The end of it all was that Miss Millicent was
installed as cook in the boarding house She
had evidently come determined to STAY. for
the stage coach that went rumbling through
Uhe gulch next day brought up a little hair
covered trunk with M Il. " on the end of n
with brass headed nails.
Before week the boarders began blessing
the good angel that sent them Miss Millicent
Such meals as she served had never been saau
before at the Little Chrstabel; and if was
wonderful to see the change she brought about
N the dirty little boarding house and its CON
tents. Her energy and strength seemed m
raining She went stepping briskly about. the
neatest and sprightl est of housekeepers. sing
ing at her work and smiling on everybody.
AZ Inc end Of fortnight every man n
camp knew Miss Iilhcent and had felt tba
influence good woman exerts III every com
munity
Old mats and caps We're dotted to her vber-
ever she Went. No oaths on rough words
we're spoken IN her presence, and the man ,
VINO would have dared to offer hei. an indig-
NY "ouid nave rid on RAIL- as my in
ormant said
For year Miss Milcent lived at the Little !
,hIlsoaDel' ana N that time she had won the j
lheefe regard OF every man in camp. There I
'ao oeeh great deal Of sickness among the &
men that winter, and some of them owed ,
heir lives to Miss Milicent's careful nursiner
rood food and general good sense in every, )
hing pertaining to the care of the sick
Her own cheerfulness and good haalth /
ever failed her. I
II don't believe You ever had SORROW ~ q
our life, did youl" asked one of the men ONE f
ay. S''s
MISS Mllllcent was standing in the cabin Z
oor at the time. The smile on her face van s
hed as she made reply; she leaned her head a
'earlly against the door frame: her face h
aied Tor moment and her lips uuivered as
le said slowly: 90 h
Every heart knoweth its own bitterness, Il
1en she turned and went to her own littla
pom at the end of the cabin. and the ,na,,
'ho had asked the question said; o
Some villain of a man at the bottom of ~ :
!, III bet; I'd like TO help stretch his neck -
IL was no secret that one or two of fine ma, u
camp had been suitors for Miss Millicant,s a
ana, and It was known that she had received
ler proposals with burst of tears. and had
9gged them never, as they valued their han
ness ana hers, never to refer to the subject 81
gain. SJ000 =
The CAMP had been singularly free from, h,
e brawls and lawlesSness that both distip-
lish ana disgrace most mountain MINING -
mps. Mr.. Vance would not allow a saloon 7,
thin the limits Of the mine, and had lnada ~
obligatory on the men that they refrain ~
ON many things common to the ordinary a
iner.
The presence Of Miss Millicent had had N
uch 70 40 with the unusual good behavior fl
the men ana the good name the Little
lristabel wore as a mining camp 81
But one day there came bit of news -
3 camp that changed the men from good
tuled, easy going, jovial fellows to angry 70
termined men.
There lived on a claim near the Little nj,
,,a.t - q nan Known as capt Tom, an IN,
nest hard working and thoroughly good
N, very popular with all who knew him ON
unusually so with the men employed AZ on
Little Christabel. e
Cor two wears he had worked hard IN mn, ~.