Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1891-12-25

|, "VNNNA A. ", S~
I'm, the officers and
M men had been
Y eagerly looking
.,,a 10 suending the Christmas holi-
%N ~ tSs beautiful town of San Ber-
!,;no r On the other side of the Sierras.
% the 93d the wagons, pack mules
.n the men, excepting three who
..;nsd in back to complete some work
! mvself, crossed the range that
'.,.tes the Mojave pronounced Mo-
-, desert from the Towering and
';,tnl naradise of southern California.
~ sir weeks we mad been working
As desert. running lines, taking
lvatons and plotting our work at
\, BY the smoky light OF dried
,sots and sapless sage brush. AT
= we were sixty miles from the
,sst water, and when obtained the
|,sr was alkaline. Many Of our pack
llw maddened by thirst. broke their
- and wandered further into the
9t to die.
Esrd tack and bacon, and not too
m Of that, had been the only food OF
men since we entered the desert,
40 the most cheerful became grum,
the skin of the youngest grew dry
marched as that of mummy.
Ne did our work in silence; even the
GERS came to speak in whispers, for
throats were dry and our lips
cksd. Everything with moisture in
prched as if in a furnace.
IAe alkali on the level expanses looked
dazzling snow. The fantastic hills
mesas were crumbling and burning
in the forceful and persistent fires OF
lation. And amid all this the mirage
bid appear to mock us with lakes and
sms in which were reflected the
s, domes and minarets of grand
snal cities, such as might have been
ltb by the genii of architecture.
was half past s in the afternoon,
We hoped to reach the pass by dark,
gs fresh horses would carry US to the
N before midnight and Christmas
s our horses staggered on, we saw
be Vulturss rising from a dark object
title to the right. A glance through
field glass revealed the outlines of a
krate man and horse, stretched out
by side.
sars Of this wild life had accustomed
10 such sights. Yet as our hearts
b full of thoughts of the joyous
stmas days of the past and Of the
fresh food and water for bathing,
rh We were to enjoy on the morrow,
y was something inexpressibly sad
DO presence of death at such time
at tie foot of the purple mountains,
Ond which lay Eden. .
. relned in our thin, painting horses
asmounted. In that atmosphere nc
allc substance decays-it shrivels uI
becomes as hard and indestructible
Ele gllstening volcanic rocks that sur
aa II; but enough remained to tel
'aat the horse had once been q noble
ure, and the saddle and equipments
such as the wealthy Mexicans ol
asm California delight in.
ne man was of medium height, ant
afolne, pistols and knife, still beltet
w MS shrunken waist, indicated abil
' resist. He was young. The long
nr.n halr and the silky mustache
a winch the white teeth CLEANED
.nls' We opened the saddlebag
IVuna $500 in gold, the titles to
"" california mining lands made on
vue Louis Bolton" and bundle O
,s 'led with a blue ribbon.
ae middle of the bundle there wer
NnSnettes-one that of sweet faced
'iy lady, the other that Of q beau
su,' The name Dora" at the bot
In E.s .ne picture being surrounded b
no.s "'ely painted wreath Of forge,
- aese . letters were dated at 9Th
pv.a out' :, as the envelopes were dc
INV, ,on.,' 'nere was nothing to indicat
ow' "n' state or land. One read a
ii s; Ss and' curiously enough, it wa
Wv oprlstmas eve, a year before:
i'm oARLlNG BoY-I think of you q
, bsss., out on Christmas eve you Fl
' saa 20 20 that l can think of nothin
coma u II 1t We're not for Dora, VIII
(ud s !. 70 &C, cheer me, 1 fear l could nc
nn..., Where is my Louis tonight
ont s''on !" o haunts me, and I pictur
nsls.. u tae deserts of that wild land
saa AZ friendless, still hunting fo
lent, AN, ~ my boy, come back! Bette
csnna. suan this awful anxiety. Bu
60 love-" p0of "here there Is
@e 1t ended, "With love an