The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-09-03
LITTLE ORPHAN JACK.
AMONG THE ROUGH MEN OF
sTRAWBERRY HILL.
4 Little waif wields . Mighty Influence
In Miners Camp-And When He
Died Old Comforts Heart
Was Broken.

/
the headwaters OF the Jefferson River
heard firing and yelling at crossing
below They turned out TO a man
and made all haste. II was as they
expected. 4 lone family, driving up
the valley 10 search OF a spot to call
home had been attacked by the In
iiaua The father lay dead, dead
were three or four half grown chill
iren. while the wife and mother had
put her back TO rock and with axe
In hand was defending her youngest
offspring. bit OF boy about three
years old. whom she had snatched
from the wagon. She was dying
woman as the hunters came up
Those red devils had fired dozen ar
rows into her as she stood like a
tigress Mt bay. but the boy hiding at
her feet was untouched.
1t was two days later when the
hunters came into camp at Straw
berry Hill and one of them had
little Jack on his shoulder. says the
New York Sun. They had buried the
| Sodies; the Indians had secured all
else. They were bound to the north.
and were ready to hand the little chap
over to the first camp which would
take him. And yet not quite ready.
There were more than hundred OF
as. ragged and pnkempt digging.
delving and hoping; rude. rough
miners who hadn't seen child for
years but each OF us wanted the boy
as our individual property. 1t was
finally decided to cast lots for him.
Ono hundred and seventeen white
beans and one black one were placed
in a camp kettle. the kettle elevated
to the top OF post and we formed
into line and each man drew bean.
In after days we said that Provi-
dence had a hand in 1t. Every white
bean was drawn out and the black one
left to Old Comfort as we used to call
him. He was man nearly fifty years
old. soft spoken. and always acting as
peacemaker and there must have
been. something in his face to remind
the child OF his father back there in
the valley. Little Jack smiled and
called him papa AS the old man took
him in his arms. and though we were
envious and disappointed. we were
also glad. 1t will seem silly and
childish to you to read Of our actions.
The boy had been snatched from the
wagon in his nightdress and the hunt
ers had wrapped him in blankets.
The first thing was to make him a
suit OF clothes and every man in that
camp had garment to offer. While
Old Comfort was making the first
suit two or three others were secretly
under way. Ten of us knocked off
work for half day to enlarge the
old mans shanty and make 1t weather.
proof. and 1t was unanimously agreed
that the camp should make up to him
the weekly allowance of his claim.
and let him do nothing but care for
the boy.
Every 'mornlng before we went
down into the claims little Jack was
seated on the head Of barrel in the
center OF tho camp and every man
had look at him. II we didn't see
him at noon we heard from him. and
after supper he was brought out to
be looked at and talked TO for an
hour. The little chap could master
papa, mamma. dog cat and so on,
and Old Comfort did little else but
teach him. When he brought out
new word we were as enthusiastic as
II some one had made rich find. and
sometimes the cheers and handicap
ping frightened him until he put up a
lip. AS rule he would shake hands
with all and smile at every one, but
ne chung to Old Comfort in way to
touch your heart Some OF US would
borrow him occasionally and carry
him about on heads or shoulders but
he was not content to be long out of
the old mans arms II we were child
ish. what would you say OF the gang
down at Albany Flatp Two weeks
after the boy came to us about dozen
OF them came up one afternoon to see
If it was real live boy. with regu-
lar face and two arms and legs
They found it was. They saw him
laugh and heard him talk. aud they
retired TO consult The result was an
offer OF ore provisions and cash
amounting to $500. but we laughed
them to scorn. Sell our boy? Why.
there wasn't money enough in the
world TO tempt us
Little Jack came to us In July. We
got him through the fall and winter
in good shape and he kept growing
and endearing himself to everybody.
We could have got better claims fur
Their down, but no one would go I'M
less oil would move rs IL would be
leaving the boy behind. When spring
came we all noticed that little Jack
was out of sorts. suppose 1t was
our coarse fare rs much as anything
else although he got two or three
heavy colds In spite OF Old Comforts
motherly care. We weren't alarmed.
however end nobody was prepared
for 1t when the whisper came that our
boy was sick. Three days later he
was dead. On the last day no work
was done. After dinner we formed a
line and passed In and out OF the old
mans shanty to look upon that pale
face before death came. At sunset he
died. and during that long night no
man spoke above a whisper. We
made him coffin out OF boxes and
when we laid him away no man kept