The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1892-02-08

with a merry shout I took possession
as our new home in the saline desert
and commenced housekeeping in very
primitive style.
| was cheerful and made no end of
fun over everything, for knew if /
showed the white feather then Philip
would quickly have given up the tract
to take me back to civilization.
OF course we never expected to be-
come permanent residents of the place
nor even stay there the year through,
only be there off and on for awhile,
just long enough to secure the title and
sell out when the boom came--for salt.
1t may have been sharp practice on
our part against the government, but |
wasn't then enough of a politician to
know it-and Philip never told me.
Running our two businesses necessi-
tated frequent travels back and forth
for Philip, but as there couldn't be the
least danger of me being discovered
alone in such a desolate and uninviting
desert wasn't bit afraid, or, at least,
/ pretended / wasn't
In fact insisted that Philip would
himself attend to the other business,
and not leave it in charge of partner
who might be neglectful or dishonest,
as my husband calculated to do when
we started on our grand way of max
ing our fortune.
1t was in the early autumn when
Phillip left me for the last time ere
winter. The next trip he made 1 was
to go and not return till spring follow
ing
While he was absent the rainy sea-
son set in, rather earlier than we ex-
pected, but / was well provided for
and, under the circumstances, quite
comfortable.
It had rained 'pitchforks' and
poured "cats and dogs" for two days,
and on account of the floods, as right
ly supposed, my husband was detained.
Being busy with packing our things
to take to town where we were to
spend the winter, and caring for baby
(who was as fine bouncing boy as
ever was SEEM, didn't mind the storm
very much until on the third day of
steady rain, when became alarmed.
On the afternoon when 1 looked out
anxiously, hoping to see Philip COM
ing with the big covered wagon to take
me away was frightened at the sight
before me.
The mars, h as far as could observe
in the heavy downpour of water, was
overlooked and the flood was rising and
to destroy or float away
our frail little shanty.
The wind was terrific, too, aud the
and thunder were fearful
But I felt more concerned for my
husbands safety than my own, for L
imagined him lost in vain attempt to
reach baby and me, and even fancied
1 could hear his voice calling amid the
tempest
However, there was nothing could
do except to fasten the rude door and
windows and go to sleep, trusting that
the morning would find all safe and
bring bright skies again.
Our shanty was raised on posts from
the ground a foot or so, and, as yet,
the floor was high and dry.
After giving baby his supper and lay
ing the darling, fast asleep, in the era
die, L got into bed without undressing
and tried to rest, but the rocking of the
house and the startling claps of thun-
der and the noise of rain on the roof
kept me awake and frightened, in spite
of my efforts to be calm and trustfuL
The lamp, shedding dim light on
the brown timbered walls and ceiling
of our sleeping room, only added to the
dismal gloominess and it was long be-
fore could close my eyes.
At last was doing and losing my
self in ugly dreams when was aroused
by feeling something drop on my bed
covering. l shut my eyes again, think
ing 1 dreamed it.
A multitude of strange scratching
noises, apparently from the walls,
with sharp, squeaking sounds |
and more things dropping on my bed
made me sit bolt upright and look to
see what they were.
Horrors! Mice in countless mum bers |
driven by the raging flood without
were dropping from the rafters all
about me. Climbing on the house out
side, thence through crevices under the |
caves to my room, they were coming |
fighting and squeaking and falling, the |
foremost pushed down by the terror
stricken army behind, till the walls |
md fioor-even my bed, were black
with them.
With a shrek jumped to my baby,
nice hitting my bare feet and running
over them, and back into bed with my |
child got, for there was no other or
better refuge for us.
There, with blankets tucked to our
lecks, 1 sat striking and shouting and
off as best 1 could the endless
army of half-drowned mice that were
lropping on our heads and shoulders
md bed till the blessed daylight came,
With the bright sun shining through
,he window, telling the unprecedented
ain had ceased.