Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-08-25
BEN.

BEN.
IN the heart of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains is still standing the ruins
OF an old cabin.
Forty-three years ago the logs COM
posing its sides, although rough and
unplaned, were in good order; the
clay chimney stood upright, and
through the chinks letween the logs
a ruddv light shone. The snow was
still lying in patches on the ground
round about the cabin, while up the
steep mountain path the trail wound
like a black snake over the whiteness
o either side.
Inside the cabin all was as snug as
the homely means at hand could make
it. A huge fire of oak logs occupied
one end of the only room the cabin
contained. Over the fire was sus-
pended, on an iron crane, q rusty pot.
in which something was boiling, send
ing forth the rich aroma of onions,
pepper, bacon and other compounds.
A young man in the rough garb Of
a miner knelt before the hearth, hold
ing a rasher of bacon over The few
Goals he had raked out on the stones.
An interested spectator was the faith
full companion Of all his w%anderings,
his dog "Ben." Harry Brandt had
been in the mines of Nevada County
for two years. yet had not found the
fortune he had crossed the seas to
seek
Tonight was the eve Of St Valen-
tine, and u hero was q bit home
sick. to dissipate which weakness he
talked to the dog.
'ssorry a valcntiDe2 We'll get, old
man. The saint has forsaken this end
of creation" The dog looked know
ing, and gave his tail a gentle tap on
the floor. "Smells good, doesn't it
boy?" removing the lid of the swing
ing pot and peering into 1t.
After satisfying himself that the
stew was sufficiently cooked, he
dipped out a generous portion of it
into a tin dish, and set it out on the
snow to cool for Ben. His own meal
was then dished up and set upon one
end of the pine table, sans tablecloth,
and our hero sat down on a bench be-
fore it and s.fell to-"
Before, however, settling down to
his own meal, he went out aud
brought in Ben's dinner from the
snow, and placed it on the floor be-
side him. These two had not eaten
a meal apart since they met, the first
day Brandt set foot in California.
"lf ever I do strike it rich, old
man, it'll mean a big blowout for
your royal highness. Sabe?:" The
dog wagged his tail and winked one
eye knowingly Presently Brandt
took from his bosom a soiled paper
package, and carefully unrolling it,
revealed to the watchful eyes of Ben
small lump Of gold. "It's all that's
left us, old man," he said: then with
sudden Righteousness, he held it to
the dogs nose, saving: "Seek him."
The setter was alert in an instant,
and smelling all over the small speci-
men, carefully and understanding Ugly,
rushed out of the cabin, and deaf to.
all whistling and commands of his
master, disappeared in the darkness.
"vVcll, I'll be switched" calculated
the young fellow, coming back after a
fruitless search in the vicinity of the
cabin, s'who would have thought he
would take a fellow at his word, in
that manner?:" After the moon rose,
lighting the mountain-side for q long
distance, he went to the door more
than once to look out, but neither
hide nor hair of the dog could be seen,
and he returned to the fire, more dis
consulate and miserable than ever.
The evening passed and Brandt
still sat by the fire. He had no heart
to 70 TO bed and leave Ben outside.
But. after many fruitless journeys to
the door and back again. he threw
himself on the bed all dressed as he
was and went to sleep The sun
streaming across his face the next
morning awUke him, and he sprang
up with a vague hope at his heart.
But Ben was not there. He vhistled.
loud and long, but no Ben responded
to the familiar call, and he shout
dered his pickand shovel for his daily
tramp up the trail to his slead" with
q heavy heart. No faithful friend
trotted before him this morning, look
ing back, ever and anon, for q word
of kindness from his master.
It was a long, Lonesome day and
resulted as all the previous days had
resulted. in failure. He could not
eat his supper, but sat by the fire
moody and heartsick. In this frame
of mind he fell, hrst into waking,
then to sleep and actual, dreama He
thought that the latch was lifted, and
the dark. athletic form Of an Indian.
came ~noiseless to the fire and stood
looking down at him. He was
wrapped In the folds Of Q long gray
blanket, the corner Of which he had.