Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-12-24
BILLS CHRISTMAS.

tain, at the edge of the timber line, was
a forlorn group of cabins. perhaps a
dozen in all, grouped around q some
what larger shanty, called by courtesy
a hotel In truth, it was the ever
present whisky dive. carrying as a mat
ter of accommodation a side line or
such absolutely necessary articles as
the primitive character of living in
those solitudeS for, and rejoicing in a
spare room for the use of chance
prospector. Business in any OF it's
branches was not brisk in the winter
time. All but three or four of the cab
IN We're emty then, and the population
was shifting and uncertain at any time
of year But Black Pete and his half
breed wife TRANQUILITY held on their way,
while prospectors came and went. find
ing their hotel surer source Of in
come than running frantic races after
fortune. The ground under their feet
and around them was supposed to be
rich in orc of various kinds. but of all
the desperate, feverish men who
climbed those lonely heights in search
bosom few had any luck Once in a
while shallow vein of silver had been
struck, but not enough TO justify sink
ing shaft They had kept coming,
however, refusing to believethat he
abundant signs of mineral wealth
Dame Nature cunningly spread on ev-
cry side could mean nothing
men, partners, had in the late fall To-
Gated rich vein and staked OH a con
siderable claim. They had begun
work on it. but finally decided to walt
till spring before going further. The
camp all agreed that the find was a sure
thing this time, and the stream of
men hoping to find similar luck had
given Black Pete a great run Of custom
till winter set in
In one of the outmoEt cabins a man
stood in his npen door gazing forth in
TO the thick yellow gloom of the De-
cember twilight He was rather slight
in build thin and disconnected looking.
His light brown beard was cropped
rather short, and his blue eyes held
world Of sadness. He gazed moodily
down the white, still side of the noun
tain and shuddered as the souehing of
the pines walled in his ears. Then he
hanged the door and stormed angrilv
to himself. kicking over the fewart icles
N furniture in the room. The quiet
was eXasperating
Il shall go stark mad in this hateful
hole. Christmas! Heavens. Aand a
man can't escape from it. If l could
make myself believe it was any other
day, If | could die just now which
| can't-Id rs soon be in purgatorv as
here. | won't stay here. Better thai
drunken, gambling mob down at the
station. 1t don't matter much; amt
got anything left to be decent for" He
bowed his head, with a sharp groan, as
ne said this. but moment later lie was
pulling on is fur coat and leggings, and
bis face carried It's usual half sad, half
defiant expression
Silent Bill his limited circle of ac-
quaintances called him He was not
really popular among the rough set
THAT assembled at Black Pete's. But.
en- the Other hand, he was not disliked
He didn't put on airs" and it was his
own business what he was or where he
came from, according to unwr tten etc
quite of the west, where a man has
right TO tell his name or not, as suits
him. 1t was even possible that ne
might be an escaped convict, but that,
too, was his own business. But little
as Silent Bill liked bis companions in
solitude in return, it was deadly dull
when most of them left in the winter
for more lively places. Even his
"pard" was gone. To be sure, he had
urged Silent Bill to accompany him
when he set out for Denver, but the ef-
fort was of no avail.
"Ye1 be a stark luny by spring,
Bill" he protested.
II hope So was the grim reply. But
a fortnight of the lonlness had made
him desperate. 1t gave him too much
time to think, and he felt that any
company was preferable 10 this mad
dening silence.
"Whar we printing fur?" cal ed Black
Pete as he halted moment al the no.
tel.
"GOodby, Pete" he said with a smile.
You're too still here. I'm off for
the station Petes face fell. One
more customer gone.
"I'll be back in a few days. Hello,
Mrs Pete" as the woman suck her
head out of the door, disappointed in
little, beady, black eyes Take a
Christmas present. won't you?
shan't b back in time to bring You one =
He threw a goldpiece toward her. and
as she caught it. her sulen expression
changed TO hideous grin Of delight
Silent Bill struck a foot straight
down through the underbrush and
rocks. 1t was rearer to the station
than by the half broken road over
which Black Pete hauled his supplies.
And while hc went swiftly on his way
in the fast falling night, filled with un
uttcrable thoughts of rebellion and Bit
terness. a nondescript vehicle, tugged
by two sullen bronchos. was toiling up
hat cno5y rholyad ,.oad haaviup Christ