The herald., 1897-08-08
!; STORY OF LOVE--AND KLONDYKE
oooooooooooooooooooooooo
(written for The Herald.)

80
Monday morning. breaking in upon her
mistress directions as to the disposal
of the remainder of Sundays roast
I'm goin' to the hospital, am" Poor
Mary James voice broke completely, ana
taking up the corner of her checked
apron. she boo-hooed for fully two min
utes while her mistress stood looking
on in wonder and amazement.
"Come, come, Mary Jane, what's all
this about ?-did I say rissoles or
pie? You've quite put the dinner out of
my head"
you see-but I'll be gone before dinner,
I will-boo- hoo ho- -oo!"
whatever are you talking about?
Where are you going?"
Its to the hospital with Mike, ma am.
He has the fever an says am to come
along"
''And who is Mike?'
Mike? Why, he's my Mike; him and
mes to be married, and that's why he
says to come along"
Il don't understand in the least. Now
tell me Just what you mean"
.Its a cold fever he has, Miss Smith,
and he's goin' fer treatment like to
L
It's some kind of a hospital, an I'm to
go along, so you'll be hav1n' someone
else to chop the rissoles, Miss Smith.
It's sorry l am but me and Mikes to be
married" and still holding her apron
to her eyes she boo-hooed herself down
into the kitchen.
"And are ye cryin', Mary Jane?
What's she ben sayin' to We? Pill
"Oh, Mike, its about the fever and
the hospital. and a-tellin Miss Smith
I'm goin' fer wages is comm down and
I'll rot be gittin' twenty with little
to do again in a hurry"
IAN, yen not be wantin' it, nayther.
Mary Jane. Why, when we come back
From the hospital, Mike?
mo; what put hospital into yer head?
It's gold we'll be after, and not hospit-
ais
But you sayed you'd the cold fever,
Mike, and"
Gold fever, Mary dear gold fever.
We're agoin' to make our fortunes, me
and you, and We'll bridal tower to the
Klondyke along with other couples and
come back chock full of gold"
But when, Mike?'
Next week. So yell best be gittin'
yer duds together and We'll be married
and start off-but I'd best be gettin' rid
of these orders or all the girls in the
town will be after me. But I'll see ye
agin tonight and We'll talk it all over"
'It's gold he's after, Miss Smith"
Mary Jane remarked few moments
later, popping her head into Miss
Smiths sitting room, land I'm forgettin'
whether you said little onion in the
rissoles or just the parsley and bread
crumbs"
"Onions, Mary I'll see no one this
evening, and when you get your work
done come to me. I'd like to hear about
your plans,' for at the mention of gold
Miss Smith understood the position of
affairs.
81 will that, Miss Smith, and shall it be
a large or small onion?"
"A good large one chopped very fine"
And while Mary Jane bestirred herself
about the kitchen work, her mistress sat
in her pretty parlor thinking about the
gold fever, too. She was a stern mid
dle-aged English woman, stern outward
ly at least, and fond of rules and forms
and proprieties-and it must be con-
fessed, possessing strong penchant for
every kind of gambling. The tales of
the Yukon had fascinated her, and not
withstanding a heavy loss in Peru, a
bunch of undeveloped stock in Rands-
burg and three bogus claims at least in
British Columbia, her fingers fairly
itched to handle Klondyke gold nuggets,
real solid nuggets the size of big glass
alleys, and worth hundreds of dollars
each. Ever since the first news of the
rich gold finds in Alaska had arrived
with returning pioneers, one of whom
she had once met and shaken hands with
not two years before in San Francisco,
the possibilities Of investing for herself
had occupied her waking hours and
the probabilities of realizing upon those
investments had tinged her dreams until
she felt that she could never know
peace until some money-just little she
said to ease her mind about her other
ventures-had gone to Alaska. Now here
was the very opportunity, she thought,
and a way of doing good, too. with
what balm the thought came to her, for
what maiden lady ever existed who did
not love to imagine she was do
ing good = playing the beneficent
act for someoneD Yes, I'll talk
to Mary Jane. She's a good girl ard a
worthy girl, and if this man, Mike, is
strong and healthy I'll send him off and
keep Mary until he comes back-she un-
derstands my ways ano DO not care 10
change If he is in love with her
land Miss Smiths thoughts wandered
into a channel, well, where it would
be another story to follow, but she
loved a romarce) . Such possibil-
tiles as the case presented I can ad-
vance the money, just little, Of course
and Mary Jane must stay with me and
Mike will pick up the gold, and if every
thing turns out all right I'll give them
their wedding-now, that's quite fair
and I'll see this Mike when he come.
again.
IT'S me own sweetheart :"
Get away, now, Mike, an take youl
arms off. You've no manners anyhow
there, now, Mike, my own Mikey. Oh
Mike, and what if Miss Smith shoulC
cstch you? She's wantin' to see you
too''
s'Wantin' to see me? Miss Smith,
And in sheer amazemert Mike pumped
the maid onto the floor and stood gasp
ing
Yes, that's what she sayed--an
you're to go up. There's the bell row
Mike An mind your manners; fol
there are rich things in her parlor a:
you're not familiar with, and its not po