The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-31
4 Journey of 200 MILES.
"SMILING BILL" OR THE LATEST
FIND.


Say, pards, have you heard the news
From way over on the American sides
It's wonderful and 'cordin' to ali clues
It's big quartz vein ten feet wide.
God knows how long, but many miles,
Just ore streak of yellow gold
You remember that young fellow, all
smiles,
Came into Jacks cabin so hungry and
cold
One day in the middle of last winter,
Asked for some food and a drink?
Hadn't hut. not. even a splinter
To build one Made us an think
What'd become of the boy before spring.
Wei. you recellect We took him in,
And then he told US long string
About himself as he smiled? But Lord
he was thin;
Said his name was Bill. came from York
state:
From the great town itself on the Allan
tic coast:
Said when he started all thought he was
late;
They'd never see him again 'cept his
ghost
We called him Smiling Bill" he smiled so
much.
And showed such a great lot of sand.
He put himself right away in touch
With Jack and me and our whole band.
Told how his mother gave the last cent
She could spare from the little she had
And when he left. her heart was nearly
rent,
Her grief at parting nearly drove him
mad.
Told how only few came 10 see him of.
His brother Ned and Fred and Cousin
Belle;
Was sick when he started, had q bad
cough.
So bad he hardly dared TO tell.
Got the last ship that left Seattle.
Reached the Chilkoot in the worst storm,
Crossed it after terrible battle
That laid low many stronger form.
He was a ghost when ne reached Dawson
City:
Came over the pass with only a pack.
And many with him thought il pity.
Having so little. he didn't turn back.
But he was sheer grit. spite smiles and
cough
Full of endurance from head to foot;
And while strong men from the trail were
blown off.
He kept right on through the wild Chill
koot.
And he got here. Then he got work
With Jack and me right after we took
him in;
Kept digging right with us didn't shirk.
Kept getting better-in the spring didn't
look so thin.
But he wanted his own claim and all here
was gone.
Recollect. We staked him 10 a sled and
dogs.
And he started off the first OF April morn.
All smiles and looking fatter in his In
dian toys.
Chi-hu-ket. the Indian, went along,
And food to last the two awhile.
We went down to the river quite a throng.
Remember what he said, with that old
smile?
I'm be back, boys. don't forget:
I'm going TO find the mother lode:
4 80 -.
To tell of my big find on Yankee sod
Chi-hu-ket's here today from Smiling
Bill
Way over from Yankee land by Copper
river
The news he brings gives me such thrill
i can hardly tell II, I'm In such shiver
He says from here not quite five hundred
miles.
Bill and he have made the richest find:
streak OF gold ten feet wide. cuts off with
files.
The sight OF which VIII nearly drive us
blind.
He SAYS. Come on. and bring the boys
As fast a dogs and sleds can come;
There's gold enough to fill the world with
joys.
And make a millionaire OF every bum.
Come on" he says. but send this letter
first
To my dear mother In far away New
York
7 know her fond old heart VIII burst
with gladness at her Billy's luck"
Seattle oc+oher % 1897