The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18
70 :

from Colorado said a Western miner last
night at the Planters hotel. "Hoyt had
been a farmer down in Missouri or Kansas.
and that was all he was fit for, but he got
the gold fever and drlfIed out TO the hills,
taking his dog with him.
THAT dog wasn't much TO look AT, being
lean and hungry looking. as well as off
color but when / hear any one say a word
about the meanness OF yellow dogs in gen.
eral want TO correct them to say as faith
full as yellow dog
when Hoyt struck our camp he had
only his pack. a grub stake and his dog.
He camped with us for d few days and
then he went into the hills and staked out
a claim that was as hopeless hooking as
the man himself. He left his tent in camp
and there he slept at night with his dog.
the animal curled up az the feet Of the mas
ter.
Man and dog had not been we'll received
in camp. because we did not like the looks
of them. and soon the boys began TO make
fun OF both, and it was usually rather
rough fun.
"'where did you get the beast?' Bill
Bagley asked Hoyt.
Get him? Why. that dog grew up on
my farm down in Missouri the newcomer
replied.
What is he good FORE
as oh. nothing in particular. 1 reckon
" Does he know anything%
He just knows enough 10 be faithful
10 me; that's all. Why. that dog would
follow me right down 10 the grave / reck-
on, if hs couldn't get along 10 keep me
company on the other side
'As Hoyt said this he put one arm
around the neck OF the dirty brute and
master and dog looked into each others
eyes as tenderiy as two young lovers.
''The dog was lazy ard seemed as II IL
GOT hf,t
time it followed Hoyt to his claim every
morning and remained with him all day.
In a week the animal seemed 10 under
stand that the master was settled for n
time Then he would trot around with
Hoyt every morning to the place where he
turned Off the trail to so up TO his claim.
When JEFF turned out OF the trail the dog
would come back TO camp and sleep all
day in the tent. When SHUTDOWN came the
brute would go UP the trail 10 meet his
master, and the two would come home
together. This daily routine went on for
a month, and the dog never once failed
to meet his master at the turn OF the trail
beyond the camp. The affection of the
two rowing partners for each other was
strong enough TO finally interest the rough
men in camp, and man and dog were
treated with a little more respect.
at was late in the summer when Hoyt
scame TO our camp, and when cold weather
came he had not struck pay dirt. but he
kept right on pegging at a drift that he
had started TO drive into one OF the ridges
half way 10 the top of the highest hills. >
I'm the afternoon of a day late in October
a bowling blizzard OF wind and snow came
down from the north. ana every man
working in the hills had a race for camp
and life We all reached camp safely, ex-
cepting JEFF Hoyt, whose claim was farther
up the hill than any Of the others. All
the afternoon the snow came down In
binding sheets. but when darkness APP
preached that yellow dog of JEFF Hoyt's
struggled out to the turn of the trail,
where he was in the habit of meeting his
master. How long he remained there We
could not tell. but when morning came
and the storm died away. the dog was
found in his masters tent half dead from
cold and hunger. We fed the animal be
cause we realized that he could be OF great
assistance 10 US when We went out in the
drifts to search for the missing man.
AS soon as the snow ceased TO fall the
camp was organized into a searching party,
ard We tried 10 hunt our way through the
drifted snow up to Hoyt's claim. 1t was
no use We made less than mile by
a hard days work
when we started ont on the search we
had called to the dog to follow us. but In
stead he curled up In the tent OF his mas
ter and went 10 sleep. There he remained
until II was time FOR JEFF TO come home.
Then he ran up the trail we had partly
opened to their usual meeting place. The
dog stood there IN the snow whining and
bowling by turns for an hour then he went
back TO the tent and when We had fed him
he went TO sleep again.
For a week this went on. We worked
as hard as we could but in places the
snow was drifted ~ feet deep and 1t was
four miles up the hill Ia Hoyt's claim. Ev-
cry evening the dog went OUT to meet
the missing man. but he could not be in
duced 10 follow us while we were search
ing FOR his master.
by noon on the eighth day after the
storm We succeeded in reaching Hoyts
claim. We dug away the snow that was
then melting fast under a warm sun. and
found that he had evidently got out OF his
drift in time only 10 be caught and smoth-
ered further down the hill. There was NOT
one chance in ten thousand that ne was
alive. and IL seemed a well-nieh hopeless
task 10 so searching through miles OF
snovsiriftz for hs body
I'VE returned to camp for the night IN
tending to make a further search next
day We passed the turn OF the trail near
camp after SHUTDOWN. and found Hoyts
yellow dog sitting there IN the snow. the
most foriorn looking object have ever
seen. ifaFkFESS WIS failing last. ana JHAt
before we reached camp there came from
the snow drifts behind us the most TN
earthly and startling howl 7 ever heard.
"A few moments later JET Hoyt's dog
came running down the trail bowling AZ
every jump. He came up 20 'i= with his
TAIL between bis legs and MS howis were
lowered 20 long-dTawn whines. He went
the circ!e OF our party. dashing up into
each mans face. and 20 a man we were
willing TO swear that these were tears in
TIE eyes Of The brute.
I'VE talked "a the dog ana offered him
food. bar he would tot eas. and kept up
his whining
" Boys TIA; doS has seen sonae,hirge"
SAID Bsu Bagiey
with all his bowling he e 20, fright
cred. he does 10, trenbie" BaKsey went
or as he strokei the ours head.
I'm going hack up there ard see what
q S.
'BaE.ey turned ard went hack 20 ne
trail WIKI y short bark. THE dog rau o.
ahead as Il 70 show him the way. In half
an hour Hill came raining back 20 cxr4p
arA RE face was almost a. white "a tAs