The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-11

hang up our socks Nothing but the same
old round OF stewed rabbit, beans and
bacon 1t won't do" he added. with sud-
den resolution. we've got to blow our
selves. What's the use Of living IL We
can't observe the time-honored customs or
our fathers. I'm going out and corral
grouse. and Wen have regular Christ
mas dinner" He strapped on his snow
shoes. shouldered rifle and set of.
George had busted himself In culinary mat
tiers in the meantime, but his friends
reference to Christmas had diverted his
thought and he became very preoccupied.
He thought OF last year. Of his happy
home Christmas before dreams OF sudden
wealth had led him off to this lonely land
He wondered what his children were doing,
and IL they still grieved over his absence
No he reflected. 81 have been gone
over six months now. and they will have
grown accustomed to my absence" But
this reflection did not seem to afford men,
tai consolation. He shifted uneasily. His
eyes ceased their close observation Of the
-four sack. and wandered over the hewn
table, the piles Of boxes, the disordered
heap OF blankets and lastly to the stove.
Here he came to a state Of realization.
'"rhoushtlesse' he reproached himself
II have burned the beans. No." be added
ironically, noting the neglected fire. II
guess they are not burned so badly but
that they are still edible. Humph. Sull
hard and not ready for the bacon yet"
And he proceeded to rekindle the fire and
put the dried apples on to stew. He wash
ed tho apples. and stepped outside to pour
the water from them. Although 1t was
nearly midday tho sun had only been
visible a short time and was close to
the treetops in the ravine. 1t would soon
be obscured behind the high mountain to-
y1rn r6 vrh urae linz Esrrpa
the mountain his gaze dropped to the trail
leading from the tent 70 the main trail to
the river below. and until 1t passed from
view behind the first bend on it's long
stretch to the next trading post, one hun
dred miles below.
Suddenly he was startled by the loud
report OF gun near by. and giancing
quickly in the direction from which il
came, saw a rabbit jump wildly In the
air and falling on its back. make two or
three spasmodic kicks. At the same time
Tom emerged from the bushes and hasten
ed to take possession Of his prize.
Fair In the head" he said after a
record shot on these two BIRDS he re-
sumed. tried to line them up and take
both heads Off with one shot. Just as I
pulled the OF one moved. Got one all
right. but the other was hit below the
belt" and he ruefuliy surveyed the shat
OF them viii equal one turk, 7 guess"
and he proceeded to strip them OF their
feathers.
There Is a camp OF Indians Just above
here" he continued. Game in from IN
river. I met a couple of squaws coming
In with regular mule loads on their backs,
and followed by bunch of kids. some
OF them not half clothed. You'd think the
poor devils would freeze TO death. Came
in 70 buy Christmas presents. suppose"
Poor things" rejoined the other 81
suppose Christmas means no more TO them
than any other day. BY the way, Tom,
what would you do II you were In civiIiza-
ton now?"
Tom completed the dressing OF the birds
by a def amputation OF the legs. and fol-
lowed George into tho tent. what would
i dof" he repeated. "Why, / would eat
3 good breakfast-no hacon-;hen would
accept an invitation 10 dinner where
they wouldn't serve beans. then 1 would
call at friends house and would accent
his pressing invitation TO have dinner with
them. In the evening would take the
girl 10 the theater. and after the theater."
he added thoughtfully. II would-yes, !
would have some more lunch"
Like the Indian who when told he
could have three wishes gratlfied, said he
would take, first. plenty of rum; second
plenty 10 eat, and. thirdly. more rum
would be different" ne continued. II would
stay heme all day with my family. and in
thu evening the Children should have their
games and a Christmas tree"
TOO tame" was Toms sage verdict
''roo tame. and rot enough to eat"
But you have no home ties, and your
tastes are naturally different"
rs that So he said with the las, word
emphasized With the falling infection.
Last Christmas my mother gave me a
necktie as q token OF her maternal afYec-
ton. my sister gave me a red tie. each Of
my aunts gave me a green tie with white
stripes. the girl roo. as a token OF her
uniying affection. gave me--a tie Had
a whole trunk fun. ana every one Of them"
he added. thinking he saw an opening for
Joke, were home ties"
Hello. Look at that" he calculated.
George turned and gave expression to
an exclamation or surprise.
Standing outside, but visible only hv the
dirty face thar filed the opening ca ira
tent aap. was an Indian child. and he re-
gar1ed the interior with a steady. curious
gaze
Come sn,'' said Tim, with ar acccun
panyzng gesture The 10Y turned ard
sv>cke 4 few gnlntelligihls words then
walked calmly and seated himself on a
eox. He was Immediately followed hv A
companion who took scar beside him.
Both then began an active observation o.
| everything in sight, speaking exctfesiiv 10
each other as something surprising caught
their gaxes
They wsre apparently about thu same
age-grcnahly 10 years, but they had a
| look Of self-reliancs uncommon to chill
Gren cs that age They wore no hats but
| their straight black hair was sunbsea In
| wisdeS; confusion. They were scantiiy
Cad. c1s having kla shoulders yrxpstsd In