The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-13
4 kLOND|KE EIOPEAENI
STORY OF HOW w. u. GIDDINGs, OF
OREGON, LOST HIS BRIDE.
He Had DiGlcult Time Winning
Her. and After She Went to the
kIondike She Tired of His Love
and Elopesi With Hnndsomer Man.


The klondike has produced sensation
a. s.openent episode. which in all prooa-
hility has never been eQualed in any part
OF the world. The dramatic features
would form a realistic groundwork Tor 4
good play-writer. emeodying as they do
the element of romance. lust for gold ana
an eiopealent eowa the Yukon IN an open
boat in me midst OF sea OF tumohng
ice6ergs NTH the husband IN hot pur-
suit. The former prominence and so
cial standing of the parties adds uiaterl-
ally 10 the story.
The curtain rings up with a scene in
Oregon. few miles from Portland one
OF the prom, flent and respected citizens OF
Lent, postoftice in Mul,nonah county,
was o. z. Lent. He owned a sawrnil.
had been elected 20 the legislature time
or TWO. and had been postmaster Tor
years. BY the whole community Mr.. Lent
had been generally recognized as man
OF sterling integrity. proud or his ances-
Try. ard gentleman. Of culture. The
sunshine of the household and the idol OF
his life was a beautiful and accomplished
daughter named Rose. She possessed all
the comforts and educational advantages
that moderate wealth ard influence could
acquire. Beneath beautiful face and
back Of pair Of flashing eyes OF en-
trancenent was a disposition to indulge
in acts of romance
few years ago there went 10 Oregon
from one OF the eastern states q youth
named w. G. Gliding. He came OF good
family, his father having served as gov
ernor Of New Mexico during Gen. Grants
administration. He began his career III
Portland by working for the Oregon &
California railroad in the freight depart
ment Subsequently he went TO Mount
Tabor where he was elected to the Of
fee of justice of the peace, Gliding &C
cidentaiy became acquainted with Miss
Lent. She was a maiden of 16. and he
was a man of Is. He was poor and she
was rich. Naturally, as might be sur
missed they loved one another. Her fath-
er. stern and relentless. withheld his con-
sent and said that his daughter must
not become the wife of a poor man. Gid
ding therefore resolved TO come 10 the
bleak mountains OF the Arctics and wrest
from acebound safes the golden nuggets
which would win the object of his life.
He went 10 Circle City and mined, but
was not successful. The couple continued
TO correspond, and though the mails trav-
eled far and very slow, yet when the car
rer did arrive he was burdened with a
pack of missives of love. Gliding wrote
entertaining letters, telling OF the riches
of the Yukon, the fascination of life
among the polar bears and ieebergs and
exaggerated his own unsuccess into
canopy of grandeur and magnificence. At
the bidding of Cupid. Dame Fortune
smiled a very soft. cooling smile, and
hundred or two ounces of golden mug
gets showered into Giddings gold sack.
He returned to Oregon and pleaded his
cause with the fervor of an ardent lover.
The girls parents opposed the union.
Pleading and persuasion caused relent-
ment, and by silence they acquiesced to
the ringing of the marriage bells. The
groom had whispered stories of his
wealthy Alaska mining interests
into the willing ears of the
bride and together they came to
the Yukon on their bridal tour. That
was eighteen months or two years ago.
The trip across the snow-capped peaks of
the Coast range to the lakes and down
the rivers to the fields OF gold was but a
feetipg panoramic scene of beauty, and
had no attraction for the lovers. In time
they reached Circle City. The hardships
and lack of proper food. the absence OF
society and its entertainments, and the
realization that the grooms wealth was
not dissimilar TO the proverb "All Is
not gold that giittsrs." caused an es-
arrangement. The bride was unhappy and
often did she regret not following the ad-
vice of her parents. The long winter
evenings seemed like months, so slow did
the news of the klondike riches. The
miners of Circle City went wild over the
reports. Mr. and Mrs. Gliding were soon
speeding up the river of ice behind a fleet
team of dogs en- route TO the marvellous
caves of riches. The star OF iil-Iucl was
In its ascendancy. and they did not strike
Ii rich.
place and among the number was a DR.
Dutton. we'll known In Portland and the
Pacific Northwest, and who had known
and admired Mrs. Gliding IN her youth.
IT'S the old story. too often told. He
filed her ears with stories OF sympathy
and endearment and reviewed the scenes
and incidents of their youth The picture
of her own iIl-lnck and unhappy condi-
ton paralieled with his own capabilities
and resources caused the unhappy bride
TO forget her vows beneath the marriage
bells and an elopement was planned
The Yukon river was full OF ice and old
Alaska pioneers expressed q belief that
scores of tenderfeet were hazardIng
their lives by coming down the river
amidst the tumbling and SETTLING bergs
of ice. But these terrors fell on eyes
blinded with love. Mr.. Gliding met a So
cial party OF friends down town In one of
the log saloons. and perhaps by planned
design, INDUCED quite freely In copIous
Hhations and at o'clock the morning
following MS vile ana Dr. Dutton steerei
down the Yukon river In an omen host
The weather was intensely cold The trip
was full Of hardship and sufferings and
attended with numerous dangers. They
told their friends that they were going 10
Fort Yukon AGO miles northwest from
Dawson Mr.. Gliding was dunfounde1
, and greatly distressed when he fully re-
allied The situation. After placing his
business affairs in shape for the winter
nd a rfa
started In hot pursuit In an open boat
TOO. He assured a few intimate friends
that ne would Kill DR.. button on sight
What the outcome was or Will b.. cannot
be learned until late In the winter when
TIE dog trains sha" nave arrived up over
the ice with the particulars, II there he
any. Gliding is A cool. slow-going man
and slow 70 anger. but when aroused Il
said to- be az fer3cious as 2 Wild beast
WILLIAM J JONES