Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-10-13
HIS MODEL PARTNER.

ID Ine Drst place, ne mfue Iulktake fit
selected the trail from Skaguay over the
White pass TO Lake Bennett. Now that was
bad, but not 50 bad as his next error. He
would not give it up and go by the Chilkat
pass, though he heard Chilkat was much
easier. But that does not say much for the
Chilkat pass. NO." said Olaf, II started
to 60 over the White pass, and is goin to
make it over the White pass.
Olaf had hard time on the trail, though
he didn't know it. That is to say, any other
man would have thought it hard time, but
Olaf, expecting bad things, had no kick. =
rs he expressed it, against adversely.
Olaf was an exceptional man on the trail
phenomenally exceptional. For on a trail
where each man had one partner at least and
most many, Olaf preferred hAving no part
ner. "Anoder man in the party besides me
won't du," he said; Il might want to do one
| thing aud him anoder; besides don't want
no pardner. nohow. Partners always means
| trouble"
The experience Of many men on the trail
confirmed the wisdom of Olaff's views. Moth
| ing discouraged Olaf. When misfortune
overlook him he set to work to do what
be could for the best" Up before daybreak,
he cooked a substantial breakfast-for he be
lieved in feeding himself well-and with 90
pounds more on bis back than any other man
could carry started off on the trail, climbing
over rocks and wading through mud, keeping
at it all day with short interval for lunch.
Ittook him ten days to move has outfit from
station to station. Difficulties too great for
other men never prevented Olaf from NOV
ing forward. II he could not make ten miles
he made FIVE; if not FIVE, he made two. But
he always kept moving forward. When
some OF his provisions were stolen be rus
tied" as he called it, and worked for Others
until he had earned enough to replace what
had been stolen. Then he moved on his own
outfit. When at last he reached Lake Ben
nett be built boat and calmly set sail with
out any OF the excitement which others ex-
hibited. Men wanted to buy passage in his
boat and assist him to manage her, but Olaf
said "No, don't want no passengers. and
guess / can handle the boat myself"
At the Tagish Lake custom house Olaf
worked four days to pay for the duty on his
goods. and went on his way without the
delay ruffiing his temper. He sailed his
boat round the point at Windy Arm when
30 other boats hauled up on the beach.
Approaching Miles canyon men shouted to
warn Olaf to land and tighten his boat and
wait for the pilot. That's the canyon"
they shouted. miles Canyon" us itw
said Olaf, 1--WE been watching for it all
day" And he took his boat through and on
through the White Horse rapids without
moving an eyelid. But now floating ice
began to impede Olaff's progress. I'm keep
going till she freezes up" he said. And he
did. She froze up when Olaf had got to
Five Fingers, and Olaf went into camp. He
built shed and ate up his grub until he had
left what he could pull.
About Christmas Olaf started for Dawson
on the ice with more on his sled than any
two men could pull. He made slow progress,
but he said; Il shall come there some time
il keep moving" Four miles day doesn't
seem much, but Il persisted in it counts up,
and at last Olaf arrived in Dawson.
He Immediately moved up the creek and
went 10 work prospecting. To his surprise
lead pencil prospector jumped his claim.
Olaf moved to another location, found good
prospects and recorded. Then he built
cabin and settled down to work. He put in
II solid hours day. His claim was 500
feet, and as be looked around he felt pleased.
He had all the gold he wanted, he thought,
and it was all his own. He congratulated
himself daily on having no partner.
Some stampeders camped one night at
0i.ff's cabin and discussed the mining regu-
lations, as stampeders wiz. Yukon STAN
peders are strange. Yukon mining regula-
tons are still stranger. Olaf learned, TO his
dismay. that half his claim did not belong
to him. It belonged to the queen. the STAN
peders said Olaf was nightly troubled.
He stopped working and thought over the
situation. Then he went down to Dawson.
L = y. 1-ls = -. IL
others outside the commissioner Office, and
waited patiently for admittance. The Their
mometer registered 50 below, but Olaf
wanted to see the guild commissari." and
that was detail he could not remedy.
After waiting p hours he got in. sTwant
to see the guild commissari," said Olaf to a
worried-looking man seated behind a rough
" made desk and some gold scales. Il am
the gold commissioner" was the reply;
"~hat do you wantg' 81 want to know the |
queens address," said Olaf. Somebody's |
always wanting to know something" said |
the commissioner. What do you want with |
the queens address," well" said Olaf, |
"the queen and me is pardners on a claim up |
the creek, and | don't want to be pardners !
with the queen no longer. I don't want no |
pardners nohow, So want to write to the |
queen 10 KNOW ii sue ii guy my zIV lttt UT sell Il
her $50 feet to me. don't want no pardners,
and, anyhow, the queens not putting any /
work into the claim"
The commissioner advised Olaf not to
write, but to wait and see what the future
would bring, limiting at possible changes in
he law. Olaf went back to his claim, but
had no heart for work. 1t worried him to
have a partner, more especially lady and
one of so exalted rank. But Olaf found it
hard work; thinking and idling was
trange to him, 50 be gradually drifted into
working regularly on his claim as hard as
ever.
As time went on Olaf sized up matters
something as follows, and grew contented:
Il don't want no pardners. but my PARTNERS
never here to bother me. She doesn't put
my work into the claim, but there, she's
lady. and ! wouldn't let her work nohow,
wen if she wanted II a man must have
Dardner he can't have no better pardner
han the queen. She's all right as pard-
ner."
Olaf is still working on his claim, and the
,nly thing that troubles him is whether his
g. L - 4. -. ~ H.