The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-03-30
HOW WE WENT REDFISHING.

and-well, after that the exact figure
does not matter much.
They began to talk about irrigation,
and then they talked of disposal of the
surplus water, and then of malaria,
and then somebody said, desparingly,
as If possessed by a vision of Tanta-
lus. How cool it must be in the pine
woodsi" and 10. the longing Of all their
hearts was spoken and then-the ditch
broke
The ditch. The channel that carried
prosperity to a hundred homes that
flowed swift and sparkling by their
doors, musical with a song of hope
and promise for the future, for to-
morrow and years to come; that Of
fered to their need on those parched
plains the water of life, distilled from
the snow that clothed mountain tops
90, So 100 miles away The ditch
broke.
The homes suffered. their green prom
Use withered day by day. Day after
day passed over men and horses toll
ing in the burning sun, and still the
great ditch lay fostering, an ugly bed
of slime. where every green and lovely
thing that had be9utifed it restered
and rotted and filed the air along its
banks with poison. Day by day those
who were responsible for the supply of
water, who had promised to do their
best while they held that ditch, saw
their best fail and despaired. Day by
day came word from the new places
where striving on the strength of that
promise to make homes for them and
theirs, of their urgent need, and no one
at ''lIouse on the Hill" thought of the
miasm that encompassed the summer
home.
But there came a time when "the
break stood; that is. the new bank
restrained the waters in their channel,
and slowly, little by little, the precious
food rose in its bed.
A week passed and every farm home
in its scope had felt the blessed stream
and been refreshed by it, Then there
was thought to spare from that ex-
element, and pale faces and listless
forms gave warning that malaria had
done its work. and the mountain SAN
itsrium was indeed desired.
"Wem go redhshing," was the decis-
ion, and in two days the start was
made.
IN. Railways, on a pleasure trip,
have a definite object. Start to go
somewhere, or do something in par
ticular 1t is well to know your mind.
You can change IT'D
The captain and madame. pater fam
ilias and the mother OF a family, form
ed q nucleus around which gathered
enough individual atoms to form a
jolly crowd.
For their transportation were differ
ent hacks-distictively American We
n toll ,x.ta
ponies; Lady Betty, the pretty black
trotter, and her light blackboard; and
by no means to be undervalued, q bag
gage wagon. This was heavily pro-
visioned. and high-piled with tents,
bedding, and various and sundry need
fuls for the comfort of people who
spend II months in the year in civil
ICED houses. The nimrods went load
ed for bar" or any smaller game, and
hooks and salt We're not lacking for the
real objects of the excursion.
Summer reading went along, but to
show the mental laziness of that crowd
it may be said that the summer novels
We're pretty well demoralized when
they ceased their wanderings, while
some leaves of Science remained I'M
cut. But these last were technics-of
nobody is that crowd
go equipped, the crowd began to
start, growing like a SNOWFALL as 1t
rolls. Driving along accessions were
expected.
They looked over in plowed land and
the first contingent appeared. The
restless. half-Spanish horse was rear
ing and plunging, jumping and buck
ing, and the rider 'stayirg with him.
In such rapid motion that neither could
have been recognized but for the prob
ability of finding them there.
Two small boys and active cayuse
ponies of corresponding size were sup
posed to be of great assistance in show !
ing THE Kid the way he should go.
but to the unaccustomed eye they |
seemed to be fully occupied in keep
ine out of his way
When they stopped for dinner the |
youth dsmounted and strolled leisurely |
in the direction of the refreshments. |
The mother met him with the Inquiry, /
Francis, are you starting to ride that |
beast. on this journey?"
He lifted his hat and displayed a
forehead whose smooth wilderness was
by his late violent exercise,
while he replied in soft, slow accents.
All, yes | thought it was q good time
70 give him a little exercise
Everybody changed places, and every
place, too, in the outfit except the
mother barricaded with babies, and
he Kid. left entirely to his rider.
The second afternoon found pater in
he saddle. while young hopeful held
he lines which carried the mother and
,abies.
Something overwhelmingly ever
NEW what--those lines flew out of his
lands those pets that never in their
lays of colthood had taken such
reak rushed madly ahead, and Charlie
vas left lamentinr.
At least, he would have lamented IL
here had been a chance, but he was I
ot left; he was the Oldest person on
GARD except the mother with her baby l
Numbering her arms. The horses
aade no stay or slack. ind the road ,
Tound along on a steep bank; not far ,
eyond It passed out of sight to re- Z
npear in the dry bed of a ravine
Irewn with cobblestones and boulders. 7
rs II was, he glanced helpiessly on +
the rocky way. back at the babies. h
nd climbed over the dashboard, out
pom the tongue. steadying himself as r
ell rs he could. until he recovered n
le reins and checked the gallopinE n.
mir.
When they reached the smooth and
"a 4