The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-09-14

under the snow.
But there is a skeleton in every
household, il is said, and in the Bar
ton home it was pride and debt.
The elder Barton had left a mort
gage on the house, which was soon
TO expire, and the mortgage wished
the money. He lived in the city, 500
miles distant, and did not care for a
risk where the security was liable to
be crushed beneath 30 feet Of snow,
as both Plumas and Sierra counties
were famous for heavy snowfalls.
George Barton had not been able to
save enough money for the mort
gage. Avalanches had covered the
mines and kept him from work.
Then one night in returning home
he could not find the shoot and had
wandered off and when discovered
was badly frozen. Ii was the custom
in the village for the miners when
going to work to plant a staff with
rag streamer at the entrance of
the shoots, so that they could find
their homes if a storm came up. But
the wind had blown Barton's flag
down,
Then there was another trouble.
For a number of years George Bar
ton had been a contestant in the ski
races which are the principal amuse-
ment of the people Of these counties
Of California in winter. but in every
one he had been defeated more,
Inundated, as twice, unable to con-
troll his long legs. lie had at first
wabbled, then slipped and gone
down the slide upon his back amid
the roars Of laughter and giles of
the crowd of spectators.
"The funniest thing about il" re.
marked the storekeeper, "is that
George thinks he can ride and al.
ways lays ii to his skis or the dope.
But, bless your heart. a man might
jest as well try to ride on stills as
them legs Of his'n. They amt built
for skim They'd make a good skid
f6r q bridge. Ny, how he did tan-
gle up, legs and arms all in knots
Why don't some Of YOU chaps tell
him nature didn't intend him to
ride skis 2"
"Why don't you tell him = retoft-
ed listener, laughing.
'Waal, it amt my business, and
] get heaps of fun out Of him, but
it's the truth, he amt got any
sense"
Hes entered for next week, !" said
one Of the group.
"What for ~ the sweepstakes p
asked the storekeeper.
''You bctw was the reply. "He's
got some dope that's like creased
lightning, and You can't get the Sc
cret out Of him with a team Of wild
horses Gins lindbcrg offered him
SO for a cupfel, but lie wouldn't
look 10 him, and he's riycn III ont
chat DE expects To win
Hell Win i'll tire prize for ty-
I'M hi. Ices into knot aughed The
storrkeepcr lie can't equal ile
time he went to Miss Bate, party
and slipped n the head Of their
shoot II was ~ feet il it was a
foot and he went sliding down IKE
a log 81 redwood a mile q Minute.
The front door was Shut and no.
struck j. feet first and landed right
ia tie PARTY, his legs all in knots
The ski races had been announced
for d week. and Long Barton had
entered The grand prize was $3.50,
and he believed he could win IL Tut
on the morning Of the event his
mother made some excuse for re-
manning home and was the only wo-
man in Tic hamlet not present al
the raccs She could moi bear to
witness lis defeat rhe course WAS
on the slopes 81 the ierras, plen-
dill hin 200n lect long, slippery as
glass and az So harp an au Ie THAT
a man could not end IL j once
oil Ii With k aar Iko he
wind for nearly Mlf milo lion out
OF too gradual slope into the t.ey,
where tht little village N bnued
Every town or village IN Plumas
and Sierra counties OF any preten-
sions had a ski club, and many Of
the members were experts who had
performed wonderful feats, and for
this race the pick of every club was
on hand at the top of the CLASSY
slide, while an admiring crowd Of
men, women and girls looked on.
The curious Norwegian snowshoes,
which were eight feet long, four
inches wide and half an inch thick,
were being given their final polish,
every contestant having his especial
"dope," which was his secret. Apart
from tho others stood Long Barton