Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-09-07
LONG BARTON'S RACE.

In Il gloomy room, made still mere dis
mai by suffering candle set in a bot
tie, the sides Of which were covered with
a copious overflow of tallow, a young
man sat, attempting to decipher the
words on small piece of paper. Near
him, with her head bent forward in an
anxious, half-expectant attitude. was his
mother, on whose not unattractive face
were the lines of toll and suffering.
We'll, George" she finally said, ''why
don't you read it?''
Il can hardly make it out, mother"
her son replied; but it's new, and he
says he got the receipt from one of the
greatest planomaKers IN new York: it's
the. stuff that makes the cases shine So
Think of it. If [ could get such a polish
ON my skis, why, I'd win that two hun
dred dollars and pay off the mortgage,
ana get you thick cloak, and all the
things you need
Yes, George" said the woman, n
slight flush tingling her pale face; but
you've tried so many kinds of dope and
they All failed. I'm afraid it's your way
of riding, dear"
My way of riding. exclaimed the
young man, and he looked up and ran
ms hands through his curly hair. why,
there isn't man i'll PlumaS county who
| can toss more snow in a day, lift more
stand more than can T.
His mother said nothing; she sighed as
| she looked up at the snow covered win
dows, then glanced at her companion
with an expression that combined pride
| and pity. The young man had not over
| stated his pr0wess; he was a giant,
| colossus in strength-seven feet tall, but
so thin, so long of limb, so strangely
| drawn out that for miles around he was
known as Long Barton and ''Tangle
foot. He was miner, like his father,
who had been killed in an avalanche two
seasons before.
The winter had set in early, and a sue
| ceSSlon of SnowstormS had buried the lit
tie hamlet of a dozen houses so deep in
the snow that around the Barton home
| II was nearly thirty feet on the level, and
| the hamlet, so far as appearances went,
had been wiped out of existence, and lay
| with all its domestic life under the snow
The entire male population had dug the
cartons out, as on previous winters, the
operation consisting in beginning a chHse
nifty feet from the front of the house, or
where 1t was supposed to be, and sinking
q burrow or chute at an angle of forty
five degrees in the direction of the second
story. 1t took some time to accomplish
this after the last storm, but finally the
miners reached the attic window, giving
| Il rousing cheer as Mrs. Barton and her
son appeared to welcome them. From
this time the attic window had been the
front door. George had cut steps up the
burrow, and the Bartons, as the post
master remarked, were lin society
again" The chimney had been splced
with pieces kept for the purpose. so that
the top reached the surface of the snow
and as George had piled a plentiful sup
ply of wood in the house in September
and there was an abundance of candles
oil and provisions, things were as com
Portable III the Barton home as in any
mouse IN the place, twenty or more feet
under the snow.
But there is a skeleton in every house
hold. it is said. and in the Barton home
1t was pride and debt. The elder Barton
had left mortgage on tho house, which
was soon to expire. and the mortgage
wished the money. He lived in the city.
900 miles distant, and did nor care for n
: risk where the security was liable 10 be
} crushed beneath thirty feet of snow. as
both Plumas and Sierra counties were
famous for heavy snowfaiiS. George
Barton had not been able TO save cu0uma
money for the mortgage. Avalanches
mad covered the mines and kept him
c from work; then one night, in returning
5 home. he could not find the chute and
-, had wandered off, and when discovered
was badly frozen. It was the custom in
the village for the miners. when going to
e work, to plant Il staff with rag stream
q or ut the entrance of the chutes, so that
> they could find their homes if a storm
a came up; but the wind had blown Bar
tons flag down.
4
number of years George Barton had
been a contestant in the ski races. which
are the principal amusement of the Deonle
, Of these counties Of California in winter;
:, hut in every one he had been defeated
more. Inundated, as twice unable ia
- control his long legs. he had at first wah-
B., bled, then slipped. and gone down the
side upon his back, amid the roars of
, laughter and gibes of the crowd of spec
tatorS.
: marked the storekeeper. lis that George
e thinks he can ride. and always laws it to
= his skis. or the dope But bless your
heart, Il man might jest as well try to
ride on stills as them legs of his'n they
amt built for skim; they'd make good
up, legs and arms all ip knots. Why
don't some of YOU chaps tell him nature
didn't intend him to ride skis"
: Why don't you tell him|' retorted q
listener, laughing.
Wall it amt my business. an | get
heaps of fun out of him; hut it's the
truth, he amt got any sense
Hes entered ror next week" said
one Of the group.
I what for? the sweepStakeS?" asked
the Storekecper
1 You bet" was the reply. He's go;
; some dope that's like creased lightning,
, ! and YOU can't get the secret out of him
? with a team Of wild horses. Gus Lind.
2 berg offered him $40 Tor n cupfui. but he
, wouldn't look at him. and he's given i;
8 out that he expects to win"
Hell win if the prize is for tying his
: legs into knots laughed the StorekeepGr
{ HE can't equal the time he went to Miss
/ Bates party, and slipped at the head Of
; their chute 1t was seventy-fve feet il
II was foot, and he went sliding down
, | like a log of redwood. a miic Il minute
= The front door was shut. and he struck
il feet first, and landed right in the
party. his legs all in knots.
The ski races had been announced for
week and Long Barton had entered.
( The grand prize was $3.50, and he be-
r. leved he could win il; bus on the morn
a ! ing Of the event his mother made some
- excuse for remaining home. and was the
{ | only woman in the hamlet not present at
I IL. D. Il i