St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-04-06

Here's another letter from Broad
man e. Yardley about that Klondik
business" he said. .Heigh-ho,
woman is a terrible clog on a man."
Iom looked surprised. Dick hat
oeen married less than year, ant
was a model of conjugal devotion
Dick proceeded to explain.
"Broadman & Yardley have bough,
some claims in the Klondike. Yo,
know Broadman married INV mother
cousin. | had dispatch YESTERDAY
asking me to 60 out and see to thi.
matter. Letter to follow This i.
the letter; you see they offer grea,
inducements. 1t may be the chanc,
OF a lifetime. And, dash it, Ma,
won't hear of my going; cried hall
the night at the idea. I had to swea,
! wouldn't, to quiet her. I suppose
she isn't responsible, just now, and
can't CO." He paused for an in
slant, then gave his desk a resound
ing blow. Il say, old man, can't YOU
go in my stead? You know more
about mines and mining law than
do, and you haven't a wife, yet, to
keep you at home"
AH right" was the unexpected IN.
swer. when can l start?"
The sooner the better. You must
go east to interview Broadman a
Yardley, and then on to San Fran.
CISCO"
So a few hours later Starinville
heard, to its surprise, that Tom Car.
ter was off for the Klondike; why
no man knew save Dick Turner.
Helen Starin had a bad quarter.
hour with her father when he
learned the news. His questions soon
ELECTED the truth, and his comments
were severe.
You know I did not approve OF
your extravagant ideas, although I
told you you might do as you chose,
if Carter were willing. 1 expected
that you would listen to reason from
him, and I knew he is no fool. I
regret to find that I made a mistake
when trusted to your honesty"
Having thus driven the nail to the
quick. he left his daughter to her re-
Elections. These were not pleasant.
BY this time she was bitterly repent.
ant. Her lover had gone, without .
word of farewell, and only herself to
blame. Surely he will write," she
told herself, but no letter came. It
is far cry to the Klondike, and tho
mails 60 and come slowly. Tom Car
ter's kinsfolk dwelt in a distant state,
and he wrote to no one in Starinville
except his partner. His letters to
him were few, but Helen, who knew
Mrs. Turner, cultivated the acquaint-
ance, for the sake of the crumbs of
news concerning her lover. After
many months there came telegram
to Mr.. Turner, saying that the task
was accomplished. and that Carter
would leave for home on the next
steamer-the Nugget. A week later
Helen Starin, looking over the news
paper at the breakfast table, fell over
in a dead faint. The Nugget had
gone down, with all on board.
Meanwhile, Tom Carter, at Cape
Nome, never dreaming that his
friends mourned him as dead, was
fuming over the ill luck which had
brought him to the wharf, only to see
the last wreaths of smoke in the
wake of the boat he had missed. So
he reached San Francisco a month
late, and learned of his escape. He
telegraphed to Turner, but the dis
patch went astray, and was returned
to the hotel, undelivered, after the
sender had left.
Some days later Helen was spend
ing the night with Mrs. Turner-Dick
was out of town. The maid-of-all-
work had gone out on an errand, and
the baby was crying, when the door.
bell rang.
"Helen, dear, please CO." begged
Mrs. Turner, as the second peal
sounded. 81 hate to ask you"-she
found herself talking to empty air.
Helen was already downstairs.
She opened the door and there
stood Tom Carter. Helen held out
both hands. with a sob. "Tom, dar-
ling Tom, is it really you? Are you
alive. and have you come back?" She
would have fallen, but he caught her
in his arms and carried her into the |
There was no one in
the room but themselves. and what |
happened is nobody's business.
They were married a few weeks |
afterwards without any great to-do.
and Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Carter are |
At home at No. 10 Ivy street, Starin-
rille