The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-10-05
DAWES LETTER.
by CHARLES JDELL.

"Hello, Dave" said Lou Meyers, the
heghter, stopping his pack horses at the
camp on Gold Run; 'the Oregon is up from
Nome, and Wilson wanted me to tell You
there's letter for YOU
Dave and his partners were just finishing
their lunch of sour-dough bread, beans and
bacon which their sturdy little Yukon stove
had cooked in spite of the rising wind and
occasionally falling snow, Dave, Il square
built, athletic man of 80, whose ten years
In Alaska had not seen stampede too
dangerous for him to be among the first
TO start, sprang to his feet.
"Didu't tell you where it was from,
did he?"
"No Said it was plump and dark kcov-
cred, or had trimmings something like
that
Dawes face paled
"You don't mean black bordercd
mourning letter."
"No; he didn't say so, anyway
Dave walked over to the little A-shaped
tent couple of rods away and disappeared
inside.
"Now you've played hades, Lou" said
Mickey, one of his partners. Dave would
mush a hundred miles in a blizzard to get
letter from his WIFE
THAT letters worth going AFTER said
Meyers, "even if he had to go to Nome in
stead of to Teller. But don't say anything;
here he comes
Dave reappeared, accompanied by his dog,
and carrying blanket.
"I'm going to Teller, boys. Anything
can do for you?"
Better wait till morning, Dave. The sun
will be down in half an hour. It's going to
stop showing and freeze hard before morn.
ing
Cant help it; I'm going
The air was now thick with snow, and the
,un had hardly set before darkness came
IN; not the black darkness Of a storm ''on
he outside" but something much more be-
wildering- g-the thick, tangible, muddy dark
aess Of an arctic storm. 1t was late in Oc-
:ober, and the first blizzard Of the season
was coming on. Dave, hardened and ex-
2erenced prospcctor, knew that he was
making foolhardy trip But that letter
L nothing more had been said, Dave might
have started anyway; and when Lou men-
toned the dark color, Dave would have
rome through the worst blizzard that ever
ragged. His heart sank as he thought Of
The ominous words, "the dark trimmings
Gould it mean a black bordered letter, tell
ng him that Mary was dead?
He was stumbling on with these gloomy
torebodings, when he suddenly stopped. BE.
lore him was 4 swift, narrow stream. A
match struck under the shelter of his coat
showed him the face OF his compass, A
glance convinced him that he had been wan
dering from his course, and was back on the
Gold Run at one of its many curves. He
must still be to the north Of its general
course, but just here it lay between him
ind his route. 10 cross it now meant that
was better than following its intricate wind
ings. Dave was not a man to hesitate.
Quickly removing his mukluks, he stepped
nto the water. Fortunately it was little
more than knee deep. Climbing the op-
posits bank, he put on his footwear, again
ooked 1T his compass and started north.
His dog crossed without difficulty and
vas now in the Mad. The snow had ceased
to fall and the air was rapidly growing
solder Soon he came to the creek again,
md this time the dog plunged in without
waiting for his master. The swift current
,eized him and rol ed him off his feet, and
Dave had to spring in to his rescue. When
:hcy reached the other side Dave was wet
through and his teeth were chatteriog.
With his matches wet, he could no longer
ook at his compass Stumbling up the bank,
lie followed its course and at last came
ipon prospector's vacant tent. Entering,
ae felt around in the darkness, and on .
,ox found some dry matches Striking one,
10 looked around. There was nothing Of
which to make fire, but among the con.
.ents OF the box he found piece Of canvas
md can half full Of baked beans. Wrap.
ping the matches carefully in canvas, he
placed them In an inner pocket, A search
II the box revealed nothing eatab!e except
.he beans, and, seating himself in the dark
aess, he hastily devoured them and 70.
sumed his journey.
Colder and colder grew the wind, which
blew SO hard that he could barely struggle i
AGAINST 1t. His mukluks wars Eosan stG; ]