The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-11-26
CHAPTER VII.
Toilers Of the Columbia.

Tretby u1gus lhtuSEs puL uUL 30 nlgn
as it was week ago."
~ do not believe I can 60 today, my
child" W..
swell, father, will try it alone.
Dan Lapham fishes trap alone, and !
believe can do 30. too"
"Oh, no, my child. Dan is strong
Young man. He has not an equal on
the bay, and you are my frail little
girl. I know you are willing and your
strength at times seems to be super
natural, but you could not fish a trap
alone. It is out Of the question"
"But Dams trap is near ours. You
know he often helps me when you are
tired and would help him this morn
ing in return for his services. You
are not able to go, my father"
''But will go, said the old man
as he drew himself feebly from the
bed. .-.-.. ....-- ....-.
''My child, this work is getting too
severe for you. For more than year
you have had to pull at the oars and
your task has grown greater until your
strength is over-taxed. Day by day ]
grow more feeble and day by day the
burden is increased upon your should
e1s. II could only complete the link
that still is missing would place you
where you could continue your studies
and the old man that am would spend
his few remaining days in comfort as
your ward. 1 know, Sankala, that you
would not begrudge me so small an
amount if it were YOURS ~
"No, father, it should all be yours.
have only one desire, and that is to
place you where you shall have rest.
You need rest, father, you need, 1est.
No one nearly so old az you tolls on the
Columbia, and yet you go day after
day, and often when you are too feeble
even to stir. Listen. the storm RACES
this morningi You should not go at
ALL"
Thus spoke Sankala to Ringwold.
Another year had passed in their lives.
The price of fish had gone down under
the hard times and close competition
and RingWold had for many months
been unable to make support for the
two alone. In fact, he had struggled
beyond his strength to keep Sankala in
school and the crash was close at hand.
He was now giving out his last strength.
Often he would become completely ex-
hausted and lie for time in the bow
OF the fishing boat while the girl work.
ed on alone. 1t was on these occasions
that good-hearted Dan Lapham had
come to their rescue and assisted poor
sankala to do her work.
She had become hardened to the
work, however, and frail as she was
she could handle boat and draw in
the web of the fish trap with the skill
OF the average man. It was not her
strength that did it, however. It was
her will power aud a nimble, quick
motion of an expert nature that women
possess over men.
Twice this morning had Rinwgold
tainted while Sankala was assisting him
to dress and she had revived him and
carried on the work. The child was
accustomed to this and did not realize
old man.
When the fishermen reached the
beach the waves were coming In with a
rush. They threw the drift wood fur
Their back with each pulsation. Out in
the darkness through the mist and the
rain the white caps could be seen leap
Ing about like the salmon they were
pursuing. The strongest fisherman
paused this morning. They we're often
compelled to remain ashore until late
and even everyday. But this was
always a disappointment. The fish
ran better when there was storm and
the hard times now urged the toilers
on their duty.
While the men were thus pausine
nom indeCision Ringwold and Sankala
appeared. Without seeming to notice
the disturbed condition OF the bay they
showed their boat into the water and
while Ringwold steered Sankala threw
her oars against the seethinR current
They gradually mingled with tho dark
phantoms which danced upon the sea
until they were lost from view.
The fishermen had become 80 accus
TONED to the dangers of their life tina
they thought but little about it. What
TO the stranger would have appeared
toolhardy was to them duty and choice
But the storm this morning was unusu
ally high and that intuition akin to thu
instinct that protects animals from de
s'ruction, warned the fishermen to b
cautious.
But when Sankala braved the waters
with her aged companion the most dar
ing of the fishermen followed. DaI
Llapham. smarting under his forme
umldity, was first seen to shoot out il
Ills boat in pursuit of the two VIII
worked trap near his own. Then on
ny one the others followed.
!, The fish traps we've constructed alonl
tne entire north shore of the river
which is Bakers bay, from Cape Dis
appointment to McGowan's Point, I
distance of dozen miles or more
tne middle of the river was the divid
ing line. The river Is the dividing lin
between the two states and the fisher
men from the two states claim thei