The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-11-03
CHAPTER X.
Bitter Prospects.

The storm had continued throughout
the day and arose at night with renew
ed fury. 1t was common thing to
have weeks OF storms at this season of
the year and the sun rarely ever showed
itseu. But every storm was the
worst" and the Oldest individual
would verify the fact.
1t only goes to show how quickly
people forget even the unpleasant
things OF life. A month Of rain and
seet and snow last year, which at the
time was declared unbearable, 10 for
gotten in the spring sunshine and when
another winter storm comes, although
mild compared with former ones, it is
record breaker while II lasts and the
complaint Ia long and loud
But such is the way Of weak, frivolous
humanity. II was sunshine yesterday /;
10 atorming today and tomorrow will
be whatever the temperament suggests,
II amounts TO nothing anyway; forever
complaining forgiving, expecting. be-
ing disappointed and disappointing 9th.
ers; yesterdays friend Is today's enc
my; in the deepest poverty and dis.
tress yesterday, rich and happy today
After all the mind Is the weather vane
In lite's short span of time and the
tongue the Thermometer. Whatever the
mind oonceives Is 30, and the tongue
indicates the state OF the mind. Life
is atorm OF sunshine just as the mind
makes it, and the wagging tongue re-
cords the impression.
But whether in reality II was the
mildest or most severe storm in the
history Of the fishing village on the
north banks Of the Columbia, in the
mind OF one II was the darkest hour o.
her life. The wind blew louder, the
rainfall on the roof was more raspinG
and the night had closed in with great
er darkness. The fire flickered more
aloomily and the shadows fitted about
more ghostily.
The cupboard seemed scantier, tn,
iurnitIre rougher, the bed clothing
lighter, the floor was more bare anC
even the good natured house cat seemed
gloomier as the rain and wind rageC
outside and beat upon the cabin as II il
we're cursed and doomed forever.
Sankala was usually Of light hear
and spirit, but her nature was al
crushed tonight. She sat beside the
bed which was drawn near the fire
She gaSed into the flames with tear
stained eyes. She would look into the
future, but there was nothing to see
Then the terrible episodes OF the day
flashed through her mind like a success.
sion OF night-mares or hideous dreams.
Blu. she did not forget her duty, As
regular as the clock would she turn and
change the damp cloths upon Ring
wold's head and examine the hot
smoothing-iron at his feet. The cloths
were kept cold and the irons were KEEP
hot.
Ringwold barely breathed. The ex
citement OF the day had about cut tn,
last thread that held his feeble old lie
When the life savers rescued them thu
boat had its nose against Destruction
Rocks, which point no boat had eve
reached before and been saved. Ring
void knew nothing Of the rescue. Hi
last conscious moments were to sc,
himself and sankala going to destruc
tion. When he saw the inevitable ant
the struggling irail child battling will
the mountains of sea the feeble old maj
collapsed in heap In the bottom o
the boat.
The long houis of exposure had tol,
on him and it was already Whispered
about the village that tonight was Ring
wold's last nigh, on earth, But III,
fishermen had become aecumstomed L
his sinking spells and Sankala was lef
alone with him.
Sankala had not been afraid. She
was not afraid now. It was not be-
cause she wa' less refined than othel
giIlt or naturally braver than Other
girls. 1t was because she had oeer
schooled against fear. Her life had
been her schooling and ii had been one
in which all Of the hardships had been
taught in prac tical lessons. Not per.
formed and rehearsed for the occasion,
! but lessons that came with the routine