The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-11-17
CHAPTER VII.
Toilers of the Columbia.

Toilers of the Columbia.
ssHow is the Storm"
"Pretty high, father, but not so high
a. it was week ago."
81 do not believe can go today, my
child"
"Well, father, will try it alone.
Dan Laphsm fishes trap alone, and
believe can do 80, too"
"Oh, no, my child. Dan is a strong
young man. He has not an equal on
the bay, and you are my frail little
girl. l know you are willing and your
strength at times seems to be super
natural, but you could not fish a trap
alone. 1t is out of the question"
But Dams trap is near ours. You
know he often helps me when you are
. tired and l would help him tins morn
ing in return fol- his services. You
are not able to go, my father"
But l 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 a year
you have had to pull at the oars and
your task has grown greater until your
strength is over-taxed. Day by day i
grow more feeble and day by day the
burden is increased upon your should
ers- II could only complete the link
that still is missing l would place you
where you could continue your studies
and the old man that am would spend
bis few remaining days in comfort as
your ward. know, Sankala, that you
would not begrudge me so small an
amount if it were yours"
mo, 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 rest.
No one nearly so old as you tolls on the
Columbia, and yet yor go day after
lay, and often when you are too feeble
wen to stir. Listen. the storm RACES
his morningl You should not go at
H."
Thus spoke Sankafa to Ringwold.
mother year had passed in their livee.
he price of fish had gone down under
be hard times and close competition
nd Ringwold had for many months !.
cen unable to make . support for the
wo alone. In fact, he had struggled o
cyond his strength to keep Sankala in
chool and the crash was close at hand. p
lie was now giving out his last strength. z
'ften be would become completely ex-
austed and lie for time in the bow
the fishing boat while the girl work =
on alone. 1t was on these occasions d
nat good-hearted Dan Lapham had =,
'me to their rescue and assisted poor u
snkala to do her work. II
She had become hardened to the u
ork, however, and frail as she was
lie could handle boat aud draw in n
Ie web of the fish trap with the skill o'
the average man. 1t was not her "a
rength thst did it, however. 1t was
II will power aud a nimble, quick
otion OF an expert nature that women
'esess over men.
Twice this morning had Rinwgold
lnted while Sankala was assisting him
dress and che had revived him and
rried on the work. The child was ar
customed to this and did not realize
W serious was the condition of the
man. stz
When the fishermen reached the eli
ach the waves were coming in with a
III. They threw the drift wood fur me
,r back with each pulsation. Out in Loo
} darkness through the mist and the ste
n the white caps could be seen leap ha
, about like the salmon they were its
rsuing. The strongest fisherman
Used this morning. They were often ere
npelled 10 remain ashore until late 70,
even over-day. But this was bel
Tays a disappointment. The fish
better when there was storm and tbs
hard times now urged the toilers the
their duty. the
While the men were thus pausing ing
n indecision Ringwold and Sankala
cared. Without seeming to notice to
disturbed condition OF the bay they the
we'd their boat into the water and ina
lie Ringwold steered Sankala threw veil
oars against the seething current. gov
y gradually mingled with the dark and
ntoms which danced upon the sea mel
u tncy were iOet IrOm view. iote
he fishermen had become 30 accus- can
ed to the dangers OF their life that on
, thought but little about it. What tho
he stranger would have appeared l.
hardy was to them duty and choice. cave
the storm this morning was unusu- feb
high snd that intuition akin to the dut,
met that protects animals from de- +
ction, warned the fishermen to be til I
ious. nool
ut when Sankala braved the waters erm
her aged companion the most dar- boat
Of the fishermen followed. Dan verg
nam, smarting under his former ocea
dity, was first seen to shoot out in line
BOAT in pursuit of the two who was
led trap near his own. Then one man
ne the others followed. ere
Ie fish traps we've constructed along coul'
entire north shore of the river, for I
b lie Bakers bay, from Cape Dis II
intment to McGowan's Point, a est .
nee Of dozen miles or more. sea.
middle Of the river was the divid- strut
inc. The river is the dividing line for O
cen the two states and the fisher sit d.
from the two states claim their that
g, even to hairs breadth. of ire
9 fishermen on the north had traps most