Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-23
THE VERMONT PHOENIX, B

sank deep,-deeper than ever beforehand
the clear water took on a dirty clay hue.
He leaned over, took a handful of this
dirty yellow stuff from the point of his
pick and was about to throw II behind
MIN and strike again, when he saw some
thing glitter In his hand. He stopped to
the water, and saw-"Goldl goldl goldl"
It did not take long to let the water
wash the clay away as it ran gurglng
down the crevice Before II was yet fairly
night the hungry man had nearly filled
with gold dust a little pint cup which he
found In the cabin.
But it was clear that this was only n
pocket" If he had had half a day still
before him. he would have been able to
scoop 1t out and turn his back on it all;
in which case this story would not have
been written.
The resolute boy had those dependent
on him far away who were very dear.
They would need all the gold. And then
1t was only one more day at furthest. lie
would remain to get all With this reso-
luton and light heart, although heavy
step, he tottered down to the store He
would not-he could not-leave his gold
behind him. He went his way, thinking
all the time what he would have to eat
on his return.
HAM Ham and onionsl Fried ham and
onions That was what he would have.
He almost ran as he neared the store.
Four men were playing cards at a table
as ne came III WO OlneTE lay On
benches, asleep. The return tide of the
stampede had set in, and men were not
nearly so scarce in the camp as before
Larson let his gold sink deep down in his
pocket
He found the bearded Mtssourian behind
his counter, and asked to pay his bill
The storekeeper seemed 30 have forgotten
him. But after looking him in the face
for a while. he said: ooh, yes yes I re-
member you now. Let me see what It was
you got"
Turning around to the wall he put his
| finger on a number OF little dots and
spots. These were for Larisons name:
for the storekeeper could not read I'm
der the spots and dots were the tail of a
| fish and the outline of a cracker, with
| four little marks below.
81 also want a ham and a pound of
crackers whole ham. I'm hungry. And
I want onions-a pound of onions!"
The storekeeper handed over the ham.
| tied up the crackers, and took the gold
and weighed out his due. Larson imme-
| diately picked up his bundle and started
| for his cabin.
How fast he did walk And how fra
| grant was that ham as It fried and cooked
In the new fire on the hearthstone! The
bag of gold he laid on the table Now and
then the young man turned his eye from
| the pan to the gold with a happy heart
One more day, then home!
| He set the pan of friZZing ham on the
table. closed the door and sat down to his
meal
Suddenly there was noise outside. The
| young man started to his feet trembling
and pale. The noise grew louder, as OF
| many feet now close to the door
| But he did not lose his presence of mind.
| He was certain the noise was of the four
men he had seen at the card table.
He had noticed them shrink from him
and whisper among themselves At the
| time be had fhOIIphf they rpfarrin ~
to the fresh marks of smallpox his
face. The singular way in which the
storekeeper had set down his name on the
wall confirmed him in this. But why
should those men come to rob him If they
believed he had the smallpox? Was his
gold more precious to them than life?
How quickly a man thinks at a time like
thisl What was to be done? He was
alone and unarmed There were. he be-
lieved, four burglars-no doubt, all well
armed. The noise grew louder There
was great battering at the frail door.
Suddenly Larson made his plan. He
dashed the gold against the stone wall
that formed the back of the chimney.
The precious contents sank down safe in
the deep ashes.
high in the topmost bunk and covered his
face as he groaned: Smallpox! Small
pox!"
The door was now broken open with a
terrible crash.
Then Larson heard the din and rattle
and noise of heavy feet. But there was nc
word spoken except by the youth with
covered face. high up in the corner. who
uttered the wall of Smallpox! Smallpox
Smallpox
After a time Larson paused to listen
He could now hear nothing at all but the
beating of his heart He rubbed his hands
with glee at the thought of his shrewd de-
vice. The gold. he knew, was all there in
the ashes. Half an hours washing would
restore 1t to him. Then he would get the
rest out of the pocket. and strike fol-
Massachusetts by the shortest possible
route. Planning this. still full of heart
and hope. he turned over in his bunk and
fell asleep
The sun was high when he awoke
Peering out cautiously quite ready to hide
his head and cry, Smallpox" at the first
sight or sound of an intruder he saw
heard-nothing at all
Then he came down and looked about
The crackers were gone The frying par
lay upside down on the floor. The ham
was gone alsoi
Turning to the door in a bewilderet
side the tracks of his assailant. They
were big, broad tracks-the tracks of
grizzly bear. The smell of ham had made
the bear a burglar.
But Larson was rich!-CJoaquin Millel
| in December st. Nicholas.