The San Francisco call., 1907-06-16

~ HE lonely death vigil OF an Inyo
county heroine has como to an
end. end the body OF Raymond
Kelly lies IN q decent grave in q
southern California cemetery.
But for the bravery OF Mrs. Edward
Echooley, the wife OF an Inyo county
miner, Raymond Kelly could never have
had any grave at all. and buzzards
would have eaten his body when the
SHOWS Of winter melted from the top OF
old White mountain, where Kelly died.
and where for weeks Mrs. schooley
watched beside the body, covering Il
every day with deep snow. working
like man with g sack and shovel TO
perform duty that seemed plainly to
be hers.
This woman's pluck and grit gave
back to Harry Kelly, the father. ell
that was left OF the pride OF his life. OF
a son OF sons, lad who had been 90
strong that whole football teams were
afraid OF him. ana hardy rnountaineers
marveled at his tirelcss strength as he
worked IN the Inyo mines. Miners ana
nountaineers helped Harry Kelly re-
cover Raymond Kelly's body. and when
Mrs. Schooley and Harry Kelly end the
miners and mountaineers have lain sn
their turn long In their graves there wilt
be talk IN Inyo county OF Mrs. Schooiey,
the heroine, and OF Harry Kelly's heart
breaking trip to the top OF White noun.
tain TO pack his sons body down peril
Gus trails to decent burial. There viii
be talk OF Ray Keilys life given for
his friends. and OF how his friends and
his father struggled for months 20 pay
the last debt Of gratitude that could be
paid
Ray Kelly came into life with an
enormous vitality. AS a little boy he
could whip any lad he knew of twics
his size. Harry Kelly was an athlete.
In his day he was fast runner, but he
could never run az his son could run.
lie was a swimmer, but Ray could beas
him before the lad was IL years old.
Harry Kelly is q boxer and from baby
hood Ray was taught to box. It was
Harry Kelly's proudest day when his
strspping son doored him with
straight punch with the gloves and
Harry realized that he had grown a
boy who was sure TO be a real man.
Boys like Raymond Kelly do not stay
IN small towns. Ray left a quiet home
3n southern California and went into
Los Angeles. Then he went to other
towns. wandered into San Francisco,
into the east Harry Kelly IS q master
decorator, but, Ray Kelly could earn
more money than his father and saw
the world because ne could earn the
was a well sarbed boy, and when he
dropped into his home now and then
there was no prouder father than his.
But decorating IS no way OF making
q fortune. and Kelly determined to try
mining. That was how he came to be
g prospector for gold in the mountains
OF Inyo. lie determined TO pit his
saatchIess strength against the hard
ships of the trail and the cold priva-
tions OF winter over snow clad peaks
and into desolate canyons he packed
his prospector's oetft In many a
cabin he spent night and left pleas
ant memory. Then he took up claim
on the side of White mountain and
started TO dig for gold.
He was not alone on White mountain
There were other miners there. Ed
Schooley was there and there was a
mining company's outfit where there
were several men. Kelly was with
James Thompson OF Santa Barbara,
another who sought gold In the silent
places.
A Mountain Giant
During last summer everybody
worked hard. Then earlier than usual
came a heavy snow. Last winter was
one OF the worst ever known in the
mountains For weeks the camps were
showed tn. Then came q time when
some one must take the trail to Inde.
pendence for food. This meant taking
the up trail TO the summit of White
mountain and q long down trail into
Ac nF