The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-04-11


Jumped by thunder!" was Sandys
comment as he laboriously spelled out
the regulation clalm-notice, showing
its white spot on the bark Of giant
fir: Claims been jumped by one A.
i Burrows"
He leaned his ak against the foot OF
the tree, pushed his dingy old white
hat back on his shock of brick.red
hair, hitched up his trousers by the
belt and again read the notice. There
was no mistaking It.. There was a
rival claimant for this patch of timber
in the almost impenetrable wilderness
OF the Olympics, where for more than
a year he had abided with the proud
feeling OF possession.
Claim-jumping, in a mining way
was not a new thing to him. but here
in the big woods 1t seemed little out
Of place. II was bewildering. and the
method Of its fighting would be new
He sat down on small log and
looked at the staring white sign. as II
trying to read from 1t solution OF the
difficulty. He might tear the notice
off the tree, but that wouldn't do any
good. Now, II only 1t were mining
claim. the procedure would be simple,
namely, take a gun and All the Jump
er" full of lead
Sandy Strengthened himself up and
sighed. He had decided that this
would be the method in this case, II
he were driven to It.
I'm the peacefullest cuss that ever
lived" he mourned as he turned away,
but they're always gettin' me cor
nered where there amt nothin' to do
but shoot, Then gets shot up some.
may be, and am sorry heap. because
had to shoot the other fellow up"
The world looked pretty fororn to
him, as he picked his way along a trail
through the woods to his cabin, and
for once the birds and squirrels who
knew him and expected greeting were
given no recognition.
His path led through timber such as
but few men know; II was q Titanic
forest of monstrous trees in which he
wandered pigmy. Here and there a
giant had fallen, sending his 800 feet
of length crashing downward to rest.
ing.place, and presenting 20.foot
barrier to those who would cross him
In his proneness. Perhaps another
giant. having lived ont his life OF hun
dreds OF years, had dropped across the
first, and still others piled themselves
on, until the barrier was completely
uncrossable.
Around one of these distractions
the troubled Sandy came in sight OF
his cabin, where 1t nestled in a little
clearing, with all its evidences OF
habitation. From the doorway a
three-legged dog arose and, with much
the stress of his trouble the tall mas
ter stopped long enough to pet the
waiting head and take a kindly look
into the eyes that sought his.
Dick" he said, we've been pards
ever since dragged you out from un-
der street car, way down In Seattle,
and we've most always had some kind
Of home since then; but now they're
goin' to try to take this one away from
us and make us hit the trail again"
Dick seemed to understand, al
though he said nothing. He was not
talkative dog, his strong point being
sympathy, He felt the gravity of the
situation, and hobbled after his mas
ter into the cabin.
THAR you go again." Sandy re-
proachfully said as he entered, this
time addressing his remarks to mis-
chievoHs wood-mouse who calmly sat
on shelf and looked at him while
washing off with his dininutiye fore
paws the unmistakable signs of -four
dust from his whiskers
Here ! lugs sack of four 20
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