The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-04-24


United States Government.
has ever sympathetic hand for the
fallen mighty, and the hand is never
empty of gift
On Sundays Skiddy paid the cap
tain a periodical visit He would
bring the latest papers, if there were
any, or novel or two from his scanty
stock. Their original friendship had
had gradually risen on the ashes of
the old
Satterlee and he took long walks
into the mountains, invariably accom-
panied by a Scanlon brother to give
an official aspect to the excursion. 1t
maintained the fast-disappearing prin-
ciple that Satterlee was convict and
under vigilant guard. 1t served to
take away the appearance, besides
(Which they might otherwise have
presented), of two friends spending q
happy day together in the country. A
Scanlon brother stood for the United
States government and the majesty of
the law, and propriety demanded his
presence as peremptorily as a
chaperon for a young lady. A Scan
Ion brother could be useful, too, in
climbing cocoanut trees, rubbing
sticks together when the matches
were lost, and in guiding them to no
BILE waterfalls far hidden in the for
est
In this manner nearly a whole year
passed, which, for the little consul,
represented an unavoidable monthly
outlay Of $55. He got somewhat used
to it, as everybody gets somewhat
used to everything; but he could not
resist certain recurring intervals of
depression when he contrasted his
present circumstances with his by
gone glory. Fffty-five dollars month
made big hole in a consular income
and he would gaze down that ten-year
vista with sinking heart. But relief
was closer at hand than he had ever
dared to hope. From the department?
No, but from Satterlee himself
The news was brought to little
Skiddy early one morning. Alfred
Scanlon, with an air of gloom, depre-
catingly coughed his way into the
bedroom and handed the consul a let
ter. 1t was written on pale pink note
paper, of the kind Samoans like best,
with two lavender birds embossed in
the corner. 1t was from Satterlee
The letter ran thus:
Dear Friend: When this reaches
you shall be far to sea. My excuse
for SO long subsisting on your bounty
must be laid to my ignorance, which
was only Illuminated two days ago by
accident. I had no idea that you
were paying for me out of your own
private purse, or that my ease and
comfort were obtained at so heavy q
cost to yourself. Regretfully / bring
our pleasant relations to an end, i'm
PEELED, I assure you, by the prompt
ings of heartfelt friendship. 1 loved
the simple people among whom my lot
was cast and looked forward, at the
termination of my sentence, to end
the balance Of. my days peacefully
among them. The world, seen from
so great distance, and from within
so sweet a nest, frightened me, old
stager that I am. God knows / have
never seen but its ugliest side and
return to it with profound depression.
Kindly explain my abrupt departure
to the Scanlons, and if you would do
me a last favor buy little rocking
horse that there is at Edwards store,
price three dollars, and present it in
my name to my infant goddaughter,
'Apeli Scanlon. To them all kindly ex-
press my warmest and sincerest
gratitude; and for yourself, dear
friend, the best, the truest, the kind
est of men, accept the warm grasp of
my hand at parting. Ever yours,
JOHN SATTERLEE."
'Tt must have been the Hamburg
bark that sailed last night" quavered
Scanlon.
OF course Skiddy blew that Scanlon
up. He wiped the floor with him. He
roared at him till the great hulking
creature shook like jelly and his round
black eyes suffused with tears. He
made him sit down then and there,
swore him on the consular Bible and
made him dictate a statement, which
was signed in the presence of the
cook This accomplished Alfred was
ingloriously dismissed, while the con-
sui went out on the back veranda and
sat there in his pajamas to think the
matter over.
That night the consul had cham
payne at dinner, and drank silent
toast:
Good luck to him, poor old DEVIL"