The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-06-06


Don't you see he'll kill himself
if let him drink all he wants." said
Frank. Here drink now" he con-
tinued turning to the old man, and
he held up a little water in his
hand to the old mans lips.
This process was slowly continued
for fully ten miutes and not a word
had been said. Then the old man
said in low Quavering voice,
God bless You boys, you have
saved by life"
There never mind now" said
Frank, lie still and III fix yeu some
! thing to eat. When you have eaten
you will feel stronger and then you
can tell us how it happened"
Quickly Frank cooked some broth
| and fed it to the old man who seemed
| ravenous.
In the meantime Jack explored
! the cabin. There were two rooms in
1 it, the inside room contained bunk,
! table, camp-stove, and a few other
trifling articles of furniture. The in
side room seemed strangely out of
| place in that lonely miners cabin. 1t
was fixed up more like a study than
anything else. There were furs on
the floor for rugs and on one side
of the wall there was a rude box
case, the contents of which were
scattered on the floor. Looking
the books over Jack saw that they
were all standard works of literature,
denoting that the owner was man
of education and refinement. There
were also a couple of chairs and a
curtain over the little window.
After he had eaten the broth, the
old man motioned the boys to sit
down.
81 feel much better now" he said
Listen 1 will tell you my history
previous to coming to this place and
also how l happened to be in the pos
!. ition in which you boys found me.
Sixteen years ago 1 was happy
man. had married the sweetes
girl on earth and my troubles were
few. We had been married a few
years and l had managed to pay TO
. little home by teaching school, ant
with my wife and two children
deemed myself the wealthiest man OF
earth. Then took the typhoid feve
and was i'll with it for nearly 81,
> months When 1 recovered my say
ings were spent and our little hom
had been mortgaged My positio
" was gone and as no other work wa
g at hand l came west to find employ
o ment. Altho was weak, both men
tally and physically, l went to wor
n days afterwards that there was an e,
plosion and was again injured
- After had recovered they gave me
y letter which they said had arrive
a week ago. Hastily l opened
thinking that it was from my viii
- but only too soon saw my mistak
1t was from my best friend, an oil
schoolboy chum, who had befriende
me in my illness and who held N
% mortgage. 1t told how my wi
70 whom I had loved and trusted {
~ long had left town with my form'
- rival taking the children with he
~ Oh what agony l endured! The vel
words seemed to eat into my brai
"a inflaming me with jealousy an
ne hatred. Half crazed with grief al
es pain 1 stopped for nothing but FL
ly to the mountains. Ny hair becar
h. white in two years and l grew o
before my time. On wandered fro
en- place to place avoiding man as
an viper. Five years ago came to Il
place. Tired of wandering l blu
k, this cabin and began to prospect.
managed to wash out enough gold
,r- buy my books and to keep me in CO.
ng fort, but as the signs were good
kept looking for something bett
let Finally my patience was reward
ok by the discovery of mine rich
ed yond comparison and hidden so tt
no one could find 1t unless 1t was
ok, chance. Then my reason began
rst return to me, Often nights VIII
the wind and rain beat upon
nd cabin l would sit In my study a
his ponder over the past. How Ions
St to see and be with my wife q
'ok children. Then the thought came
me, what il the letter was false, h
md l had wronged my family, but l
oys stantly dismissed 1t. In spite of
efforts 1t would return to me "
ten-fold force. So strong did
eet impression become that thought
Ugh writing East and finding out, bu