Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-10-25
The Time Came When Kama Was Un-
able to Go in the Lead.

was divided as ever as to whether or
not he would compass the achieve
ment. At ten o'clock bets were still
being made, though the odds rose, bet
by bet, against his success. Down in
her heart the Virgin believed he had
failed, yet she made bet of twenty
ounces with Charley Bates, against
forty ounces, that Daylight would ar
rive before midnight.
She it was who heard the first yelps
of the dogs.
'Listen!" she cried. 'It's Day
light"
There was general stampede for
the door; but when the double storm
doors were thrown wide open, the
crowd fell back. They heard the eager
whining Of dogs, the snap of dog
whip and the voice Of Daylight crying
encouragement as the weary animals
capped all they had done by dragging
the sled in over the wooden floor.
They came in with a rush, and with
them rushed in the frost, a visible
yapOr Of smoking white, through
which their heads and backs showed,
as they strained in the harness, till
they had all the seeming Of swimming
in a river. Behind them, at the gee
pole, came Daylight, hidden to the
knees by the swirling frost through
which he appeared to wade. He was
the same old Daylight, withal lean
and tired-Iooking, and his black eyes
we're sparkling and flashing brighter
than ever. His parka of cotton drill
hooded him like. monk, and fell in
straight lines to his knees. Grimed
and scorched by camp-smoke and ire,
the garment in itself told the story OF
his trip. A two-months' beard COW
cred his face; and the beard, in turn,
was matted with the ice Of his breath
ing through the lo&s seventy-mile
run.
He experienced a thrill of surprise
as the roar of welcome went up and
as every familiar detail Of the Tivoli
greeted his vision-the long bar and
the array Of bottles, the gambling
games, the big stove, the weigher at
CAAC GsO1NA-5Sc~4O6s I4AS 141GS1CAG@4ANS C@AS
men and women, the Virgin, Celia,
and Nellie, Dan Macdonald, Beetles,
Billy RawIins, Olaf Henderson, Doc
Watson-aIl Of them. 1t was just as
lie had left it, and in all seeming
it might well be the very day he had
left The sixty days of incessant trav-
ell through the white wilderness sud
denly telescoped, and had no exis-
tence in time. They we're a moment,
an incident He had plunged out and
into them through the wall Of silence,
and back through the wall Of silence
EE3 had plunged, apparently the next
instant, and into the roar and tur-
MOL of the Tivoli.
He drew deep breath and cried:
"The winner pays, and I'm the win
ner, amt 1? Surge up, you-all Male
mutes and Siwashes, and name your
poison! There's your Dyea mail,
straight from Salt Water, and no horn
swogglin about it! Cast the lashings
adrift, you-all, and wade into it"
A dozen pairs of hands were at the
sled-lashings, when the young LIE
Barge Indian, bending at the same
task, suddenly and Imply straight
ened up. In his eyes was a great sur
prise. He stared about him wildly,
for the thing he was undergoing was
new to him. lie was profoundly
struck by an unguessed limitation. He
shook as with palsy, and he gave at
the knees, slowly sinking down to fall
suddenly across the sled and to know