The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-07-29

ished his writing he asked Johnny his
name. After having been told it, he
went on writing again.
With the morning the stranger SEEM
ed quite improved in health. but still too
weak 10 walk beside his sledge. Johnny
fixed the breakfast, hitched up the dogs
to both sledges and set out over the trail,
guiding both teams. But each sledge
had fine dog as leader, and both lead
ers seemed to know the trail well and
travelled pretty consclentiousiy till late
in the evening.
And so the time passed away, slowly,
but surely, and Johnny was relieved to
see his stranger friend clinging to life
and seeming to gain a bit in strength
each hour. And each hour Johnny be-
came more and more determined to
reach Fifty Mile. Not so much for him.
self as for his companion, who had told
him in bits Of conversation at night in
camp of wife and ''li'le one"who await
ed him in ''the States" And if they
could reach Fifty Mile they would get
shelter and food till spring had really
opened. And then the stranger could
continue his journey southwark to those
he loved.
1t was just falling night-after one of
those terribly short gray days known in
that part of the world, where God
seemed to forget to smile during nine
months of the year.-when Fifty Mile
was seen in the distance. Johnny knew
the place we'll, for he had spent much of
the last four years there in the company
of his father and uncle. The poor, half
starved, overworked dogs also knew
that they were near haven of rest,
where food would be more plentiful and
things easier in general, and fastened
their gait into quick trot They drew
into the main street of the wild, rude
mining camp just as the darkness fell.
Johnny hurried to the home of kind
hearted widow who kept dodgers, and
where his father and uncle always stop
ped when in the camp. The woman
heard the news of sickness and death
which Johnny had to tell with sympa-
thetic tear in her eye and ''God bless
you, child, what a terrible time you
have had!' Then she called to one of
her dodgers, big, strong fellow, to
carry in the stranger, whom Johnny had
brought into Fifty Mile.
The stranger ordered that his load be
safely stored inside the room he was to
share with Johnny and two other min
ers. "And, say, kid" he remarked,
turning to Johnny, "there are two bags
at the bottom of the load that want
you to put under my bed And-be sure
to find the little handbook calendar and
put beneath my pillow" Then he turn
ed over and went to Sleep
For lthree days the good widow and.
Johnny cared tenderly for the sick
stranger but life had ebbed too low on
the great snow waste, and he could not
rally for long. At midnight on the
fourth day Johnny saw his stranger
friend pass from earth.
After the simple funeral the little
| handbook was looked into, and there
were found scrubbed these words:
Give to the brave boy who rescued
me from lonely and terrible death up
in the north, and who is taking me where
civilized people will be with me at the
last, and who will carry out my orders
give to him, say, half of the gold found
in the smaller of the bags on my sledge.
The remaining large bag and the half of
the small bag are to be sent to my wife
and child in B-villle, Ohio. And give
them a husband and a fathers last
words of love. Signed, George Patton.
And when the gold IN the smaller bag
was weighed it was found to be worth
about $780, 900. And Johnny, weeping
over the sad death of the poor fellow
who had given his life to ind treasures
for his loved ones in 1.-THE States" de-
clared that he would himself take the
treasure to the wife and child. 81 shall
never rest till | know they have got it, .
he added, land until | have told them
everything corrected with that last
awful ride to Fifty Mile.