Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-05-10
'5THE MAKING OF MIKE

He climbed to the top of the cord and
picked up a stick of wood and threw
it into the darkness as far as he could,
hoping to hit some one of the build
ingS.
The stick fell silently. He threw
the wood in all directions, but it
seemed only to hit the air. He gave
up, got off the cord and went on. In
a moment he ran into heap of straw.
He could not resist it's invitation. He
began to burrow into it.. He was like
a fox driven to it's hole with baying
hounds close behind him. He flung
the loose straw aside and burrowed
fiercely with his hand, and crept head
first deep into the straw pile and roll
ed to his back.
His will to sleep came strong and
cunning as wolf in sight of it's prey.
Desperately he fought against it. The
enemy would overcome and drag him
into slumber, and then he would drive
it away. For hours this lonely strug-
gle of life against death continued.
By and by he began to creep out
Of the straw. Thank God, he could see
light! What? Yes. The sun was
shining. The storm had passed. Deep
snow glistened in the light. There
was the house not hundred feet from
where he lay and smoke was coming
out of it's chimney. The smoke had
a friendly look. No, he was not
dreaming now. 1t was real sunlight,
real smoke! He got to his feet and
fell sideways. His legs felt like a
pair Of stills. He began to creep to-
ward the house on his hands and
knees. He imagined that the SNOW
felt warm on his wrists. Near the
door he felt something hard under
one of his knees. 1t had hurt a little.
He stopped and looked. It was one
of the sticks Of wood that he had
thrown into the darkness. He tried
to pick it up and toss it aside, but his
hand would not obey him. His thumb
and fingers refused to work. He got
to the door and struck it with the
back of his hand. The sound was like
that of stone striking the timber.
He looked at his hand. 1t was as stiff
as if it had been stuck full Of needles.
He heard footsteps and voices, and
then the door opened. He felt the
warm air of the room and saw man
standing in the doorway.
Heavens and earth! What's the
matter?" said the man.
Been out all night in the storm, -
said Mike as he knelt on the door.
step.
The man leaned over and looked i'm
| to his face.
Don't you know you're froze,
boy?" he exclaimed.
II know it. I'm just a chunk OF
| ice," said Mike.
The man and his wife lifted the boy
| to his feet and helped him into the
door, and sat him down.
Then they ran out of the room like
a pair of scared rabbits. One brought
wash boiler full of SNOW, the other
pail of water from the we'll. The
woman p ured the water upon the
snow while the man tried to remove
Mikes boots.
Hes shot full of frost and the
leather is nailed to his legs!" said he.
We'll have to cut 'em off, Mary"
He slit boots and stocking from top
to toe with his knife and stripped
them off, and put Mikes legs in the
icy water. Meanwhile the woman had
pulled off his mittens and immersed
his hands. Then she began to rub
his face and ears with the wet SNOW.
Mike Writhed and groaned as the
frost coming out formed sheath of
ice on his feet, legs and hands. 1t
was like pulling needles. Them Nat
ure had its struggle in trying to re-
connect it's countless nerves and
channels so long clogged and cut off.
The boy bore it bravely, and all that
day the man and woman worked up
on him. They succeeded in drawing
the frost, but his hands and feet were
swollen and powerless. The blizzard
had begun again and they couldn't 60
for the doctor, who lived nine miles
away. So they put Mike to bed. It
was all they could do for him.
Mikes Novel Proposal.
Three days passed before they could
get the doctor. They were days of
great agony for poor Mike. The doc
tor said that he was beyond help.
His hands and the lower ends of his
legs were already dead. There was
chance that an operation would save
the rest of him. That, however, de-
pended on his vitality. The doctor
had brought his instruments and all
the ether and chloroform that he had
been able to buy in the little town
where he practiced. He had not
enough, however, for the big job
ahead of him. 1t was hard on Mike,
and it exhausted the doctor and the
man and woman who helped him. The
boy went through it bravely and chung
to his life, and passed the danger
point and waxed strong.
His father was poor and Mike would
not permit himself to be thrown up.
on him. He insisted that the state
should take care of him. Both feet
and one hand were gone, but the doc
tor had saved the thumb and the main
part of his left hand. He could get
about somewhat in the fashion Of a
monkey. The charity commissioner
arranged for his keep at farmhouse.
Now the whips Of pain and loss and
4.