Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-05-18

Three Days, With No Further Food, He
Fought West.
curiosity that made him pull the draw
string. he opened it. out poured
tiny food Of food. There was no par
ticle OF ii that he did not recognize, all
stolen by I.abiskwee from Labiskwee-
bread fragments saved far back; strips
and strings OF caribou meat, partly
gnawed: crnmbles OF suet; hind leg
OF the snowshoe rabbit, untouched; a
hind leg and part Of fore leg Of the
white weasel; a wing. denied still by
her reluctant teeth. and leg OF the
owbird-pltiful remnants, tragic re
nunciations. crucifxions Of life, NOR.
sells stolen from her terrible hunger by
her incredible love.
With maniacal laughter Smoke fsng
II all out on the hardening snow crust
and went back into the blackness.
He dreamed. The Yukon ran dry.
In It's bed, among muddy pools of wa
ter and ice secured rocks, he wandered,
picking up fat nugget gold. The
weight OF II grew 10 be burden TO
him till he discovered that 1t was good
to eat. And greedily he ate. After
all. OF what worth was gold that men
should prize IL so, save that 1t was
good 10 eatf
He awoke TO another sun His brain
was strangely clear. No longer did his
eyesight blur. The familiar palpita-
tion that had vexed him through all his
frame was gone. The juices or his
body seemed TO sing as " the spring
had entered il. Blessed well being had
come 10 him. He turned to awaken
Lablskwee and saw and remembered.
He looked for the food flung out on the
snow. Ii was gone. And he knew that
In delirium and dream IL had been the
Yukon nugget gold. In delirium and
dream he had taken heart of life from
the life sacrifice of Labiskwee. who
had put her heart i'm his hand and
opened his eyes to woman and wonder
He was surprised at the ease OF his
movements, astounded that he was
able to drag her fur wrapped body &c
the exposed thawed gravel bank, which
he undermined and caved upon her.
Three days. with no further food, he
! fought west In the mid third day he
! fell beneath lone spruce beside
wide stream that ran open and tina
he knew must be the Klondike. Ere
hlackness conquered him he unlashed
his pack. said goodby 10 the bright
world and rolled himself in the robes.
CHIPPING. sleepy noises awoke him
The long twilight was on. Above hin
among the spruce bows were ptarmi
gan. Hunger bit him into instant &C
ton. though the action was infinitely
slow. Five minutes passed before h'
was able To get his rifle TO his shout
der, and second Eve minutes passed
ere he dared, lying on his back an'
aiming straight upward. TO pull thu
trigger. II was a clean miss. No Dir,
fell. but no bird few. They ruffict
and rustled stupidity and drowsily. Hi
shoulder panied him. A second sho
was. spoiled by the involuntary winc'
he made ms he pulled trigger.
The ptarmigan had not flown. III
doubled and redoubled the robe tia
had covered him and bumped il In the
hollow between his right arm and hi
side Resting the butt OF the rifle oI
the fur. ne fired again and a bird fen
He clutched il creediiy and found tina
he had shot most of the meat from il
The large caliber bullet had left LITTLE
else than a mess of mangied feathers.
Still the ptarmgan did not fly, an'
he decided that IL was heads or moth
ing. He fred only at heads. He re-
loaded and reloaded the magazine. II
missed: he hit. and the stupid ptarml
gan. that were loath 10 fly. fell upoi
him i'm rain Of food-lives disrupte
that his life might feed and live.
The first he ate raw. Then he rcste'
and slept. while his life assimilated III
life Of IL. In the darkness he awoko
hungry, with strength 10 build n fir
And until early dawn he cooked an'
ate. crunching tho bones 10 powder be
tween his long idle teeth. He slept
Rwoke I'm the dnrkn % anothe
night and slept again 10 nnFher sun.
He noted with surprise that re FIR
crackled with fresh fuel and',hat
blackened coffeepot steamed ON In
edge OF the coals Beside the fire
within arms length. sat shorty. smok
ing brown paper cigarette and intent
ly watching him Smokes lips moved
but a throat paralysis seemed to com
upon him. while his chest was SUI
fused with the menace Of tears. IL
reached out his hand for the cigarette
and drew the smoke deep into hi
lungs again and again.
IT have not smoked for long time,
he said Mt last In low, calm voice
For a very lonr time"