Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-12-23
Uncle
Slizzers"

BY Perry Prescott Reigelmon
On the Peoples Popular Monthly. J

N"V"h; uAOPpou O4A tHt sldSc
that ambled up the forsaken canon and
ended its weekly journey at the mining
camp of Pipestem, the inhabitants of
that rough community wondered what
turn of luck had sent him to dwell there.
But Big Silver John kept his
own counsel and the people won
.dered in vain. He knew there
were rumors afloat that purport-
ed to explain his presence and his
silence--rumors of certain safe -blowings
of an escapade in Texas that made the
country too hot for him, and even hints
of his conection with the disappearance
of several mailsacks from the California
Limited in the neighborhood of Cow
Creek canon. These opinions were neT,
er openly voiced-no one dared-and
the mystery of his coming was fruitful
of conjecture and story.
1t was by virtue of his great strength,
his vicious punch, and his taciturnity
that he took prominent place in the
life OF the camp and ruled the turbulent
element with rod of iron.
There were times, however, when he
would go out into the hills for DAYS and
roam among the crags and peaks, as if
III communion with supernatural be-
ing. 1t was even whispered by the su-
perstitious miners that he was a terrible
Loup Garu, ready to fasten his fangs in
to the throat of anyone seeking to fol
low him to his liar. And when lie came
back, he would be more silent than usu-
al kyh laa
ry, yearning light in his eyes. When
he was in such a mood his voice became
gentle, and contained deep note that
hinted of pain, of an unsuccessful strug
gle to conquer a memory that was too
sacred fer profane eyes.
1t was after such trip into the
mountains that Big Silver John sat am
ong a crowd of idlers on the hotel plat
form one burning hot day in August.
The sun bazed over the little camp,
shriveling everything into cinders; and
the high, barren canon walls, swhich
/ rose almost from the wheel-tracks Of
the road that stretched like faded rib
bon through the sage brush and -alkaH,
reflected the heat until it rose in suffo-
eating, sultry waves. There was an at
mosphere of expectancy and the men
gathered on the hotel platform Jagged
in their desultory conversation about
the stamp mill up the trail or the rela-
tive values Of different ores. Then
there was an exclamation, the expectant
state was resolved into certainty, and
down the canon, in cloud of dust, the
weekly stage made its appearance.
| Sweating and flecked with foam. the
| four buckskin ponies reared on their
launches and the stage came to a grind
ling halt. The driver flung his lines to
a hostler, the mailsack to the postmas,
| ter, and alighted on the hotel platform
amid shower of How 'dy $" from
the crowd. Then he opened the door Of
the old-fashiened coach, a relic Of the
picturesque days, before the railroad
and helped his lone passenger, girl Of
about dozen summers, to alight
There was a gasp of surprise from
the men, uncouth and shaggy as they
were, with their uniempt hair, bristley
boards, and dirty blue overalls. She
stood bewildered, vision in white from
her shoes to her jaunty cap, except he
hair, which fell in tangled yellow mas
which raflerted tha hlno of slios fa,
away
Bic Silver .Tohn was aropsed from HI
mnsinos hv tba annarition in ,h;ta IT,
watched ber as sba aa4ed ~ +ba c;rai,
Of rough fierce.looEine miners.. unti
her eves Zen on binsalf She oona :,
him confidently and tha ruler If tb,
camn smiled for +be first fine N tnro,
wears
TfHelIo Httle STRANGER ,, said Ria 81;
yer his yoicp tnnder srd sof+ ~ "a
man i GlWbo are vmq,, y"
UtI,m Molly sir ana T,ve come +,
live with nv uucle J, nxnlainea Iha
gjrl,
uWell Mollv Won II have "a tell u,
inst who i YOUR uncle.,'
tsWbv Irncio Tim of conree ;,
The mon EXCHANGED wondarina glance,
| os +hare wore at Ieae+ do1an f;ms !,
tba camn :
seWbat was bis otbe. namcs,, ri.
silver further interrooated
% Iimnv Robin PoyIes J, re1l;a9
Jollv omietlv
B;a Silver cave tho mon about hin,