The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-03-15

the question Of diet ana II using his
resources to the best advantage. He
had nothing else to do and his alert
mind seized upon the situation and
brought it down. to a fine system.
For instance, he did not open can
OF fruit until the prunes were gone.
Then he emptied a can of tomatoes into
the bowl as a safeguard against pto-
maine poisoning from the tin, and set
the empty can on the floor. During the
warm part Of each day he slid open the
window by his bunk and lay with the
fresh air tanning his face and lifting
the hair from his aching temples.
He tried to eat regularly and to make
the fruit Sz,ce save his water supply.
Sometimes he chewed jerked venison
| from the bag over his head, but not very
often; the salt In the meat made him
drink too much. On the whole, his
diet was healthful and in a measure
satisfying. He did not suffer from the
want of any real necessity, at any rate.
He had his few books within reach.
He read a good deal to keep from think
ing too much, and he tried to meet the
days with philosophic calm. He might
! easily be great deal worse off than
, he was, he frequently reminded him
self.
But he was lonesome-so lonesome
that there were times when life looked
absolutely worthless; when the blue dev.
lis made him their plaything and he
saw Billy Louise looking sc0rnfully
upon him and loving some other mai
better: when he saw his name black
ened by the suspicion that he was s
stler-preying upon his neighbors
cattle; when he saw Buck Olney laugh
ing in derision Of his mercy and fixins
fresh evidence against him to confount
him utterly.
He had all those moods, and they lef
I their own lines upon his face. But h
I had one thing to hearten him, and tina
/ was the steady progress Of his broker
/ leg toward recovery. A long, tediou
! process it was OF necessity, but a
| nearly as he could judge the bone wa
| knitting together and would be straigh
4 and strong again If he did not try t
! hurry it too much. He tried to kee
count OF the weeks as they passed
l When the days slid behind him unit
he feared he could not remember he Gu
I a little notch on the window sill eac
| morning with Bucks knife, with ever
i seventh day longer and deeper note
than the others to mark the weeks. Th
first three days had been SO hazy ths
he thought them only two and marke
J them SO, but that put him only one da
out of his reckoning.
He lay there and saw snow slitht
pt past his window, driven by whoopin
m wind. 1t worried him to know that h
ne calves were unsheltered and unfe
b. while his long stack Of hay stood u
n, touched--unless the cattle broke dow
e- his fence and reached it. He hope
they would, but he was a thoroul
up workman, and in his heart he kne
ok that fence would stand.
Sc He saw cold rains and sleet. TIL
ID there were days when he shivered u
ed der his blankets and would have Civ
at much for a cup Of hot coffee; da
,es when the water froze in the pals
ed side the bed-what little water W
ars left-and he Clipped off pieces OF
He and sucked them to Quench his thir
vas Days when the tomatoes and peacl
les were frozen in the cans so that
chcwed jerked venison and ate crack
Mt rather than chill his stomach with
as icy stuff.
yas Day by day the little notches and
in longer ones reached farther and fartl
he along the window sill until Ward
gan to foresee the time when he m,
he start new row. Day by day
he cheek bones grew more clearly defn
m his eyes bigger and more wistful. d
Ted by day his knuckles stood up SHARP
Of when he closed his hands, and day
les day nature worked upon his hurt, KIN
ose ting the bones together.