The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-02-02

But worse than his comrades Pain was
the dumb anguish in the woman face, |
the blended look of hopeful, hopeless !
query. Little was said. Those of the |
northiand are early taught the futluty
OF words and the inCStimable value OF
deeds. With the temperature at %
below zero a man cannot lie many min
utcs in the snow and live. so the sled
hastings were cut and the sufferer,
rolled in furs, laid on couch OF
boughs. Before him roarod i fire,
built Of the very wood which wrought
the mishap. Behind and partially over
him was stretched the primitive fly
a piece of canvas which caught the
radiating heat and threw it back and
down upon him, a trick which men
NAV know who study physics at the
fount.
And men who have shared their bed
with death know when the call IS
sounded. Mason was terribly crushed.
The most cursory examination reveal
ed it. His right arm, leg and back
were broken, his limbs were paraiyzed
from the hips, and the likelihood OF
internal injuries was large. An occa-
| sional moan was his only sign of life.
No hope. Nothing to be done. The
pitiless night crept slowly by, Ruth
portion the despairing stoicism of her
race, and Malemute Kid adding new
| lines to his face Of bronze. In fact,
Mason suffered least of all, for he
spent his time in eastern Tennessee,
in the Great Smoky mountains, living
over the scenes of his childhood. And
most pathetic was the melody of his
long forgotten southern yernaCular as
he raved Of swimming holes and coon
hunts and watermelon raids. 1t was
as Greek to Ruth, but the kid UNDER
stood and felt-felt as only one can
feel who has been shut out for years
from all that civilization means.
Morning brought consciousness to
the stricken man. and Malemute hld
bent closer to catch his whispers.
"You remember when we foregath.
cred on the Tanana, four years come
next ice run: | didn't care so much
for her then. 1t was more like she
was pretty. and there was a smack
Of excitement about it, / think. BUT
| Il We know, I've come to think a heaI
of Ter. She's been good VI ife to me
ALWAYS at NV shoulder III the plncn
And when it comes to trading yot
know there isn't her equal. ID We rec
ollect the time she shot the Moosehori
rapids to pull you and me off tina
rock. the bullets whipping the water
| like hailstones, and the time OF the
: famine at Nuklukyeto, or when sn'
, raced the ice run to bring the news
Yes she's been a good wife to me
: bettern that other one. Didn't know
I'd been there? Never told you, Ell
! Well, | tried it once down III TIT
| States. That's why I'm here. Beer
: raised together too. L came away q
! give her a chance for divorce. Sh
4 got it.
o But that's got nothing to do wit
g Ruth. | had thought Of cleaning u
r and pulling for the Outside next veal
! her and but it's too late. Don't sen
> her back to her people, Kid. Its beast
!. " hard for woman to 60 baci
q Think of it-nearly four years on on
. bacon and beans 3nd -four and drie
b fruit. and then to 80 back to her ifs
and cariboo. It's not good for her
. have tried our ways, TO come to kno'
they're better'n her peoples, and the
. return to them. Take care Of her, Hi
=. Why don't you-but no; You alWay