Douglas Island news., 1918-09-27
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Wednesday of this wccS being tho most stormy and unpleasant day thc Stroller ever romcbcrs Of shuddering through since he landed on Che Douglas beach. he disguised himself by douuing a Mother Hubbard dress. sirappiug a papoosc to his back and turning his toes iu. and paid a yisit Go bis old friend. that moth-caten and dcarcpid Indian who resides abou. midway between the fish cam ucry ou thc north and Che 800 mill on thc south.
 Ou his arrival the Stroller found Che object ol his visit miugliug with a number ol dogs In thc corner ot his wigwam in an cdort Co keep warm while his almost equally aged and decrcpid squaw known os Side Wheel Annie. was worming salmon and hanging them on a pole near Che roof og Che wiEwam Co dry.
 While age has dimmcd Che hre or rbr. old mans eye. he can see an ankle if it protrudcs from beneath n skirt hence Che objct ot Che Stroll lcrs disguise.
 .Ktac hu Ia ic tica Ei ul' (Did you ever see such fierce weather in an Che days ot your pilgrimage thru tbis yaIc of tcars). said che Stroller after standing che board Co which Che pappoosc was strapped iu a cor ucr where che dripping salmon would not lcok on it
 Tho old man replied in his tribal tongue. which Che Stroller under stands iu detail as follows:
 "This Is but one ot many fierce days chat will bc visited upon this country during tEc coming six months. and those of us who have not conserved our means win suffer between now and che time Che pussy willows purr next spring and cro- eusas begin Co croak.
 .Thc uu and winter of lS26, when ! was m che sap-risiug period of young buckdom. was ushcrcd iu with just such day as this. The reason ! remember it 80 well was trlf rink-oycd Kate and myself had arranged Go visit thc south side Of Mount Jumbo chat day. ostcnsibly GO
 gather blue berries. but In reality 10 get away from che balance of the tribe and be where we could hold hands and gaze into Che depths of each others eyes with nothing Co modest and hinder Che progress of young loves dream
 0Here Che Sidc-Whcel party dropped che dsh in Che dust that covered thc floor of Che wigwaml
 Continuing. che old man said. af- Ger slyIy wiukiug at Che Stroller while his squaw was recovering Che Ash and wipiue Che dust from it on her much used -ior- wip.ug purposes dress. "Thc driving rain Of Che day of which ! speak penetrated trees and soaked thc Pink-Eycd one until she bad a floating kidney She died Tive months later of what is known as vafcrlog,us and for many moons thereafter ! mopcd around like a homeless kitten"
 UEerplunk' The stiffness that followed Che last stattment ot the old man was broken by Che dropping O. another Gsb which. instead ot be- me picked up and wiped free ot dust was Kicked over In corner among che dogs with % muttcred clacu'o- uou that had a sulphuric souudl
 "Four suowc later. and after lItuc birds were again warbliug their mcrr, lays u my heart which had healed of its sears and sears. thcre was another equiuoctiol gale chat vas Che forcruuncr ot a fall and winter that brought my people up with a short turn. Ten moons before had signed a birchbark agreement with Calamity Jane. and a sQuawl- ue plppoose had made our wigwam its homcport. ! called it Calamity No. g. Howl! When that native daughter squared away for her nightly manifestation of lung power. thc dogs ol Che village made for Che huI5 OF Che other side Of the chan rcI
 When that storm was over two fresh mounds might have been seen gn my burial plot. the smaller of ghlch bore Che motto. "AsIeep at Last"
 The following ten years found me mostly on thc warpath. not that ] was blood-thirsty by nature. but that had a sort Of constitutional grouch and was endeavoring to get that something out of my system. It wus in Che fan of lS4O ,hat ! foll for Che blandishments Of the side wheeler whom have since supported and --"
 'lk caca a Ia nac guk tic Ri hel gu to ok. mak tired CWhy, you old hulk of suu-crackod mud, had ] de- pended on you for support would