The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-07-25

At"ttF+-H%+
nmped. muscles cramped and frost.
numhed. into the little undertaking
shop at Toilifer and deposited his
tiny burden. sfedaine Robsnstta had
remained behind Tn the rough care
Of tho snow crews. while he. revived
b. steamfng coffee and hot food. had
beer brought down on smaller
snowpiow. running constantly. and
without extra power. between Toll.
fer and s.the front" that tho lines Of
communication be kept open.
~Namelesz." he said with an effort.
when tho lengthy details OF ccrtifica.
ticn were asked. THE mother
ana Z necessary lic came 10 his lips
became unconscious before she
could tell me anything except that
the baby had been baptized and
called Helena. She wanted a priest. =
I'm look after a. There's cloth
ingT'
~Yes. In tho pack. But wait
where does the Father iiveY"
The man pointed the way. Hous.
ton went onto q repetition q his
story and rsifiiimsnt Of hts duties.
Then. from far up the mountain side,
there came tho churning. grinding
sound oe the snowplow. and he hur-
r1od toward the station house 70 greet
r. There on = sprr. I'm thu faint
G1ow o. an electric light. = short
tram vs. sidstracksd engfnelesa.
waiting uuftl the Tina should onrns
when the road again would b. cpen.
on1 the way over tbs rass frea. One
glance told hfn what u wnss the tar
paulln-covered. snow -shielded. bulky
foruas Of his machtnery---maehinery
that he now felt he could personally
ala 20 iss destination Fer there was
work ahead. Midnight found him In
. shack buried IN snow ana reached
only q circultous tunnel. a shack
where men--no longer Americans.
but black smeared. rcd-cyed. dodder.
Ing. stumbling human machines
came and went. their ffost-coafed
Markinaws sseaming ~ they clus.
tered about the red hot stovc.\ their
faces smudged with engine grease to
form q coating against the singing
hlast Of the ice-ladcn wind. their
cheeks raw and bleeding. their mouths
swollen orifices which parted only
for mumblings. vikings OF another
age. the fighters OF the Ice gangs. Of
which Houston had become a part
The floor was their bed: silently.
>epeaking only for the purpose Of
curses. they gulpcd the food that was
passed out 10 them. taking the steam
ing coffee0traight down IN spite OF
rs burning clutch nj tender mem
branes. craving and tearing NJ theft
meal like beasts ut the kilf then.
stfil wadfed tn their clothing. sinking
20 the fIoor--and to sleep. The air
was rancid with the odor OF wet,
steaminx clothing. Men crawied over
one another. then dropped 70 the first
open spot. TO founder there mo
ment. then roar in snoring sleep
Against the wall bearded giant hsif
ieaned. half lay. one tooth touchins
the ragged lips and breaking the
fIln,y akin. while the blood dripped
slow drop after slow drop. upon his
black. touslcd beard. But he did not
wake.
OF them all. only Houston, tired
even a. they wers tired. yet with
something that they had forgotten. a
brain. remained open-eyed. What
had become of Mcdaniel Had she
recovered7 Had she too gone 70
ToIllfer. perhaps on n later trip Of
TIE piow7 Tho thoughts ran thru
his head Ike the repetition OF some
weird refrain. He sought sleep IN
vain. From far away came tbs
whistles OF locomotives. answering
the signals Of the snowpiows ahead
! Outside some one shouted. as tho