The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-10-23

strong, regular teeth.
mo much Angleesh," he remarked.
We clambored down and shook
hands. This seemed to assure him of
our friendly intentions, and when we
managed to make it clear that we
wanted to visit his house he led us TO
it without hesitation.
1t was merely a cave dug out of the
side of the gully. The front was
roughly built up with stones and sods,
and a crude door, made of pieces of
packing boxes, afforded admittance.
The only light was from an opening
in the door, which could be closed
when the weather was too severe.
Sneezit went first and addressed
some words in Russian into the gloom
We followed, encountering in the door
the fumes of the places bad ventila-
ton. 1t was some time before our eyes
| became accustomed to the darkness,
but presently we discerned a woman
| STOPPING, indicating long bench
which had been set for US. Across the
cave was a drove of children, their
eyes peering and shining like those of
wild animals. Indeed it seemed that
| eyes were the most noticeable thing
in that very humble little home. Pre-
, Sumably there were mouths as well
no doubt Sneezit and his wife had
reason to know that there were mouths
as well as eyes.
AS soon after our return from har-
vesting as our duties permitted it we
paid another visit to Mrs. Alton. Sandy
saw us afar off and swept down upon
us like tornado. Apparently he had
known us at the first glimpse, or the
first sniff, whichever was his source of
information, for there was no ques-
ton this time about our welcome. His
barking and tail-wagging accompanied
us all the remainder of the way to the
little box that Mrs. Alton called home
The widow had had time to dress
since we hove in view-that is one OF
the advantages of prairie life not set
out in the immigration booklets-and it
was dainty and spick-and-span Mrs
Alton that greeted us when our wagon
numbered up to her door.
81 said It's our friends from Four
teen and Twenty-two'-you see how l
am picking up your prairie way of
numbering your farms instead of nam
ing them-I said, It's our friends from
Fourteen and Twenty-Five as soon as
l heard Sandy's arst bark. That was
before you were in sight, so far as my
poor eyes could see. But Jerry, who
was up in the wagon playing teamster,
cried, L see dem, Mudder; Oxes and
NTH Lane He's crazy about Miss
Lane"
Jerry is young man of discrim-
| nation" l said, scoring for once. But
my wit was lost in the wild and pant
ing hug which Jean was bestowing
| upon my rival.
$50 he's Jerry now" said Jean, re-
leasing her embrace enough for speech.
THAT sounds like getting down to
| earth. Ever so much more chummy
than Gerald"
do you think sop Mrs. Alton
queried. "And / vowed that, what
| ever came, l never would call him
| Jerry. Too reminiscent of Jeremiah,
| and lamentations, and all that sort of
thing that wanted to get away from"
Mrs. Alton stopped short as though she
| had said more than she intended then
| brightly took up the thread again.
Il vowed l would leave my lamenta-
tons behind" she continued. 81 take
| it that this is country where there
is room for everything but regrets"
1t was evident that Mrs. Atoms be-
reavement was filling a good part of
her mind, so Jean deftly switched the
conversation back to the boy, and
presently was conducting a foot-race
| to the chicken shed with herself,
Jerry and Sandy as the competitors
Sandy won.
We had tea, of course, and after
| Jerry had gone to bed and Sandy had
Jain down with his chops on the floor
between his paws and his tail thump-
| ing the boards occasionally in appro-
baton Jack got out our much-worn
| deck of cards and we initiated Mrs
| Alton into the mysteries of pedro
| With a beginners luck she and Jack
were much too successful for Jean
| and me, and when it was time for us
| to 60 we insisted that she must visit
| Fourteen some night soon and give us
| q chance to return the drubbing
81 should SO like to, but l can't
| leave Jerry" Mrs. Alton explained.
| But Jerry must come, too," we
countered. Jerry and Sandy, and, if
necessary, the COW and the chickens.
Now you simply must, or some night
we will come over and kidnap you by
force" But Mrs. Alton would give
us no definite answer.
There was no such hesitation at
| Jake's. Jake met us in the yard, hat
less, coatless, vestless, although the
temperature was flirting with the
freezing point.
pose you've come to condole with me
in my affiiction?'
"What aff1iction?" we inquired, half
misled by Jake's manner, for he was
an expert in stimulation.
"She's inside-an' in possession.
| It's fortunate fer me this country runs
so much to outside, fer that's all I've
any claim on"
But by this time Jake's wife APP
peared in the door, Come on in,
| girls" she cried, land never mind that
blatherskite. He goes around half
dressed, keeping himself warm think
ing up nonsense. I tell hip some day
he'll freeze his hair, and that's his