THE VAMPING OF PEDRO
By George T* Masury.
' The end of the government dock at Chilkoot Barracks, Alaska, was the
scene of bustle and hurry, the booms from the "Admiral Rodgers” creaked and
groaned while the winches clattered and rattled as the coal was unloaded in
to the waiting wagons to be hauled to the barracks and officers’ quarters for
of the orchestra were waft6d forth upon the evening air* moon, luminous
and large, which had risen above Hit* Villard, to cast a golden pathway across
the Lynn Canal, bosimed down uoon the scene, thus bringing into view Pedro as
he sauntered along the dock by the side cf one of the’Admiral Rodgers’”fair
passengers* They had been speaking cf Alaska, .its beautiful scenery and the
pleasure of the trip which the fair passenger had had* The maiden by Pedro's
side, no doubt under the snell of the moon, had just asked Pedro, with a side
ways glance from her shadowed eyes, if he had a sweetheart in -Alaska to keep
trio 11 phis s h own
rard the Post dance
dors., the strains
him from being lonesome*
"I did have," murmered Pedro, "But she dried last year."
”0 you poor boy*1' exclaimed the maiden* "Tell me about it*"
"Well,,1 said Pedro, "Let's sit here," pointing to a pile of timber
on the edge of the beach near the dock, "And, though xt grnaves me, 1*11
tell you about it*"
As they seated themselves, their figures blended into one shadow, pro
bably caused by the darkness of the nigut»
"Well," continued Pedro with a sorrowful voice,at the same time slip*
ping his arm around the maiden’s waist* "She died in bed. it happened about
nine o'clock on a cold winter's morning. The snow had been falling heavily,
the north wind was howling down the Lynn Canal from Skagway, its edges sharp-*
ened by its trip from the Arctic. I had plowed my yay through the storm and
nsnow to her home. I knocked on the door* No answer* Again I knocked”--loud
er. The only answer I received was the howling of the storm*. A strange fear
gripped me*. I opened the door and entered* The living room was empty,but
the door of her bed room was open and through ic came a sweet:, sickly smelli
— I approached -*•- looked in her room —- and there she was dying on
her bed*. "
"Oh, how dreadful'." exclaimed the maiden, as she snuggled Kias?.f:.cx
shiveringly closer to Pedro* "Did you call a doctor?"
"No, why should I call a doctor;" asAsd. Pedro.
"It was too late then? She was dead?" quorr.ied the maidenc
"No, she wasn't deacu She was dyeing there, sitting on the bed, and
as I arlways liked blondes and as she was dyeing her hair brown, 1 quit her,"
xxxd explained Pedro.
Slowly the maiden disengaged Vijss arm, arose and with a scornful look
toward Pedro, turned her steps toward the boat, followed by the lowr laughter
of Pedro, the ha ppy~go-» lucky*
DONALD STICKNEY BADLY GASSED.IN MINE ACCIDENT:
Donald Stickney, formerly a private in Company E, was badly gassed
in the recent accident at the Alaska Juneau Mine,, when some seventy-five
meii were more or less affected by the fumes cf dynamite, according to Mr.
Jaek Sutherland, now visiting here. He states chac Cantrell and St. George,
both formerly in the military service hers, were also gassed, but not so
seriously *