KLONDIKE AS IT IS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 22

KLONDIKE AS IT IS.

•By Our Wakatipo Correspondent.) IX. Some Social Aspects of tue Place. • ' murdered on j3eavkr river.

Tracy Lamartine, of Camp Waits, on the Beaver River, report* that on June 15 Hendrick Toeley was murdered by his partner, B. Sands, as the result of a quarrel over a claim. They outfitted at Dawson City, and both were well known here. Sands is still at Urge. — Klondyke «Newa.

HE WANTED TO FIGHT.

• M. M. Caldwell si Id one-half of his interest in 27 Bonanza lest week for 4000dol, and repaired. at once to Beeke and Wilsou's dancehall and prepared to have a good time. In some manner he got into a row with a Canadian ■ there, and when they separated them Caldwell -had eight knife wounds upon his person. • 'William Older tewed him up with a darning needle. Coldwell will leave on the Healey for Nebraska, if he lives.— Klondyka News. THE LADIE3 ARE IN IT. — MADE HER HIS MANAGER.

Albert Grey, a ' bookish lad, who has been knocking about Alaska for two years, and who came at the right, time to Dawsoß, became infatuaUd nob long since with a dance-girl at' the Palace , and deeded a onerhalf interest in one of his mines to her. ' Hearing that his father was on his way to Klondyke, young Grey conceived the idea of avoiding explanations by making ' the girl his manager and leaving the place for a month or two. The father, Orrin Grey, of Centralia, Wis., arrived early in July and found no son. He left on the Alice. On Monday* young Grey returned. The girl refused to deed back the property, claiming that he was paid his price. Grey appealed to the Miners' Committee, but it refused to interfere, on the ground , - that it served him right foe treating his father as he did. — Klondyke News. THEY WANTED TO START A SANATORIUM AND A MARRIAGE BUREAU. As might be supposed, returning miners from the field are besieged by many inquirers as to the chances of success on the ftald. Upop the arrival of tho last steamer for the season at Seattle there appeared at the Grand Hotel two well-dressed, middleaged ladies of genteel manner. The elder of the two, staid and sadate, with gold-rimuied spectacles, and who appeared to be the general of the party, ordered anything in the line of a ■ Klondyke miner. The ag«nfa of the hotel, going in search for the article, c»me upon a simple, stalwart Bonanza man, no longer young, but of a gocdtie&ring nature, and indited him 'with his mission. . < A pleasant intelligent grin showed that the Bonacza man's heart bad not been frosted, and th&t two or three years of pork and beans had not spoiled bis good looks. He knocked the ashes out of his pipe and prepared to face the ■itufttion. " You have been up to this gold-p<acer, have yon, sir ? I have a few questions I would like to ask," announced the lady, and the miner graciously reported his servitude. "All the young folks of our town have the gold fever, and we would like to know if there .'was anything else than mining to do — that is, something that would pay." "Well, mam, there ian't much business up (here but saloon-keeping, and your son " "I have no gon, no husband — uever had either," said . the lady with clear distinctness. •• We have read all about it in the papers, and I would like to know if it was all true. I would like to converse with a man who bad been there tnd could tell me and whom I could trust, and you look like an honest, truth loving man." The miner's heart began to pump a full sluicebead of blood to his face. He bowed a graceful nod and said : " Well, mare, I rausb say I've seen nothing ovtr-rated in the papers." " There is plenty of gold there, then ? I suppose you made your pilo ?" " Well, madam, I drifted ont what will keep me as a gentleman all my life. It is true I've dona right well." The lady's eyes reminded the miner of the sunshine on the ice at Klcndyke as she said : •'I'm real glad to hear it, for you seem a man that deserves it." Another stroke of ,the pump iv the miner's breast and a bow that was an innovation on the first. " " Well, now, are there any nice women' up there, and families ? " "A* kind and nice women as you can find anywhere. But , they are mostly Indians. They'll share their blubber and pipe with anyone." Tho lady looked as if she was not much at conundrums. "I «ksd thafci SOU ttt, bscjHtie-y-b.QOftuse

we might go ourselves. Is that not so, Maria P ' and Maria nodded. "We do not know yet, bub we might," continued the lady. " Would you advise me to go ? Now, I'm a doctor, and a good one," she added, and plumped in the revelatioa.

"Well, madam, if you were 25 or 30 or a younger woman and well prepared you might do."

11 Now how do you think I would do with a sanatorium up there and Maria starting a marriage bureau ? Cosjldn't we find services to perform for the miners ? I am not a straightlaced gumebavfer. I believe in the divinity of men, and am for reforms aud things the miners ■wonld like."

"You could find much to do among3fc tLe miners," came the testimony. " Of course I would expect to be paid for ifc. We want to be independent in the world and do good a 1 } the same time. Whit else w.s it that wej/rerc wanting to know, Maria ? Oh, yes : how i» tho food really up there ? Of courre we Wvuld expect to rough, it. I have bean to the Vancouver gold-placers, and once treated a miner for too mifch pork and bt ans "

" Did he recover ? " queried the miner.

" I have the satisfaction, sir," said the lad}', straightening up l<ke a fence post without a knot orTtwist, "to inform you'that'l s'uccee<?ed ( iv rettjring him t? perfect; health and vigour." The miner became interested. The lady did not seem to notice it, and continued :

" But that is neither here nor there, What do jou think of the " sanatorium and the marriage bureau ? "

" Well, madat», if the bureau be well conducted you would be married before you were five minutes in the market. But couldn't you — I mean wouldn't you — that is to say, mightu'b you — marry a Klondyke miner without going there?"

" Well," coincided the lady, ," I don't know what I might do if he were to ask me."

That afternoon there was a marriage al the Grand Ho'el, and Maria was the disconsolate bridesmaid.

Another lady came to the Grand, seeking Klondyke wisdom and consolation. She came to canvas the problem whether or nob to send up her husband to Klondyke " Wtll, madam, if you had produced the man I should ba better able to advise ! " said the miner she interviewed.

" Oh, my Ike isallright, ami he's tough,"' she testified. "He can do mast anything." When she left it was an even gamble that Ike should be started.