Klondike Nuggets | Page 4

been free to carry out their wishes, their sons would
have been loaded down with baggage upon leaving San Francisco.
There are so many things which seem indispensable, when an
affectionate mother is considering the comfort of her only son, that she

is sure to overwhelm him. At first the mothers insisted upon each being
furnished with a large trunk, which would have to be crowded to
bursting to contain what was needed, but Jeff put his foot down.
"Nothin' of the kind. Didn't I tell you that we'll git all that's needed at
Juneau or Dyea or some point on the road? You've forgot that."
"But, Jeff, there are some articles which they must take with them."
The old miner lit his pipe, sat down in the rocking-chair at the Palmer
home, where the mothers had met while the boys and Mr. Palmer were
down-town making a few forgotten purchases. The old fellow chuckled
a little and then became serious.
"In the fust place, not a trunk!" and he shook his head decisively.
"Do you expect them to take what they want in their pockets?"
"Umph! it would be the sensiblest thing they could do, but we can't be
bothered with any trunks, that would be sure to be lost in the first
shuffle. Each of us will have a good, big, strong carpet-bag, and
nothing more. You can cram them as full as you choose, but what you
can't git in has got to be left at home."
There could be no mistake as to Jeff's earnestness, and neither mother
attempted to gainsay his words.
"Now," said he, "jest lay out on the floor what you have in your mind
that the youngsters need, and I'll tell you what they do need."
"You mustn't forget," observed Mrs. Palmer, as she started to comply,
"that the boys are now down-town buying some things which they
positively cannot get along without."
"As, for instance, what?"
"Well, tooth-brushes, soap, combs, courtplaster, handkerchiefs, buttons,
thread, quinine, and pain-killer."

"Is that all?" asked Jeff so quizzically that both ladies laughed.
"You have forgotten," added Mrs. Mansley, "the shirts, underclothing,
socks, and shoes."
"They are here," replied Mrs. Palmer, stepping briskly into the next
room and returning with her arms full.
"I've got to lay down the law," observed Jeff, just as Mr. Palmer and the
two boys came in, glowing with excitement. "Here are the young men,
and they look as if they had bought out half the town. Dump everything
on the floor, and let's sort 'em out."
When the pile was complete the miner gravely remarked:
"Nothing less than a freight-car will answer for all that stuff, and I don't
b'lieve we can charter one through to Dawson. In the first place, I
s'pose the tooth-brushes will have to go, though I never found any use
for such things, and I can crack a bull hickory-nut with my teeth. The
same may be obsarved of the soap and combs, while a roll of court
plaster don't take up much room. We'll be likely to need thread, buttons,
and some patches for our clothes, though I've got a supply in my
carpetbag. The quinine and pain-killer they may take if you can find a
corner to squeeze 'em in. As to the underclothing, extra shirts, it
depends whether there is room for 'em; but the boys mustn't think of
taking their dress suits along, 'cause I'm not going to. There ain't any
room for violins, pianos, or music-boxes, and the only clothing and
shoes that can go with this party is what we wear on our bodies and
feet."
"Suppose the shoes wear out?" asked Mrs. Mansley in dismay.
"Then we'll go barefoot. Now, see here, we shan't be away more than
three months. A pair of well-made shoes will last longer than that, and
the same is true about our clothes, though we have the means of
mending them, if modesty calls for it, which ain't likely to be the case
in the diggings. Caps, coats, vests, trousers, and shoes are to sarve from
the day we start till we come back. If one of the boys casts a shoe and

loses it, we'll find some way of getting him another. What's this?"
suddenly asked Jeff, picking up a small volume from the floor and
opening it.
He looked at the fly-leaf, on which was written: "To my dear boy
Roswell, from his affectionate mother. Read a portion every day, and
be guided in your thoughts, words, and deeds by its blessed precepts.
Then it shall always be well with thee."
There were two of the small Bibles, the other being similarly inscribed
with the name of Frank Mansley. The boys and their parents were
standing around the seated miner, and no one spoke.