"In the great Gold Rush, Alaska was the hugo and hraam of man, thu rothlass siras of thu Far North, beckoning thousands to her icy bosom." "Beckoning thousands to her unknown regions." "Chilkoot Pass was the great barrier to the gold fields." "Over this Pass men faced untold misery and hardship." "Many lost their lives." "Some fell by the wayside, others lost courage and turned back." "But the brave went on." "Far into the icy north deep into the silent nowhere came an undaunted lone prospector." "And somewhere in that nowhere was another lone prospector." "With cheerful optimism our little Columbus descended, then stopped, stepped, slipped and slid." ""Nowlet mesee," thought the little fellow." ""BeforeI know where I am, I must getthere." There in that frozen wilderness a dream came true, and a lone voice shrieked into the solemn sky," ""Eureka!" "Ive found it, a mountain ofgold!"" "But the elements laughed, roared and thundered." "In that raging nowhere was a lone cabin, and another lone man, Black Larson, an unmitigated, predatory scoundrel." "Out of the lashing storm came the Little Fellow to find shelter and perhaps a little hospitality." "There he sat, resting his weary bones as the icy wind howled through the knothole." ""Comehere,"said Larson." ""Whatare youdoing?"" ""Eating,obviously."" ""Getout."" ""Getout!"" ""Getout!"" ""Getout!"" ""Goon!" "Getout!"" ""Getout!"" "The wind also was giving Big Jim his troubles." "Big Jim was the noble type." "He had suffered." "Oh, how he loved to suffer." "He suffered about everything." ""Getout,"said Black Larson." ""OrI"llfill you both full oflead."" ""Nowthen, the pair of you, getout!"" ""Out!"" "That kind of noise Jim dont tolerate." "Ill stay right here, understand?" ""Righthere,"said Big Jim." ""Yes,sir, hell stay righthere," said the Little Fellow." ""Understand?" "We stay righthere."" "And stay they did, for days and nights." "The cabin moaned and groaned." "Two men walked and never talked, hunger gnawed their bones." ""Imust havefood!"yelled Big Jim." ""Imust havefood!"" ""Whatare youeating?" said Black Larson." ""Nothing."" ""Openyourmouth!"" ""Liar!" "It"sthat candle." ""That?"said the Little Fellow. "Howrevolting."" ""IfI thought you were holding out on me, 1d slit yourgizzard!"" "One of us must brave that storm, if were to getfood."" ""Comehere, the pair ofyou."" ""Wellcut the cards and the low mangoes."" ""Youretheman,"said Jim." ""Goodbye,goodluck."" ""Don"tforget to bring home thebacon."" "Somewhere in that nowhere, the law was looking for Black Larson." "Desperate with hunger and here it was Thanksgiving Day." "Nevertheless there was something to be thankful for." ""Notquite done yet, give it two moreminutes."" ""Comeon, comeon,"said Big Jim." "After scouring the country for food, the Little Fellow had to admit he had seen nothing, not even a field mouse." "From the pangs of hunger," "Big Jim was becoming delirious, hysterical." "In fact he was a pain in the neck." ""Food,food!"he thundered." ""Ican put another shoe in thepot."" ""No,no, anything butthat!"" "Poor Jim, he couldnt take it." "Whats the matter?" "said the Little Fellow." ""Ithought you were achicken."" ""Well,build up thefire," said Big Jim." "Whats the matter with you?" "said the Little Fellow." "Come, my pretty bird, said Big Jim." ""Don"tbechildish."" ""Hey,quit it." "Don"tbe foolish,it"sme!"" ""You!"said Jim." ""I"msorry." "I must becrazy."" "Youre telling me, said the Little Fellow." ""Yougo inside." "Ill take the gun in case you loseit."" "Chicken or no chicken, the Little Fellow looks appetizing to Big Jim." "Meanwhile Black Larson stumbled onto Big Jims mountain of gold." "Then came the parting of the ways," "Big Jim to his mine, our hero to his fate." ""Goodbye,"said the Little Fellow." ""Itsbeen a great pleasure knowingyou."" "Treachery awaited Big Jim at his mountain of gold." "Big Jim looked deep into the eyes of Black Larson and saw there the soul of a skunk." "Caught in a maelstrom of desperate deeds," "Black Larson swept on to impending doom." "And out of a dream in that frozen waste, a city grew." "And humanity warmed it with living, loving and desiring." "Georgia." "Jack was aladies"man." "Georgia was quick and impulsive, proud and independent." "In the evening Georgia worked as a dancehall girl." "Jack had lots of appeal for Georgia." "Perhaps thats why she resented him." "Out of the night came the Little Fellow, towards the dancehall, that beacon light of pleasure, that retreat of lost dreams." ""Georgia, whyaren"tyou nice toJack?"" "I believe he really likesyou," said the girl." ""Helikeseverybody," said Georgia quite audibly." ""1mbored with thisplace," she continued." ""1dgive it all up if I could find someone honest andworthwhile."" ""Don"tworry, I"llfind himsomeday."" "Then she turned and looked and looked and looked." "Kinda fresh, aint ya?" "thought Jack." "Get down off that high horse." "Me and you are gonnadance."" ""Heythere, pan out atune."" ""Justa moment, I said were gonnadance."" ""Ibeg yourpardon,"said Georgia." "To show her utter contempt for Jack, she picked out the most deplorable looking tramp in the dancehall." "Hey you, comehere."" ""Yes,you." "Do you want todance?"" ""Yousee, 1m very particular about whom I dancewith."" "And there he stood, the dauntless cavalier, guarding... her sanctuary." ""Ifyou wanna make a hit with your ladyfriend,"" ""youshould put your hat on straight, likethis!"" ""Takethat you..." "Ouch!"" ""Huh!" "Verygood."" ""Didn"tknow me ownstrength," said the Little Fellow." "Hank Curtis cabin was a stones throw from the dancehall." "Hank was a mining engineer who lived alone and occasionally went on long expeditions into the Far North." "Hank was kind and human, and our hero cold and hungry, and the beans smelled good and the coffee was steaming hot." "So the Little Fellow devised a way of getting breakfast." "Big Jim recovered from the blow he received from Black Larson but lost his memory." "Hanks partner arrives." "Both are ready to leave on a long expedition." "Hank informs his partner that the Little Fellow is to look after the cabin while hes away." ""Goodbye,"said Hank. "Anddont forget to feed themule."" "Since that night in the dancehall the Little Fellow hadnt seen Georgia, but an incident was to bring them together again." "There she stood, her loveliness lighting the room, filling his soul with thu music of romascu for which ho was so ill-f ihfod." "As she introduced her friends, his heart began to sing." "As they warmed up by the stove, he excused himself to get firewood." "And in that cabin his secret was revealed, his love for Georgia." "And the girls giggled and laughed, perhaps in order to hide their pity." "For in the world of the dancehall itwasn"twise for the girls to reveal their hearts." "And so they thought they"dhave a little fun with him." "There in the gloaming they net, their faces alight with mischief, but all the while his heart was singing." "And so she fooled and flirted and stroked his hair." "He knew she was fooling, but he was happy." "For she was near him, holding his hand, smiling at him." ""Niceplace you havehere," said Georgia." ""Ihope you will invite usagain."" "What if she were fooling?" "He was enjoying the warmth of her attention." "And the lady was enjoying the warmth of his chair." "And now she was leaving." "The light of her loveliness would be gone." "And he would be left with an emptiness, to return to his bleak, lonely existence." ""Pardonme," said the Little Fellow," ""But,uh..." He was lost for words." ""Wouldyou really like to comeagain?"" ""Ofcourse,"said Georgia. "Whatdo you say,girls?"" ""Wellcome for dinner New YearsEve,"said the ladies." ""Verywell,"said Georgia." ""Wellcome to dinner New YearsEve."" "Of course at that moment Georgia would forget her gloves!" "For the next few days the Little Fellow hustled and shoveled in order to buy that New Years dinner." "The eve of a new year." "New hopes and new dreams." "And there was Georgia, caressing him with her smiles and tender glances." "And the girls called for a speech." "But he was too happy to speak." "All that mattered was Georgia was there." "Georgia!" "So he muttered and stuttered and finally said," "I cant make a speech but Ill do adance."" "And a dance he did, with the rolls." "Should auld acqoalnhonce be forgot" "And never brought to mind" "Should aeld acqoalntonco be forgot" "And days of auld lang syne" "For auld lang ayae My dear" "For auld lang..." "In the midst of all their revelry the vague memory of a promise crept into Georgias mind." "Lets go up and visit the Little Fellow, she said." ""Wellhave some fun withhim,"said Jack." ""Wellsend Georgia in first, then give him ascare."" ""Oh,forgetit,"said Jack." ""Howabout giving me a littleattention?"" "A day or so later in the Recorders office," "Big Jim tried to convince the assayers that he had a mountain of gold." ""Whereis thisplace?"they said." "But Big Jims memory had failed him." "All he knew was that it was near the cabin." ""Thecabin,that"sit!"" ""ftcould find my way to the cabin I could find Idamiaa."" ""ButIcan"tremember."" ""Hey!"said Jack, "Georgia"sbeen looking foryou."" "The Little Fellow knew otherwise." "How dare that cad mention her name so lightly?" "For two pins hed give him another thrashing." "However being a little underweight he would ignore the insult." "But it was true." "Georgia had been looking for him." "Georgia had written him a letter." "And as he went looking for Georgia, so Big Jim went looking for him." "You,you!"said Big Jim." ""You!" "The very man Ive been lookingfor!"" ""Thecabin, the cabin!" "Where isit?"" ""Answerme, Isay!"" ""Can"tyou speak, man?" "Tellme!"" "Wheres the cabin?" "Where is it?" "At last I shall find my mountain of gold." ""Toyour feet man,quick!"" ""Yourecoming withme!"" ""Takeme to the cabin and III make you a millionaire!" ""Georgia!" "Just amoment," said the Little Fellow." ""Georgia,you dont have to explain." "I understand." "I love you." "Ill take you away from thislife."" ""I"mgoing away, and when Ireturn,"" ""Ishall comeback."" "Exhausted and footweary, they arrived at the cabin." "Ah!" "said Big Jim, it wont be longnow."" ""Bringin the eats and tomorrow well start for the mine." ""Here,take a swig of this." "Itli put hair on yourtopcoat."" ""My,this is a heavy lambchop," said the Little fellow." "Then fate-its always fate- played its little joke, and again the elements laughed, roared and thundered, but through it all our heroes soundly slumbered." "Then came the dawn." "The Little Fellow awoke, blissfully ignorant of what happened the night before, but feeling definitely conscious of"themorningafter"." "Oh well, may as well tidy up and getbreakfast."" ""Thisis the worst liver attack Ive everhad."" ""Feelthatrocking?"" ""It"sthe stomach." ""It"snot the stomach." ""Let"sgo to the otherside."" ""Wellsee how far it will goover."" ""Something must be missingunderneath."" "III go outside and see what itis."" ""Now,"said Big Jim, "dontgetexcited."" ""Takeit easy,don"tmove, don"tbreathe!"" ""Isaiddon"tbreathe,stupid."" ""Youcan be most annoying at times." ""Ifyou"llonly be cool, becalm," said Big Jim," "We have nothing to worryabout."" ""Nowshow a little character!" "Wheres yourwillpower?"" ""Nowlisten," "Ive got a very goodidea."" ""Holdyour hands like this, then I can get outfirst."" ""Yousee what Imean?" said Big Jim." ""Yourmind is chaotic." "You have nopsychology."" ""Youhave nocontrol."" "And Big Jim discovered his claim!" ""Nowwe shall berich,"said Jim." ""Weshall bemillionaires!"" "And so they were." "Now they were homeward bound and they were leaving the hardship and toil of Alaska to live in the land of milk and honey." "To live, laugh and indulge themselves in the lap of luxury." "They were famous, and sought after by the press." "In their cabin deluxe they were welcomed and waited upon." "The reporter wanted to write the Little Fellows life story," ""FromRags toRiches", and he graciously consented." "And Big Jim was manicured." ""Notthenails,"said he, "thecorns."" "The reporter thought of a good idea, to have the Little Fellow pose in his mining clothes." "It would make a human story." "Georgia..." "There she was in the steerage." "Neither knew of the others presence." "Georgia overheard the officer say there was a stowaway aboard." ""You!"said Georgia." ""IthoughtI"dnever see youagain."" "And then she mistook him for the stowaway." "The officer was going to put him in irons." "But Georgia pleaded for him and said she would pay his fare." ""Heck!"said the Captain. "Thatsnostowaway."" "Thats Big Jims partner, the multimillionaire." "Then of course there were apologies." "The Little Fellow gathered himself together." "James, the valet, was told to prepare for an extra guest." ""Pardonme,"said the reporter, "butwho"sthelady?"" ""Buzzbuzzbuzz!"" "Oh, you dont say!" "Well, congratulations." ""Thiswill make a great story, and with a happyending."" "And so it was.A happy ending."