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Call of the Klondike
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Call of the Klondike |
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Trillium 
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA 
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Call of the Klondike I was only twenty-one, The Klondike sent its call. Working in a boarding house, Was not much fun at all. Just all alone and lonely, I thought that I would see If cooking for the miners Would bring some gold to me! Recruiting several housemaids Who were tired of their lot, With our pooled resources, Our tickets soon were bought. The trip was very scary. A week upon the sea And even dirty Skagway, Looked pretty good to me! Then once we were unloaded And found a tent to buy, We found some men to help us And paid with apple pie. We started in to cooking. We worked both day and night, Baking beans and baking bread And biscuits, gold and light! Making stews, dried apple pies And moose steaks, when we could. No matter what we fed them The miners thought it good. By taking turns at cooking, We shortly found that we Could keep our business running, Ech week, have one day free. I made friends with a mountie, Who used to take me out, To visit other women Who might be thereabout. It wasn't very long until I found his coat of red Was causing me confusion And going to my head! So, when he popped the question, I didn't think a thing Of trading dreams of riches For a cottage and a ring! Betty Lou Hebert (Loosely based on a family diary) |
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| © Copyright 2006 Betty Lou Hebert - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
I love it, I love it. Sounds like you had some daring ancestors. Love, Joyce |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Der Joyce: Thanks. Glad you liked it. Yes, we had a couple of ancestors, one female and one male, who ventured to Alaska during the big gold rush. Fortunately, they kept diaries of their activities. I have written one about our male relatives adventures, but it is quite long.........longer than this one at least! Love Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
What a kewl apple to have dangling from the family tree! I like this story -- send more! ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
BettyLou~ I love it ~~~ You just have a knack for weaving the nicest pieces~  Fascinating to hear it comes from diaries of olde~ *Huglets*  ~*Marge*~ ~*The sound of a kiss is not as strong as that of a cannon, but it's echo endures much longer*~ |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Ratleader: Thanks for your comments. I find the old diaries so fascinating, especially since they are distantly related! I think some of the other poems I've written are too long for this site! Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Dear Marge: I'm so pleased you liked this story! I am amazed that these ancestors took the time to keep diaries in the midst of the rigorous life they were living! Love Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
A wonderful story of beginnings, with the middle first. Much enjoyed!! |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Martie: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this poem! Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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TexUS Member
since 2003-03-20
Posts 228 |
Great story! Really enjoyed this  |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
TexUS: Thanks for reading and commenting! Glad you enjoyed it! Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Verbena Member
since 2005-10-17
Posts 196Australia |
Dear Betty Lou I enjoyed reading your poem but please forgive my ignorance.......what is a 'Klondike' and 'Skagway'? Love Verbena xo |
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desert-spike Member
since 2006-02-01
Posts 194TX/USA |
That was aweosme. It makes me want to grab a pick axe, and a gold pan, and head northwest. |
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midnightblues Senior Member
since 2000-07-01
Posts 1597Singapore |
Aww what a touching story! Dearest Betty are you going to do a saga cause if you do I'll follow! Love, MiCheLLe If there cannot be equal in affection, then let the one with more be me - midnightblues |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Verbena: Thanks for reading. The Klondike is an area of Alaska where gold was found at the end of the 1800's. The mining activity continued for a number of years. Will and I each had a relative who went north during that time, and kept diaries of their adventures. Neither one made a fortune! Skagway was a major town of that time, where ships anchored off shore and people and goods were barged into the town. It was a "jumping off" place to the gold fields. Love Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
desert spike: Thanks for your enthusiastic response to my poem! It does give you an understanding of the excitement that generated that northward tide! Betty Lou |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
MiCheLLe: Thanks for your comments. I hadn't planned on doing a "saga" although I do have several poems written about this time period. They are all longer than this one, so I have hesitated to post them! Love Betty Lou |
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skyshine
since 2002-02-07
Posts 3058Beneath the northern stars |
I liked reading this, and I would definitely read some of your longer poems, Trillium. (I myself have a poem that is 90 lines long!) What a good idea this is, to write poetry based on your family history.  ~sky I hope someday you get the chance to live like you were dying.... |
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midnightblues Senior Member
since 2000-07-01
Posts 1597Singapore |
Hi Betty, I hope you'll post them soon  I love a poem that tells a story, it is to me like a whole story on a page.. Love, MiCheLLe If there cannot be equal in affection, then let the one with more be me - midnightblues |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Sky: Thank you so much for your nice comments. I will post a longer poem once in awhile. Don't want to make a habit of it, as people might tire of that in a hurry! I appreciate your interest. Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
MiCHeLLe: Thanks for the encouragement! I'm glad you liked this! Love Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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terasinas Member
since 2006-03-24
Posts 91Michigan ... The Great Lakes |
WOW ... what a great poem and wonderful tribute to family legacy. Thank you so much for sharing .. I truly enjoyed this. Brought to mind a poem my father read to us called The Cremation of Sam McGee .. both, tales of life, in the great white north tera |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Dear Tera: Thank you so much for commenting on this poem. I too, like to read Robert Service and having you compare this to one of his poems, is a great compliment! I often have wished I lived back in those days. Maybe I would have wound up in Alaska too! Hope you enjoy your stay here at PIP. It's a really great place for poetry and people! Betty Lou Betty Lou Hebert |
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*Alli4000*
since 2004-03-21
Posts 3188The World of Poetry |
Enjoyed reading this very much. ~Alli~ |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Alli: Thank you so much for commenting on this poem. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed it! Trillium Betty Lou Hebert |
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