--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Sutherland, George C. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 22 number: 10 published: 1919-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Sutherland, George C., "How Beaver Paid," *Improvement Era* 22, no. 10 (August 1919): 890–892.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22010unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera22010unse start_page: 890 end_page: 892 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22010unse publication_year: 1919 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # How Beaver Paid — 892 IMPROVEMENT ERA caressingly, as he bent low in the saddle, "and I guess it don't make much difference if you do turn tail to the storm. We have been through some mighty tight places together, but this looks like the last. You have been a true pal and that night you carried me through the forest fire sure put you ace high in my opinion. And I opine there is a certain young lady down in Eagle Rock who thinks the same," he added, almost wistfully. "I wonder if Kitty will care very much. I wish I could have seen the little mother and sister back in New Hampshire first," he muttered, and from then on his mind wandered. Through all that hideous night the horse held persistently to his course. Mile after mile he covered, directed by that unerring instinct with which God seems to have endowed his dumb creatures. Wildly the storm raged. For an hour the rider had been unconscious, held in the saddle by the lariat which he had remembered to fasten securely. Stumbling blindly, the faithful animal pushed on. Wide eyed and weary, Kitty Gordon sat by the window of her father's cabin, hoping against hope that Bob and Beaver would put in an appearance. She had expected them the day before. Arousing herself at intervals to add fuel to the dying fire, she kept up her ceaseless vigil throughout the night. Just as day was breaking she heard a noise at the door, and opening it, she saw Beaver, barely able to stand, and Bob lashed to the saddle. Hurriedly calling her father she grabbed a knife and rushed to the exhausted horse. With a couple of quick strokes she severed the rope which held Bob in his seat, and with her father's help carried him to the bed. Then Mr. Gordon led Beaver to the stable to give him his reward for saving a human life a bucket of oats. Several hours later Bob, thawed out, but weak and exhausted, called Kitty to his bedside. "Did you care so much?" he asked, taking her hand in his. "I sure did," she responded, smiling through her tears. "And dear old Beaver, God bless him! Is he all right?" "He is warm and comfortable," she replied, "but his big, brown eyes will never see again. Facing the storm as he did most of the way here, the sleet must have beaten continuously against his eyeballs, while he suffered untold agony. The ball of the eye was frozen and the optic nerve is destroyed. With this last act of devotion to you he has brought us many bright years of happiness and himself a future of dreary darkness, never more to see the hills he loved to roam. Let us thank God, dear, for Beaver's sacrifice. But because of the big, choking lump in Bob's throat, he was unable to answer. — Died in Service We aim to name all the soldier boys within Utah and surrounding states who have died in the service of our country. To this end the Era will be pleased to receive the facts, in a short sketch, from parents or friends of any soldier who has sacrificed his life for the cause of liberty, and, who has not yet been mentioned in this column. Address: Editors Era, 20 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. Harold Vivian Hobson, son of Alma U, and Eliza Cluff Hobson, died in the Marine barracks hospital, at Balboa Park, San Diego, California, December 2, 1918, of influenza. He was buried in the old home town, Richmond, Utah, along the side of his father. G. C. Hobson. Lieut. Phelps R. Holman, 39 years of age, only son of George T. Holman, Bransford apartments, Salt Lake City, Utah, died at Brest, from heart trouble, according to a cablegram sent to Salt Lake City, and printed here May 28, 1919. Lieut. Holman was assigned to the 8th infantry at the opening of the war, and was on duty at Brest when he died. Lars Lester Larsen, son of Bishop and Mrs. Lars T. Larsen, of Leland ward, Spanish Fork, Utah, was killed in action in France. The parents of the young sodlier had received unofficial reports of his death, but it was only during the latter part af May, 1919, that an official announcement was made to the parents by the war department that the supreme sacrifice had been made by the young man. Elmer J. Riddle, of Kaysville, Utah, believed to have been killed in the Chateau-Thierry fight, has been identified. Word was recently received at Kaysville by his widow, who was formerly Miss Myrtle Spackman, of Farmington, that his body has been found. The first report of his death was on August 21, 1918. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. James Riddle, of Kaysville, was married just prior to his enlistment, in November, 1917. He was sent to Camp Lewis and from there went to France. Sergt. Constatine Papademetin, Salt Lake City, Utah, who died in an eastern hospital as the result of being gassed on the battle front of France, and whose body was brought to Salt Lake City, on Friday, May 2, was a member of F Company, 166th infantry. He died April 28, 1919. He enlisted in May., 1918, and was sent to Camp Lewis for training, he was later transferred to Camp Kearny and was sent from there to France, August, 1918. Funeral services were held at the Greek Orthodox Church, Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 4, 1919. Alexander Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Anderson, Salt Lake City, Utah, was born in Clearfield, Davis county, June 18, 1887; came to Salt Lake in 1903, graduated from the University of Utah with the degree of A. B. in 1915; filled a mission in England and Scotland in 1909-11, presiding over a number of conferences. He was a member of the L. D. S. U. Faculty when he enlisted, April 27, 1918, trained for six weeks at Camp Lewis, sailed for France July 6, was a member of Company A, 362nd infantry, 91st division, went into action Sept. 26, and was killed Sept. 29, 1918. He taught school in Loa, Taylorsville, Vernal, and had taught three years in the L. D. S. U. He is survived by his parents, three brothers and three sisters. Private Woodruff Perkins, son of William A. and Rachael Laub Perkins, Overton, Nevada, died from wounds received in action on May 16, 1918, near Rheims, France; he left for over seas with the second division, in December, 1917, landing in England on Christmas night, he saw much hard fighting in the spring of 1918. After many trips over the top, he finally fell wounded on the battle field, May 15, was removed to a field hospital where he died the following day. He is buried in France among 894 IMPROVEMENT ERA the first heroes who fell. He was the first hero, in Clark county, Nevada, to give his life fci his country, and his name is recorded first on a beautiful monument at Los Vegas, Nevada, erected in memory of Clark county's heroes. His parents and grandparents were Utah pioneers. Lorin Ward, age 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. David H. Ward, of Declo, Idaho, died at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, August 18, 1918, of rupture of ureter. He was in the Southern States mission, when released to join the army in the Q. M. C. The training was so severe the first day that he was sent to the hospital and never came out alive. He graduated from the district school at Elba, and moved with his parents to Declo. He volunteered for a mission in the fall of 1917. He had suffered with stone in the ureter for seventeen years, having been operated on in 1912, the doctors not being able to locate the trouble. After being in the missionary field about seven months, he was sent to the L. D. S. Hospital, and the stone was removed. He returned to his field of labor in July, and in August volunteered his services to his country where he made the supreme sacrifice. High military honor was paid to him at the Fort, and President Charles A. Callis took part in the services.—Mrs. D. H. Ward. George Kenley Liddell, born Salt Lake City, Utah, March 29, 1895, son of Alexander and Elizabeth Kenley Liddell, was killed in action in Belgium, November 10, 1917. He was the first Ogden, Utah, boy to make the supreme sacrifice. While on a visit to Canada, he enlisted at Winnipeg, 190th Battalion, August 11, 1916, proceeded over-seas from Halifax, May 3, 1917, arrived in England and was stationed with the 18th Reserves at Shornecliffe, June 7, 1917. He was drafted for service with the 8th Canadian Battalion, arriving in France September 1, 1917. At home he held the office of teacher and was secretary of the deacon's and also the teacher's quorum of the Seventh ward, Ogden stake, and was complimented on the manner his books were kept. He was fond of athletic sports, won a wrist watch for swimming, at Winnipeg, also a week's free trip to London for running a two hundred-yard dash, in Shornecliffe, England. When America entered the war, he tried to get transfered into the U. S. Army, but was told it could not be done unless his services would be of special value to the United States. Memorial services for him were held last December, in the First Ward chapel, Ogden, Weber stake, at which Mayor A. R. Haywood, Commissioner M. L. Jones, Asael Farr, of the Ogden stake, Pres. James Wotherspoon, of the Weber stake, and Bishop George Graham, of Salt Lake City, spoke. His parents, and nine brothers and sisters survive him. Prvt. Ernest E. Strong, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Strong, of 360 So. 9th East, Salt Lake City, Utah, 22 years of age, enlisted in the United States Army, May 3, 1917. After remaining at Fort Douglas for fifteen days, was transferred to Fort McDowell, California, May 18, 1917. There he became a member of the 13th Field Artillery, Battery F, and was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, for further training. From there, the company moved to Camo Greene, North Carolina, and on May 11, 1918, he sailed for France receiving there his final training. He fought through the Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, Argonne Forest, and several other battles, and only received a slight flesh wound. When the armistice was signed, his company moved on to Germany, with the army of occupation, where he remained for over six months, at which time. General Pershing released him on account of sick- — ness at home. He left Germany, May 23, 1919, for home passed two examinations, but was sent to the hospital upon taking a third examination with erysipelas and bronchial pneumonia. From reports received from various friends, Mr. Strong died in the hospital, June 8, 1919, and the ship he would have sailed on left for the United States on the 9th. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His death one may well believe, was a great shock to his parents, relatives and friends who were anxiously awaiting his arrival, June 28.