Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-01-31
ONE OF KENDALL's STORIES.

joined the Texas Rangers, writes the follow
ing s'good one'' from Matamoras:
Rare nags may be found among the Texas
Volunteers, yet the funniest fellow OF all is
happy -go-lucky chap, named Bill Dean, one
Of the Chevalier's spy company, and said to be
one of the best ''seven up'' players in Texas.
While at Corpus Christi n lot of us were sit
ting out in the stoop of the Kinney House, ear
ly one morning, when along came Bill Dean.
He did not know single soul ID the crowd,
although he knew we were all bound for the
Rio Grande; yet the fact that the regular for
malities Of an Introduction had not been gone
through with, did not prevent him from stop
ding short in his walk and accostng US.
His speech, or rather harrangue. or whater-
er it may be termed, will lose much in the
telling, yet l will endeavor to put it upon
paper in as good shape as possible.
80, yes" said he, with knowing leer of
the eye; 90, yes; all goin' down among the
robbers on the Rio Grande, are YOU! Fine
times you'll have, over the left. I've been
there myself, and done what good many of
you won't do come back; but if 1 didn't
see material hi in August at that am tea
pot. Lived eight days on one poor hawk and
three blackberries-couldn't kill a prairie rat
on the whole route to save us from starvation.
The ninth day came, and We struck small
streak Of good luck-a horse give out, and
broke down, plump out in to the centre OF an
open prarie-not stick in sight big enough
to tickle a Iattlcsnal<e with, let alone killing
him. Just had time TO save the critter by
I,
minutes longer he'd have died material death.
1t didn't take us long to butcher him, nor long
to cut off some chunks o. meat and stick 'em
on our rdmrods; but the cookin' was another
matter. piled up heap Of prairie grass, for ii
was high and dry, and Sot il on fire. but ii fash
ed up like powder and as quick. But
"But," put in one of his hearers, .sbut how
did you cook your horse meat after this 20
GLOW ?''-s.Yes, how p
'Why, the fire caught the high grass close
by, and the wind carried the flames streakin'
across the prairie. l followed up the fire
holding my chunk of meat directly over the
hottest blaze, and the way went it was
caution to anything short Of a locomotives do
ings. Once in while little furry Of wind would
come along, and the fire would get few yards
the start; but I'd brush upon her with my chunk
and then we'd have il again, nip and tuck. You
never seed such tight race-it was beautiful"
every, we've no Doubt calculated one Of
the listeners, interruping the mad wag just in
season to give him little breath; ''but did
you cook your meat in the end -
s:Not bad didn't. chased the ID firea
i
you ever heerd tell on, and never gave it up
until run her right plump into wet marsh;
there the fire and chunk of horse meat came
out even-a dead beat, especially the meat7''
ssBut wasn't it 7'' put in another of
the listeners.
Cooked No.-crusted Just over little
You don't cook broken down horse flesh very
easily, no how; but when it comes to chasin'
up a prairie fire with chunk of it. I don't
know which is the toughest, the meat or the
job. You'd have laughed to split yourself to
have seen me in the race-to see the fire leave
me at times. and then to see me brushin' up
on her agin, humpin' and movin' myself as
though was runnin' agin some of these big
ten mile an hour Gildersleeves in the old States.
But Pm goin over to Jack Haynen's to get
cocktail and breakfast. I'll see you all down
among the robbers on the Rio Grande.''
And so saying, Bill Dean stalked of. saw
the chap this morning in front of Mexican
fondu, trying to talk Spanish with sGress-
er,'' and endeavoring to convince him that
he was a odd robber.''
Such is one of Bill Deans stories; if I
could only make it as effective on paper as he
did in the telling, it would draw laugh from
those fond Of the ludicrous.