Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-02-26

his companion to the happy hunting
grounds beyond the grave.
In the meantime, the whitc man had
come to stand still, and elatc with joy
at his unhoped for escape, waved his greasy
cap above his head, and gave vent TO a
shout compounded Of yell Of triumph
and sigh of relief Then advancing to
Winners side and extending his hand,
said
"That was we'll done, stranger, and iist
in time, too, two minutes more, and them
internal red skins would'uv raised my har
devil take ther hides! But, thanks to
you, Mike Sloap's not skclped yit.'
"I claim no thanks, Mr.. Sloan but you
will do me favor by telling how you hap
pened to be pursued, and whether you en-
countered more than two Indians"
"Well, jist go back to the spring, whar
/ can wet my tongue, as is ALFRED dry,
and I'll tell you all about it, stranger"
Wilmer complied, deeEipg it important
to gather all the information he could With
this view, he waited patiently, until Sloan
had freed his horse from its rude trappings
and taken hearty draught of water.
"Thser water is cooin, stranger; but
for fear it mought disagree with my
stomick, I'll jist pour on to it a little from
this'er Aask--try little, sir?" No! WE'LL
here's to ye !" And he literally poured
the contents, or rather the larger portion,
"on to" the water. Wiping his lips with
the back of his hand and holding up the
flask to the light, that he might measure
the remaining contents, Mike drew long
breath, and thus began:
"Well, sir, as were saying--no, that's
lie for l haint said word aboutit; but
howso never, as 1 were jogging along,
some three miles back, suddenly seed,
comm right meetin of me, five red skins
and white man and white woman"
Five Indians, did you say?" asked
Wilmer, interruptipg him. 81 thought
there were six p
"Five, sir, unly FIVE, and thar's two of
'em, darn thar ugly picters But stay,
may be thar war six when you counted
EN-. Soon this mornin, seed one maxim
to ards the Red River village; but he
seemed to be in hurry, and | didn't hail
him, not bein very curious to know his
bis'ness, May be they sent him on afore
TO give notice of thar comin.--But whar
was 1, Stranger, when you put in? Oh,
remember now. Well, when [ seed the
five red skins and the two whites, what
they captivated, my dander riz, but seein
it war no use attaching sich odds, l drew
off piece and hid behind some bushes
On they come, and passed in two hundred
yards of me, and jist as l war thinking
all safe, nuthin would do, but that foo
crittur Of mine must sing out at the toI
of his voice, as eff he knowed the brute
they rid knowed that water war to,
cold for my stomick, SO here goes again
Stranger, ef you wont jnc in" An,
suting the action to the words, he tool
anther pull at the flask. Them trader
on Red River" he said, incidentally "scl
monstrous mean licker and give shor
measure at that; and ef-"
''But what did you do then?" Aske,
Wilmer, by way of bringing him back t
the subject.
"Do when ?-Oh, you mean when tina
fool beast nickered Why, I clapged tn
spurs on to him, for l guessed my safet
depended on the 'periorty of horse fiosl
. But, as had rid hard, my beast war
, little tagged, and pretty soon, it war clea
that the two red skins had the heels of mi
so, you may s'posc, my feeling weren
cOmfortin. Still they gained on me, an
the foremost, thinkin to finish me at one,
fired off his rifle, but missed and Think
= that I'd show him how to shoot / turne
on my saddle, took steady aim nd-snaI
i ped. On lookin to see what war the ma
> ter, my flint war gone. My skclp ougl
to been taken for sich kereessncss. NJ
hoadway had been sorter checked, an
: tother red skin tried his hand, and hel
;, is his bullet hole through my cap, Tn
made us more ekil, but still the odds W,
agin me, as you seed, and eff it hadn't bee
- now. But, stranger, them thar red skins
. your game, aud you'd better lift thar hi
: afore they get cold, when the skelp wOr
. slip easy"
81 never scalp" Wilmer answered.
"You don't Well I've heerd that ii
- famous scout. of the fort. never lifts ha