Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-11-13
Western Customs.

know where I am. ! am about nine miles
from Julcsburg, at little settlement on tic
South Platte River. Atdaylisht to. morrow
am to catch some ofthe finest salmon you
ever saw. They will not bite at any other
time of day. suppose they learned this
disagrccablc habit of break fasting from the
"BuIl Whackcrs" who navigate these
plains. lam stopping at Il little hotclabout
thirty by ten feet. The scarcest thing in
this country is lumber, settlers having to
pay ever so many dollars a foot far all they
use, besides what they brought in their
valiscs. The landlord is from Pennsylvania,
and seems to be doing thriving business
BY dint of hard talking and liberal promis.
cs got room to myself. 1t is just large
cnough for the bed and candle box set on Il
chair, upon which am writing this letter
i is in one end of the building, and scpa
rated from the next room by bed quilt,
which you must crawl under to come in or
20 out. But it is my room, and after the
jolting have had upon the Indian pony
expect to have good nights ...t
Was ever poor pilgrim in sucha fix
Just as had written nights" above, and
had sleep on the point Of my pen, I heard
a knocking on the floor outside the bed
quilt. 4 .. f.
Crawl undcr," said I. -..... ..
Entered the landlords daughter. bux-
ON young lady about seventeen years Of
age should Judge. She opened her rosy
lips and spakc as follows: .-
" Mister, don't take off your clothc, to-
night when you go to bed"
"Why !" ...--.
"Becausc l am going to sleep with YOU"
"Wcll, if you have no better reason than
Hush! Shct up. You told par that
you would not sleep with man.
Il had rather sleep with awct dog" >
"Wcll. have given up my bed to u sick
man. have been hard at work all day,
and have to work hard all day tomorrow
aud cant afford to set up all night. The
bed is wide enough for us both. shall
stay on the back side. and if you don'tstay
on your side, you'd better, that's ALL. !"
As she said this she raised from her dress
pocket an internal jack-knife, such as far
mers use in trimming fruit trees, and then
let it fall back with chug. ! comprehend
cd the situation in half moment, and
unto this maiden Iquou as follows:
Miss young lady, your intentions may
or may not be honorable. / am travelling
cntirel by myself Mynatural protectors
are miles and miles away beyond the
boundlcss prairie ignorant Of the perils
which may bcsct their idol. Thus far |
have not been insulted by your sex. Tam
IL mau ola few words : but they are cmphat-
ic. will give you up a part Of that. bod,
and that's all will do. Ii you attempt,
during the silent watches of the night,
anything contrary to this firm dctcrmina-
tion by st. Joseph, my patron saint. Twill
shoot you right through the midritf.."
As concluded l laid a Slocum pistol
on the candlc.box. A low chuckle outside
the bed quilt gave evidence thatpatcr fam
ilias had heard and approved the arrange
mcnt.
My antagonist laughed, and saying
+" Mister 1 reckon we understand each
other" bounced over the backside Of the
bed. There she is now pretending to be
asleep. can't finish this letter. | can't
do anything. Talk about the trials ofthe
early saints-about being fayed alive
about being boiled in oil. What was all
that to all this?
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