Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-01-20

and instantly stopped to get it, deter
mined to beat the brains out of the brute
with it. or at least stun him into insensl-
bility, and then pull him into the open
ing. 1t was frozen fast in the ice, and
could not tear it loose, though | put
forth strength which seemed almost
Herculean, in the frenzy of my excite
ment. 1t occurred to me that [ had a
pocket-knife, and l might cut his
throat but the train was almost upon
nae, and there was no time for him to
bleed to death; this reflection did not
consume second and half In my
despair 1 gave one long-drawn yell!-
Help! No answer came
The train came on, as it seemed to
me, with lightning speed, upon the
down grade, and the light of the loco
motive head-lamp already fell upon me.
Ten seconds more and there would be
terrific crash, bleeding and dying men
would burst through the side of the shed
and go rolling down the mountain side.
Deadly faint and convinced that all was
over, staggered against the side OF the
shed, closed my eyes, and sank half
down to the ground. heard Jerky give
a sudden snort of terror, and opened my
ewes. He had discovered the danger at
last, and comprehended it in an instant.
The train could not have been more
than thirty feet from him, when he
made a tremendous jump and went
through the opening. The beam caught
the high Mexican saddle, tore it into
fragments, and frightfully lacerated his
back, but his weight carried him
through, and he fell in the snow out
side. I sprang after him, just as the
locomotive came abreast of me, and
fell, trembling and fainting, beside
him.
[ don't think the engineer saw us at
all. I did not see him, so far as | could
remember afterward. 1t was half an
hour before [ could gather strength
enough to regain my legs, and replaced
the wreck of the saddle upon his back,
securing it as we'll as [ could with some
thongs cut from the edge of the rein,
and my pocket handkerchief torn into
strips, and prepared to resume my jour
ney. In a canon filled with the black
shadow of the mountain, [ saw what ap-
peared to be the dim outline of several
cabins. This must be Camp No!
Pulling my limping steed after me by
the bride, | made my way slowly and
painfully down to the nearest cabin, and
knocked at the door. Git !" was
the response, which carne to the third
and fourth knock. | repeated the
knocking.
"Git! yor drunken son of a gun |!
You have been yelling around here long
enough! Leave, or I'll put a bullet
through your came in decided and
| most emphatic tones from within. L
called out that | was the doctor from
Camp No. =, not the man they mistook
me for, and wanted to know if that was
Camp =, and if John Smith was there
John Smith, who was dying, and wanted
the doctor so bad. There was mo-
ment's debate, in whispers, between two
or more persons inside, when | heard
the scratching of matches, and the
shuffiing of heavy slippers over the floor,
and at last the door was opened.
Be you the doctor?' said John
Smith-for it proved to be him--after
he had held the candle to my face, and
| deliberately scrutinized my person for
some seconds.
"You sent for me, | think, Mr.
Smith ?''
"Well, yes, l did send for you; but
I'm kinder sorry now that l did, for L
have concluded to go over thar to-mor-
or, on business, anyhow"
" But the messenger said you were
dying, or the next thing to it-alnsost
dead, think he said.''
Well, yes, l was pretty considerable
scared at the time. You see, had an
| eruption come out right bad on my leg,
and | was afraid that it might be pleur-
isv. or newamonia, or erisifilus, or suthin
O that sort, and if [ come over in the
snow and catched cold in it, | might a.
gone in"
He sat down on the side of his bunk,
and pulled up the drawer from his right
shin; there was a patch of ringworm
there, about the size of a silver dollar
and that was all. | made use of some
strong expressions. | don't often swear,
but felt aggravated, under all circum-
stances, and considered myself justi-
fed. | still so consider. Mr.. Smith
heard me through. Then he arose ma
iesticallv to his feet, and thus delivered
himself:
"Young man. | jest put you down
Tor Qorn6u 1OOl, OH nfSG SlSlC-1u
wasn't sold much Eff yer haint got no
more sense than to get mad about
trifes, you'll have many long day ter
wait fore you are called on again to
visit this camp-an' it's goin' to be a
right lively camp in the spring, you bet.
1 did perpose to askEou to take drink
bein as how it's late, an you must a
had purity good ride over the mount
ing; but now, I'll jest see you blessed
first. Thar's the door; git, you derned,
ornary, wizened, contemplate little
scrub, an don't come foolin' around
here no more, eff yer don't want ter get
hurt Git p
took his advice, and "got'' without
another word, just as the gray dawn be-
gan to streak the sky over beyond the
Washna Maintains