The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-04-12
A NEW RIP VAN wiNKLE.

Down on the flats, yesterday, we
met Jake Gilfillan, in his original
dress of $50. The buckskin patches
were greasier, glossier and blacker.
His wolf skin cap showed patches
and spots above the snow line that
looked as though the mango had
struck it, and the tail of the animal
that dangled about his right ear was
draggled, as though traiIed in the
snow and slush of a dozen winters.
Jake's wooden shirt was in tatters
and strings, and it was plain that to
perpetuate its usefulness he had
never entrusted it to the tender
mercies of Biddy or Sing Lee. Jake
came herding himself up I'll street
from the river bank, meandering
gracefully from side to side, and oc-
cupying the full width of the "can-
on, as he called it. Hanging list
lessly under his right arm was an
old style Springfield musket, with
the muzZie to the front. Visions of
Carl Wood, Jim Harvey, and others
of that iIk, fioated through our mind
as he rose the hill, but they vanish
ed as we recognized good-hearted,
simple-minded Jake. He essayed
to stop as we met, but could not
steady himself until heshad thrown
out his gun as brace. Leaning
upon its muZzle he asked:
81 say, cap'D, is this "Rary "
(Auraria.) -.
"No, you are In Denver
"Jes so; Gen1 Lar'mer's town."
eyes" we replied.
"Well, where's Denver hall z"
sit stood up at the head of the
next street. but it was burned down
nine years ago.
Gle unused for q few moments,
and then said rather to himself
ssAIany's the lively times we had
there, when the pistol balls whizzed
through the canvass partitions ;"
and the thought seemed TO sober
Jake on the instant. s'Says he.
where is Jack Henderson .''sa -sas
"Gone to San Domingo"
dill but that's Just like Jack.
He left MS fellows mp there to Dead
wood and come down to get some
grub. / told the boys that Jack had
likely forgot us, and Rdcom down
| to see about il. So I struck out
across the hills, and Wadsd Clear
creek over by Jim Bakers, and the
PIatte right down there, and here ]
AN. But I say, who built all these
houses p -
4 We named dozen or SO bloatee
IIot-oWnere of to-day, but Jake look.
ed more and more increduious and
shock his head. Says he, 81 don,i
know any Of them feIlers. Where's
/ Bill Clancy and Gen. Bowen and
1 Judge Smith and Jack Jones and
Squire Hiatt and Wagner and
Mcclure and all the old boys 2
les until we could think of no more
Gathering his musket egain undeI
his arm he started on with the dec
Iaration that he was Sagoin' righI
over to Uncle Dick Woottcn' . for {
square drink Of Walipcte." AS b.
swung around the corner up =
Pierce's block, We observed that thu
holes IN his moccasfns were large
than when he started oat with JaeI
Henderson and Jim Goodwin fol
Deadwood diggings in April, 1859
and we sorroWcd at the grief ths
would overcome him when he fail
ed TO find Uncle Dick under ths Ok
cottonwood over at the corner o
Ferry and Fogrth.
Jake's sleep has been long and IN
, broken. He knows not that Their
. has BEEN q war; that We can tai.
with Europe, or thak iron rails spal
, the continent He mistook the Ri
Grande track for an arrangement 4
, stretch antelope skins, and the 9th
ar IN afH In farSrsfxfor hslfSa IN hf1oe
Fancy the surprises that swat hin
as he trsVerses the strsets Of Debye
! land learns the events Of the las
dozen years.-Denyer (Col.) News