Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-10-22
A BLACK HILLS ROMANCE.
THE TRAGEDY OF MISERY FLAT.

HEAVY leaden clouds hung round the
rocky and broken heads of the cluster of
mountains around Harney's Peak, and
the sun shone only now and then through
a narrow rift in the vapory clouds that
hung lower down, embracing the tree
tops, and at times enveloping the scene in
dense mass of damp fog. Again it
would lift, and a struggling beam of sun
light-would steal between the cloud and
fog and the gray mountain-side, and halo
the scene like a benson.
Great drops of water shone upon the
grass and many-tinted flowers, like dia-
monds and the robins and mOcking- birds
made a joyous echo in ashaded nook close
by. A small rivulet of iCe-cool water
made its musical way into French Greek,
five miles below, and served at this beau
tiful spot to furnish drink for tive-two
men, two ponies,t and Mexican "boro," 4"
or ass. The three animals cropped the
rich June grass most eagerly, as if con-
scious that there was work ahead. A
small fire of pine-limbs was burning, and
over it sat cotfee-pot, while one of the
men was cutting slices of bacon with Il
huge knife, as sharp and as murderous-loo
ing as himself. The other lay in the wet
bundle of blankets near the fire, and fire.
quenLly gave vent To groans and smoth-
cred maledictions at things real and mag
mary.
The former, with a stolid look on his
heavily bearded face, gave an occasional
solicitous look in the direction Of his part
ner; and, as he stuck a fOrked stick
through his slice of bacon, he solilo-
quiZed: "Ther amt no use fur me to roast
this for Jack; he hain't eat nothin' ever
| since we got to the settlements. He's Jest
been and soaked his skin ontil now he's
goin' to have them jimiams, sartin. l
say, Jack, old pard" As he spoke a look
of womanly kindness lit up his sternly-
stolid face, marred by heavy scar that
traversed his left cheek and his nose to
its base, and gave him a singularly forbid
! ding aspect when he attempted to smile
" say, Jack, wake up, old man, and take
a cup o. this strong coffee, won't YEP
CoaXingly-" Come, now; yer Jest as
| limpsey as baby he continued, as he
raised the blankets, where lay young
man of about twenty y-eight years, with
heavy, dark hair, brow wide and smooth
but eyes sunken and bloodshot, while the
lower face had bloated and brutal ap,
pearance, denoting an easy victim TO any
weakness. He rolled over with groan
and raised himself, with an effort, upon
his elbow, and huskily said; That you
Bill? I've been having awful dreams
and my throat is parched like an alkali-
patch. Give me drink of that devils
dew-drOp,' quick, now, Pm choking"
No, | WON'T" the other replied, in an
obstinate tone. You've had too much
DEVILS dew-drop,' and here you are going
| TO death as fast as that drop II take We an
ye won't drink any coffee nor eat nothin'
no way. Come, now, Jack" he continued
in pleading way, take cup of coffee
an some bread OF pard, chuck this in-
side o. yer, an then I'll give ye a drink"
The other staggered TO his feet with d
deadly curse upon his lips. Where's
that whiskyS" he yelled; FI'll have it OF
dIe Bill, confound your internal dirty
carcass, do you mean itr'F
|" Yes, that's ther lead Pm pintin' for
Jack. Now, amt this purity lay out fol
chums as lived like sisters, through blood
an starvation, an you keepin' straight on
maxim a grub stake for that girl in Mis-
| souri,, an now, as soon as we've left Mon
tana an git ter where ye can git pisen, ye
make mean skunk of Digger out o.
yerself. Yera purity pet for yer mother
now, yon arel The only way ter save yeI
life is spillin' o. this cussed tarantula
juice, am ye can't git any more short Of
Cheyenne" #H#t
The other staggered toward him and
attempted to wrest the keg out of his
hands, but Bill took him by the arms and
SAT- him down by the fire like baby, and
minded not in the least the torrent OF
abuse that proceeded from his lips. Jack
prostrated with his exertion, began tC
plead and weep, promising TO stop aftei
the one drink and not drink any more
but the other was ineXorable, and insisted
upon his eating and drinking the coffee
At last Jack made the attempt, and sue
ceeded in gulping down few swallows O
coffee, but eat he could not. His com
panlon poured out liberal drink q
whisky and handed it TO him, and it wa.
swallowed with greedy avidity The
drunkard then frightened up, and Bill
slowly ate his breakfast by his side.
The wet blankets were dried in the sun
the boron packed, the two ponies saddlec
by Bill, and The two men mounted, taking