Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-18
Marx twain as an Indian Fighter

Or the many stories now floating about
IN regard to the past experiences of Sam
Clemens. none are droller than the fol-
lowing one, which passes current in
Toul0umne County for frozen truth. We
would remark, however, that the story
need not be taken as an evidence of faint
heartedness or lack Of sand" on the part
OF Clemens, but his action may be attrib-
Dted simply TO his inOrdinate love of hui
nl0y, S,a& 4n OyerWeening desire to shoot
his little joke while on the wing. The
incident We refer to occurred during the
knuocents s0i0urn at ,Jackass Hill near
Iu0letown, where he was prospecting
with jim ellis. For some time there
had been, rumOis Of discomfort among the
Indians, a fierce band OF Wallas having
gathered near Pendola Ferry, on the
:StanisIaus River, and, after announcing
their intention OF annihiiatiDg the miners
Ils the shortest order possible, decamped
soE the higher Sierras to obtain, it was
generally supposed, sufficient force to
carry OuI their bloodthirsty threats One
bright afternoon late in the autumn, Sam
and jim we're sitting in front Of their
cabin on Jackass Hill, the former en-
s1ged Ia rubbing Mustang Liniment on a
sGghs bvuise that discolored his left leg,
sustained by fall which he had received
1haf day during one Of his prospecting eX-
DGditjoDs, the latter watching the opera
eIom while lie lazily smoked a corncob full
OF killihincll. Suddenly a man rushed
In bTeathIess haste up to Hill and STAN
mcred, rs he wildly gesticulated:
They're comm" : Let 'em come;
we're ready for most anything from for
sumo to famine, answered the imperturba-
bic Mark, as he continued to plaster the
Imminent on his injured limb. but
ehcY' re Iniuns, was the excited remark
Of tbe messenger, & an everybody's turn
.InG out. TuttletOWn'S in arms, an they
want Sam to take commando What's
my raulS?'' asked Sam, looking QuizZical
~ at the man, Quartermaster or sutler,
which9" The Abide camp waited to
hear no more, but rushed away to alarm
others. and Mark and jim made their
way To Tuttletown, where they found a
great crowd of miners assembled and
ready to march on the foe. Mark was
anpointed to the command of company
and in due course of time the little army
was on the march. The Stanislaus River
having been reached just at dusk, it was
thought advisable to proceed with more
caution, as the enemy was supposed to be
eucamped in that vicinity. The different
companies separated, and spreading out
In semi-circle, marched up the river.
Marks company, consisting of ten men,
were plodding along in the gathering
gloom, when shots were heard at no gre5
distance on the hillside.
ssHaltl' commanded Mark. The com
pany halted.
& Gentlemen, this is no time for fool
Fnr. Tuttletown expects every man to dc
hislEuty. The enemy is before US. You
will .s3rn into a hollow square TIC
the rear open order, and as the rear hap
K,ens to be open it is in order for every
man TO proceed in that direction in as or
CferIy q manner as possible. As am lame
glIyscIf, think l will commence the ret
rograde movement first. March"
AsytIle rumor of the approach of The
bloodthirsty red men was afterWart
proved to be a false alarm, this moyemen
on the part of Marks division was no
noticed at the time, although freely dis