The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-04-04
PlCkLElD.
HOW Tom Co1lette ana sasa Two Conn
pona0ns Enjoyed q Hot Hath,

p1naons Enjoyed q Hot Hath.
Virginia New Enterprise
Tom Collette Is min.r, teamster, Goa
burner, or anything else that is necessary
when he finds that his pocket is growing
emty and his larder lean. Tom, with
two friends, Joe and Jake, were making
a painful journy from Pine grove, in
Esmerelda county, to eastern Nevada.
They camped one afternoon by some hot
springs near Walker lake, and discover
ing a hole half full of cold water near
one Of the hottest springs, turned the hot
water as 1t flowed out Of the hot spings
into the hole, until the hot and cold
water blending made exactly the right
temperature for a bath. Then thcy
plunged in and enjoyed the delicious
water as only those can who have travelled
over dusty roads for several days. When
they had eaten thier supper and lighted
their pipes, the theme of conversation for
a long time while they putfed, was their
and the wonderful refrcshmcnt which
it had brought them.
They spread their blankets on q grassy
spot behind some willows, a few wards
away from the springs, and fell asleep.
Tom was up with the dawn. The men,
ory Of tic bath was fresh in his mind :
not slow he bounded from his blankets
and, with leap and a jump, plunged in
t" the deep clear water and went to his
neck. Then came howl of anguish.
and he sprang upon the bank with ali
the agility Of wild cat. In the mean
time his fair skin hal changed to the
color of picked lobster. The hot water
had been running all night; all the cold
water had been neutralized hours before
the dawn, and now the water in the hole
was almost of the same temperature as
the water in the boiling springs from
which it flowed. Tom was in a terrible
state. He saws: II thought | was
picked" But he did not hesitate as To
the course he should pursue.
With infinite care he drew on his pants
and boots. Forcing back tears of anguish
he managed to walk back to the camp.
Though it wrung his heart, he put on his
old time frank smile rs he ne rd the rem
devious, tor Jake was Just then sitting
up in his blankets, gaping and stretching.
Seeing Tom approach, Jake asked where
he had been: Tom replied that the re-
collection of the magnificent bath of the
previous evening was so vivid in his men,
ory that he could not think Of breaking
camp without repeating it, and added ::
"lts just lovely. Jake" Jake did not
wait to hear any more, but rushed away
toward the spring. AS swiftly as Tom
could, he followed, and from behind the
willows kept covert watch.
IIn caw Iokn %krov, <,Hl,:,
spring into the water, heard yell of an
guisl,, and then saw him with wonderful
haste emerge and spring upon the bank,
and vainly try, by swift applications of
his hands to different points of his body,
to arrest the intolcrable pain, swearing
and crying all the time.
At last Jake managed to get into his
clothes and started for camp. Meeting
Tom, he began with fierce invectivcs to
upbraad him for his deception. But Tom
cut him short in an instant. "uush up.'
said he. "would you bawl like calf and
give us away when I want to cook that
other son-of-a gun up IN camp?'
Soothed by this Jake grew quiet, and
both lcisurely proceeded to camp. BY
this time Joe had commenced to rouse IN.
and seeing the others approach, asked
them where they had been. Tom ans
wercd checrtulIy (hc was holding his
pantaloons away from his body in the
rear at the time}; "Do you think we
could break camp without one more mag
niticent swim? Not much"
At this Joe, getting up, cried: 'Not
much, you bet!' and dashed away to.
ward the spring.
AS he disappeared behind the willows
Tom sprang for his pistol and said to
Jake: Get your gun quick; it will
mean business when Joe comes back
In a few seconds Joe did come. III
was crying and cursing iurious:y, and
never stopped till he caught up his pis-
tol.
"Drop it," said Tom. 81 have dead
bead on you, and 50 has Jake. Besides
l took all the cups off your gun
The difficulty was finally adjusted but
the trio took their breakfast standing
that morning. and to spare the mules
they did not ride much for the succeed
ny three days,