The Arizona sentinel., 1878-03-16
ARIZONA SENTINEL.
PICKLED IN A BOILING
SPRING.
How Tom COlIette and His Two
Companions Enjoyed q Hot Bath.

companions Enjoyed Hot Bath.
Tom Collette is miner, teamster, coal
burner, or anything else that is necessary,
when he finds that his pocket is growing
empty and his larder lean. Tom, with two
friends, Joe and Jake, was making pain
full journey from Pine Grove, in Esmeralda
county, to Eastern Nevada. They camped
one afternoon by some hot springs, near
Walker Lake, and discovering hole half
full of cold water, near one of the hottest
springs, turned the hot water, as it flowed
out of the spring, into the hole, until the
hot and cold water blending made exact
ly the right temperature for bath. Then
they plunged in and enjoyed the delicious
water as only those can who have Travelled
over dusty alkali roads for several days
When they had eaten their supper and
lighted their pipes, the theme of their
conversation for long time while they
smoked was their bath and the wonderful
refreshment which it had brought them.
They spread their blankets on a grassy
spot behind some willows, few yards
away from the springs, and fell asleep.
Tom was up with the dawn. The men,
DRY of the bath was fresh in his mind, and
SO he bounded from his blankets, and with
q skip and jump, plunged into the clear
water and sank to the neck. Then came a
howl of anguish, ane he sprang upon the
bank with all the agility of wild cat. In
the meantime his fair skin had 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 temper
from which it flowed. Tom was in ter
rible fix. He says: II thought 1 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 camp.
Though it wrung his heart, he put on his
old time frank smile as he neared the rem
devious, tor Jake was just sitting up in his
blankets, gaping and stretching. Seeing
Tom approach, Jake asked him where he
had been. Tom replied that the recollection
of the magnificent bath of the previous
evening was so vivid in his memory that
he could not think of breaking camp with
out repeating it, and added:
"Its just lovely, Jake"
Jake did not wait to hear any more, but
sprang from his bed and rushed away to-
ward the spring. AS swiftly as Tom
could, he followed, and from behind the
willows kept covert watch. He saw Jake
throw off his few clothes, spring into the
water, heard q yell of anguish. and then
saw him with wonderful haste emerge
and spring upon the bank, and vainly try,
by swift applications of his hands to diff
ferent points of his body, to arrest the
lntolerable 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 invective to up
braid him for his deception. But Tom
cut him short in an instant. flush up"
said he, "would you bawl like a calf anu
give US away when want to cook that
other SON of-a- gun up in the camp"
Soothed by this, Jake grew quiet, and
both leisurely proceeded to camp. By This
time Joe had commenced to rouse up, and
seeing the others approach, asked them
where they had been. Tom answered
cheerfully, and was holding his pantaloons
away from his body in the rear at the time:
Do you think We can break camp with
OuI OlC 1uOlC LA ull1CCuG Shlu NOI
much"
At this, Joe, getting up, cried: "Not
much, you betm and dashed away toward
the spring.
As he disappeared behind the willows,
Tom sprang for his pistol, and said to
Jake: sect your gun, quick; it will mean
business when Joe comes back.
In few seconds Joe did come back
He was crying and cursing furiously, and
never stopped until he caught his pistol.
Drop it," said Tom, II have dead
bead on you, and SO has Jake. Besides, l
took all the caps 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 succeeding three
days.