Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1878-03-30
Picked in a Boiling Spring.
How Tom COllcte and Ills Two Companions
Enjoyed Hot Bath.

Tom Collette is miner, teamster,
coal burner, or anything else that is
necessary when he finds that his pock
ct is growing empty and his larder
lean. Tom, with two friends. Joe
and Jake, was making painful
journey from Pine Grove, in Esmer-
aida county, to eastern Nevada. They
camped one afternoon by some hot
springs near Walker lake, and dis
covering hoe half full of cold water
near one of the hottest springs, turn
ed the hot water, rs it flowed out of
the spring, into the hole, until the
hot and cold water blending made
exactly the right temperature for q
bath. Then they plunged in and en-
.joycd 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 con-
versation for long time while they
smoked was their bath and the
wonderful retreshmcnt which it had
brought them. They spread their
| blankets OH grassy spot behind
some willows, few yards away from
the springs, and fell asleep.
Tom was up with the dawn. The
memory of the bath was fresh in his
mind, and so he bounded from Ii is
blankets, and, with skip and jump,
plunged into the clear water and
sank to his neck. Then came howl
of anguish, and he sprang upon the
bank with all the agility ofa 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 ncutralized hours before the
dawn, and now the water in the hole
was almost OF the same temperature
as the water in the boiling spring
from which it flowed. Tom was in q
terrible state. He says: ~ thought
1 was. picked" But he, did not hesi-
tate as to the course ha should pur.
sue.
With infinite caro- lie drew on his
pants and boots. Forcing back tears
ofanguish, he managed to walk back
to camp. Though it wrung his heart,
he put on his old.time frank smile as
he nnared The rendezvous, for Jake
was just then sitting up in his blank
cts, gaping and stretching. Seeing
Tom approach, Jake asked where he
had been. Tom replied that the
recollection Of the magnificent bath
Of the previous evening was 50 vivid
in his memory that he could not
think of breaking camp without re.
pcating it, and added "It's Just
lovely, Jake"
Jake did not wait to hear more,
but sprang from his bed and rushed
away toward the spring. AS swiftly
us Tom could, he followed, and from
behind the willows kept covert watch.
He saw Jake throw otf'his few clothes,
spring into the water, heard yell of
anguish, and then saw him with
wonderful haste emerge and spring
upon tie bank, and vainly try, by
swift applications of his hands to
different points of his body, to arrest
the intolerable pain, bowling all the
time.
at last Jake managed to get into
his clothes and started for camp.
Meeting Tom, lie began with fierce
invective to upbraid him for his de :
ccption. But Tom cut him short II
an instant. "Hush up" said he,
would you bawl like a calf and give
us away when l want to cook that
other chap up in 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 ap-
proach, asked them where they had
been. Tom answered CHI erfully Che
was holding his pantaloons away from
his bo'ly atthe time: do you think
wo could break camp without one more
magnificent swim? Not much"
At this, Joe, getting up, cried ;
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