The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-21
Picked In O Boiling Spring.

Tom Collette is miner, tcamstcr. coal
burner, or anything else that is necessary
when he finds that his pocket is growing
empty and be larder lean. Tom. witt
two friends, Joe and Jake, was making q
painful journey from Pine Grove, in En-.
eralda county, to Eastern Nevada. They
camped one afternoon by some hot s,rinr.
near Walker lake, and discovering a hole
half full of cold water near one of the
hottest springs, turned the hot water. as
it flowed out Of the sprinr, into tho I,olc
until the hot and cold water blending
made exactly the right temperature for q
bath: Then they plunged in and en-
joyed the delicious water ns only those
can who have travelled over duaty alkali
roads for several days. When ,h.v had
eaten their supper and lighted their piees,
,, inc theme Of conversation for long TING.
while they smoked, was their bath and
the wonderful refreslIment it had brought
them. They spread their blankets on q
grassy spot behind some willows, few
yards away from the springs, and soon
fell asleep.
Tom was up with the dawn. The
memory of the bath was fresh in bis
mind, and 80 he bounded from his blank
cts, and, with skip and q 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 apili-
" Jf o wild cat. In the meantime, his
.ac skin had changed to the color of o
picked lobster. The hot water had been
rrnning ell night; and the cold water
hid 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 spring from which
it flowed. Tom was in terrible state !:
Il thought was picked" But he did
not hesitate az % the course he should
pursue
With infinite care he drew ON his pants
and heetss. Forcing back tears of an.
guiah, he managed to walk back 10 the
camp. Though it wrung his heart, he
put on his old-time frank smile as he
neared tho rendezvous, for Jake was lust
then sitting up In his blankets, gaping
aud atretching. Seeing Tom approach.
Jake asked where he Ind been. Tom
replied that the recollection of the mag
nificent bath of the previous evening was
90 vivid in his memory that he could not
think Of breaking camp Without repeat.
ing i and added: "It's just lovely,
Jake
Jako did not want to hear more, but
Hprang from his bed and rushed away
toward the spring. As swiftly as Tom
could he followed, and from behind the
Wiiiuws Kept covert watch. He saw
Jake throw OFF his clothes, spring into
the water, heard yell of anguish, and
then saw him with wonderful haste
emerge and spring upon the bank, and
,yainiy try, by swift applications of bis
hands to different parts of his body. Ia
arrest the intolerable pain, swearing and
crying all the while.
AZ last Jake managed to get into his
clothes and started for camp. Meeting
Tom, he began with fierco inyectiva TO
rpbraid him for his deceptioD. But Tom
cut him abort In an instant "H..sh y
said he, would you bswl like a calf and
give US both away when ! want to cook
that other son.of-a-gun up in camp?"
Scothed by this, Jake grew quiet, and
both leisnrely proceeded to camp. By
this time Joe had Commenced to rouse
up, and seeing the others approach, asked
hem where they had heen. Tom an.
IRered cheerfnlly, the was holding his
oantaloons away from his body in the
'sar al the time, "Do you think we could |
Freak camp without one more maRnifi. !
.eIt sEirs2 Not ID lch.p
AZ this ,Ina. getting up. cried: aNot |
much, yon bet and dashed away toward |
is. sL,EiIig.
as ne uiaap ppeHred behind the willows, |
eom sprung for his pieteA, and said 70
.ake, 'tiekS your gun quick is will bs !
1can bilailcs .wlGn doc Comes back