The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-01-31
THE FLOODED GULCH.

i l.
amt, but l come of a great nation,
nd when chap out our way says he'll
us thing, he does it. l said I'd go to
a and | went-and thar you are. l
ibid drop hunting and take to min
&, and thar was; and that's how it
me about.
You see, we was rather rough out our
Inv, where Hez Lane and me went with
d bit Of tent and pickers, shooting
nns, and sech-like, meaning to make
pile of gold. We went to Washoe,
nd didn't get on; then we went to Fort
asmie, and didn't get on there. Last,
swent right up into the mountain,
ieking our way amongst the stones, for
Ha ses, sLook here, old hoss, let's 90
Ehar no ones been afore. If we get
Ehsr the boys are at work already,
ksy've took the cream, and we gets the
lin milk. Let's you and me get the
ream, and let some o. the others take
be skim milk"
aGood for you," I says; and we
nmped on day after day, till we got
light up in the heart o. the mountains
Ehare no one hadn't been afore, and it
$50 still and quiet, as it made you
Bdte deaf.
twas strange, wild sort of place,
Re as if one o. them coons called giants
fa driven a wedge into mountain
ad split it, making a place fer bit of
lstream to run at the bottom, and lay
sare the gold we wanted to find.
AThis'll do, Dab, says Hez, as we
|M up our bit of a tent on a pleasant
green shelf in the steep valley place.
|4fhs'll do, Dab; thar's yaller gold
qangllng them sands, and running in
Rns through them rocks, and yellow
ad in pockets of the rock.n
4Ihen let's call it Yaller Gulch," I
/ zs.
saDone, old hoss!" says Hez; and
laer Gulch it is.
Ne set to work next day washing in
ne DIT OF stream and shook hands on
|I good luck.
sIhls'll do," says Hez. "We shall
lsGe ~ pile here. No one will dream
anunting this out"
Say, stranger!" said voice that
|nae US both jump. "Do it wash
|sel!"
ana II there warn't a long, lean,
~, yaller-looking chap looking down
sS, .sR,, as he stood holding a mule by the
hhy, afore week was over, so far
.Om y US keeping it snug, / reckon there
~ .s nifty people il Yaller Gulch, wash
y away, and making their piles. Afore
aaosner y week was over some one had
map store, and next day there was a
ffealoilng ~ saloon. Keep it to ourselves!
nas' stranger, 1reckon if there was one
g gssS Of gold anywhere within 500 miles
NJ n ,ehaps'd sniff it out like vultures, and
sdown upon it.
-. Warn't no use to grumble, and we
W w. What we thought to ourselves,
sulAlng away and making our ounces
I. ! xs' Y we could. One day | proposed
y ',;,' should 60 up higher in the noun
ss,s s' out Hez said he'd be darned if
n @ssmove; y and next day, if he'd wanted
Il. l. " go, should have told him I'd be
mas aasa II I'd move, and, all at once,
W. ssn Oelng red-hot chums, as would
~ 4. aone any thing for one another,
= ana me got to be mortal enemies.
~ so*' Y look here, stranger. Did you
N y. , Keep chickens? P'raps not; but if
,sesef y DO, just you notice this: You've
5, H., say, y a dozen young cocks pecking
Nj Ssal, !. and as happy as can be-smart
ALL i ,las'eiy, and innercent as chickens
e,,,su a,u pe. Now, just you go drop a
! ny young pullet in among 'em, and
.;si. ~ mere !, won't be a row. Why, ,afore
baaa ~ lnere'll be combs bleeding, eyes
: aaa ,a'.a out, feathers torn and ragged
aa ~ iaf pepper-box and bowie set-to,
~ al acause of that little smooth,
u pullet, that looks on so quiet