The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-04
TWAIN AND DAN NJ QuILLE,
Redskins WIN Rabbit
Meiai-Ihey Fire u Whole Printing,
once Prom ~ iiOwiiEer,

N phh 10 RNlllp hhN "hlh IVAN Nv
tempted TO start paper In MendooInC
County, They took hetypea and materlA
Of their recently deiunct newspaper es
4 tabllshmentin San lranoisco,and loAdpl
the stuff ona big wagon, struck out int
the country 10 retrieve their fortunes
Taey packing their type just rs Il stood IL
tho forms, tied up the articles with stout
cords byaprocess well known 10 printers
aud packed them closely In boxes vowed
10 establish u newspaper somewhere
4 which would DO the leading exponent
Of politics and history for the Pacific
n Coast. Had not an unfortunate clrcum-
stance taken place II 10 quite ey ident
n that the same newspaper which they
contemplated building would have been
alive to-day, Their Journey over tho
mountains was utterly uneyentlul
until they reached simpsons Station,
a spot we'll known TO old travellers on
that rout, Here they met party of
emglants making for Lower california,
Y and the latter had with them small
mountain howli2er which they had
4 brought with them across the plains.
Twain took great fancy TO this gun
and offered $50 for IL with two kegs OF
\ powder thrown in. The emlgrants were
4 glad enough TO part with II, as they con-
4 cuded the time for 10 use had passed.
Dan thought the purchase OF the artil-
lery aud military supplies was asreokleas
piece OF oKlrayaganoe and said as much,
but Twain replied'
"When we start our paper we must
fire salute. A newspaper office with
artillery has big bulge on the business.
No well regulated Office in California
should be without u howit1er. II "a man
comes in for retraction we can blow
him into the next county. The how
tier goes.
Thi. silenced the argument, and the
next day the two journalists took the
road with their printing outfit and ar
tillery.
On the next night they camped in q
mountain rayine fifteen miles from
Simpson s, and after bulldog the usual
camp fire fell asleep. About ii o'clock
the horses awakened them by prancing
about, and the Two journalists were led
10 the conclusion that nothing less than
party Of Indians were making arrange.
ments for night attack. In the clear
moonlight they could be distinguished
about half mile away at the foot of the
ravine. The idea Of encountering ln-
dans had never entered the heads of
the two fortune seekers, and they had
no arms. Suddenly Twain frightened
up, remarking:
Tine howtzer.'
We've got nothing but powder" said
Dan.
well powder'll scare EN-, and well
load her up"
The piece was Immediately loaded !
with good big charge and the two men
felt quite certain that the Indians, hear
ing the roar of the gun, would beat an
unconditional retreat. The piece was
hardly loaded and placed in position
when about fifty of the redskins came
charging up the ravine.
Twain seized brand from the camp
fire and was about to lay it on the touch
hole, when Dan yelled Hold on" as he
rammed something into the mouth OF
the piece, and remarked:
Turn 'er loose"
The roar OF the howjtzer echoed
through the lonly forests and the saw
ages, with frantic cries of pain, reeled
down the ravine in wild confusion.
What in hill did you put IMP asked
Mark.
"a column of solid nonpareil and a
couple of sticks your spring poetry"
"rhe poetry did the business, Dan.
Get one Of your geological articles ready |
for the next charge and | guess it'll let
the red devils out for the present CAM
paign."
The savages again advanced. Mark
attended to the powder and Dan sorted
the shot, 80 TO speak,
"Jeems Pipes song, MY Mountain
Home"
Good for three Indians sock er in"
IAN scrostic by John X. Ride III long
primer"
III ii ISlhllAo tl'i
Frank Pixley on the Constitution,
half column of loaded BREWER"
"If it hits EN- the day il won."
"Your leader on Law and Order.
"Ssve it as a last resort"
Dan pulled the type out OF the boxes
and stuffed column after column III the
howi,zars mouth as the ssvages came
charging on. Another round from the
gun and the redskins rolled over and
over each other like bouders swept
away by mountain cloud-burst. Mark,
in an ecstasy of delight, pulled an
American flag out of his effects, nailed
it to the tsilboard of the wagon and was
about to make speech, when the dusky
figures of the foe were once more seen
moving to the attack,
The piece was again loaded, this
time with double charge. Marks lead
er on "L,w an Order" the puff OF an
auction house by Fred McCrelish Gas a
siokener," Dan said), Frank Gross verses
on "The Rebel Yell, an agricultural ar
ticle by Sebsugh, showing the chem
ical properties OF corn juice AS an educs-
tional lever, q maideR poetical effort OF
Olive Harper, and some verses by Col.
Cremeny and FrankSonle completed the
load.
"Thn noatrv reached EN- first. will