The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-08-16
IN TIE A WEST.
Fun at a Military Post--How the
Boys Had a Little Fun with
"Slim Jim"
Detroit Free Press.

| their clutcleS. lie 'lluldl SSdIO 10 thV IA
vorite sport in this line, the innocent victim
being induced to accompany a party a short
distance from the post, ostensibly to shoot an
telope. When near some gulch or pile of
rocks a bowling troop of soldiers disguised as
Indians dash at the hunters (?) firing blank
cartridges and emitting the most hideous
wells. or course, the soldiers in the hunting
party fall as if wounded and yell at the victim
to run for his life, and then the fun begins.
Such wild leaps as are usually displayed by the
frightened "greeney,' who darts toward the
garrison with every hair erect, forms so hldl-
crous a picture to those who are in the joke
that spasms of laughter at once suppiant the
demoniac yells which but a moment before
tortured the pure mountain air. When he
/ reaches the post the atfrighted victim yells
for men to at once fly to the rescue CT his
wounded comrades, and then recites a story
of a terrible combat with an overwhelming
force of savages, in which he displayed un
wonted heroism and fought like a demon.
When the bogus Indians come in, doubled UP
with hysterical laughter, the dupe either &C
knowledges the sell and joins in the hilarity
or sneaks crestfallen from the post and foots
it to the nearest point.
CAUGHT A TARTAR.
One day while sitting in front OF the head
quarters at Fort Smith, conversing with the
lamented Major Thornburgh, then command
ant of the post, | observed a long, lank,
roughly dressed fellow standing up near the
post-trader's store surrounded by a group of
soldiers. He wore upon his cadaverous fea-
ures an idiotic grin, and looked for all the
world like a recent graduate from an inland
Missouri farm. Suggesting to the major that
there might be some fun in store for, us, we
walked up to the crowd, and reached it just
as one of the troopers asked:
ado you like to hunt, pardy"
s.Hunt? wal I reckon l deu. Back ter
hum l used ter be the best hunter in the
neighborhood, an could knock the delights
outen a squirrel nearly every pop in the tops
O. the highest hickary trees. Oh I'm no
small pertaters when it comes down to hunt
ing"
Here was such a victim as the fun.loving
soldiery seldom caught, and every heart beat
high in anticipation of rare sport. The de-
tails were soon arranged, and a party organ
lied to go out upon the chase. A short time
before the hunters took their departure the
'Indians" could be seen sneaking away in
! the rear of the quartermaster's ~store-houses,
and fastening away toward a rocky gulch
half a mile distant. Determined to see the
sport | joined the party of which our rural
friend formed a member, and we set forth,
telling him the most improbable stories of
the quantity of game to be found, and post
ing him as to the use of his gun, which, by
the way contained a blank cartridge.
When we reached the gulch the "Indians'
rose and poured in upon us a terrific volley
of smoke-and then charged us yelling like
demons. Every one of us but the stranger
fell at the first fire, and in piteous tones We
begged him to run for his life and send us
help. Instead of doing SO, however, he stared
at the attacking party in a dazed manner,
giving utterance to but the words:
"Wal, l swan to gosh"
The firing party dashed right up to him.
blazing away vigorously, but ''greeny" never
tinched. When they got almost close
enough to poke him with their guns he said:
"W'at IN the name of commo sense all
ye? Air we crazy, or hev We eat somethin
that kinder d~isorganizes yer innards an
cramps 'erh up? Ye act like a drunk lunati
asylum turned loose!'
With renewed yells the party made a dasl
at him, when he coolly laid down his muske
, and, reaching back under his dilapidate'
coat-tails. produced a pair of vicious loOkin
pistols of the bulldog patti ern, and ~levellin
them at the now discounted "Indians
said:
"Now, you fellers hev made yer play al
!. III make mine. Ground arms, every son-o
= a-gun of ye, or Ill pump We full Of fort!
Y four caliber bullets. Drap 'em live y !" an
he cooked his murderous looking revolver
The guns went to the ground, and the squa,
ron stood with blank dismay pictured c
every face.
. Snow every dod-durned one O. ye stand q
d yer heads"
"Oh! now see here, pardy,'' said a soldie
'don't you know that we were only jo-
" "Up with ye, or a streak of daylight
foller a chunk O. lead through yer anaton
n in a holy minute !"
D. The troopers obeyed, and in a moment
le half dozen pairs of legs waved wildly in t
,e air. He bel them in position for fully
It. minute, when he permitted them to aga
L.
es assume a natural position upon Their fe
e. Then he got his late companions in the Ii
nd Il had sneaked behind a large rocky, and
Va fully an hour he held the entire crowd
lie gether, putting them through, the most lu
ra crous acts and contortions. He would ma