The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-09
JACK FLEMMlNG'S FIRST BEAR.

Boys, 1 amt gwine to town this
mornin'."
What, Jack, not goin' to town."
mot sick, are yer?
"hello, not goin to town.
~ hats the matter, Jack" we all
exclaimed in a breath.
NO, nothin's the matter; list kinder
reckon Il not 90 to-day
1t was the last Sunday of October, in
1872 A beautiful sunny morning, the
air still, and slight wind rustled the
leaves of the many trees about our
camp, which was situated on the Co.
sumnes River, in Fl Dorado County,
about ten miles from Hangtown.
Five of us boys were mining here,
said boys ranging from eighteen to
twenty-sIx years in age, and hailing
from Missouri, Tennessee. Ohio, South
Carolina and New York.
Jack Flemming was about six feet
three inches in height and weighing one
hundred and forty pounds and was at
this time twenty-five years of age, of
fair complexion, dark brown hair and
large blue eyes. Owing to his easy
disposition and the facility with
which he turned joke from himself
upon any one OF his companions hewas
an especial favorite in camp, although
the butt of all our fun, which he took
good-na;uredly, without any sign of
anger or disrleasure. II was wonder
ful, too, fer looking back over the long
lapse of years | can now see that many
rough jokes We're played on him.
He was always calm and collected
and was never known to get excited
over any event, no matter how excited
others might become His perceptive
faculties were dull. TIE only thing he
was sharp and shrewd about was q
horse trade, in which he always sue
ceeded. He came from Boone County.
Missouri The name OF the town | do
not remember, although many stormy
night we have been entertained by the
tales told by Jack about this town and
the ''cigcus shows that his dad used
10 lake him ''fOr o see"
,ack was the trCest hearted and most
uncultured OF all that uncultared people
do not believe he ever spoke correct
sentence Ii all his life. The only ex-
pression APP reaching profanity we ever
he ard him say was: Il gawd, bows, -
which always supposed to be a cor
runtion OF what might have been pro-
fame, had he been able to speak it cor
re tly. On Sundays it was our custom.
as o all other camps, to go to town. to
mail and get letters, see the sights. have
square meal and hear OF the latest
discoveries in the mines Il was after
breakfast We were all surprised to
see Jack settle down comfortably in his
| chair before the fire. and light his pine,
| instead OF making his usual pre- para
| tons to go to town, as the rest OF us
| were doing 1t was the more surpris ne
for the reason that the rains would soon
set in, and we could not go to town
many more times until spring. He had
always been the first to-start, and being
I G possessor of long legs. would arrive
there some time before the rest of us. anG
when we got there we had only to see
| Jack and from him hear the news. Wher
| Jack told of his determination to stay
| al home this morning we took it as s
Joke, and thought that after we haC
| gone he would take different trail thar
the usual one and arrive in town before
| u. and we fully expected to see him OF
getting there; but to our great disap
20 ntment he was not there. We gen
orally started for home in time to b.
there bg sunset, bat this day for sons
| cause We started home earlier than usu
al On the way jack was great,
missed, for when he was along their
never WAS lack of sometime 10 keel
all entertained. When we came in sigh
OF the cabin we saw the door standin!
open, and expected and hoped Jaci
would have dinner cooking. Althoug!
not thinking it would be ready, know
ing that he would not be looking for u
so soon, we stepped in softly in orde
to give him u surprise; but stopped sud
denly. for to our amazcment Jack wa
| nowhere to be seen, and everything il
the cabin was scattered over the floor
A few DAYS before we had laid in on
winter supplies; and the cabin was wei
filled with the goods and provision
found in miners cabin in those days
When we left in the morning 4 quartz
of beef was hanging on the ridgepolC
1t was gone. We looked for the guns
They were gone. A barrel of sugi
lay on its side upon the floor, ha'
empty A key of syrup, broken oper
and the syrup running over tn
cabin. Beans lying over everyth ne
In fact, everything was n confusion
e Tom Stapleton was the first to SPEAK
+ Bows" said he, ''loo1 10 your revolN
E ers; the dickens been to pay here. "
i will find Jack lying dead somewher
D., with a pound of lead in him. HarF
J. Look sharp. boys! heard some;hin'!
, We had all heard it. and had our IT
volvers ready for use. Soon steps wei
heard approaching the cabin, and eac
20 nted his weapon toward The doc
expecting to see the enemy; but, to CT
surprise and 10Y, Jack wa bed in wit
the guns over his shoulders. he can
in with a whoop; but when lie - -!
revolyers pointed at him he sait
Look here, BOYS, put them ere shoe
in'-irons up There's no danger; he
dead as door nail. WHO'S dead?
we all cried. why, the grizzly, {
course; what did you think it was?"
He then told us that a bear had CON
into the cabin and taken all he wanted
and that he (Jack) had followed hil
out and had killed him. and had onl
waited our return to help skin and DIRE:
him. We tried to make him tell us tt
particulars, but to all our questioning
! we received the response: ''Wait tt
after dinner, boys.
We brought in the bear, and SOC
everything was in order and dim,
!, cooking After dinner every one, e
| cepting jock, lighted his pipe and 81
down before the fire to hear Jack
story. 4 say, boys" drawled JacI
''afore | start inter this 'er bushes
| you will have ter excuse me while loo
up my notes. Taking up water-pa
he went to a creek near by and soon T
turned with bucket full of waite
After helping himself to drink of Il
: water, which he called adams ale,
II he said: Now, boys, yer uncle's g
u he floor, and for the first time since