Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-06
HUNTING IN THE WEST.
A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE WITH
A GRIZZLY BEAR.
How Samuel Sands, of the Liars
ClUb, Succeeded in Killing a Bear
Under Difficulties.

Horace j, Weir, President of that cheer
ful organization the Liars Club, looked
serenely out from under his bushy eye
brows and across the room at the row of
men seated on barrels. He turned to Prof
Snodgrass, the learned Secretary of the
club, and said:
81 Are we all on deck?"
No, sir" responded Prof. Snodgrass;
s' John Hart is absent"
Why, how's that?1 asked the Presi-
dent.
Well, sir" answered Samuel Sands, ris-
ing from his seat on a potato barrel, "you
see last week we fined him hard cider for
the crowd for not telling his lie straight,
and he has been sick in bed ever SINCE
"Sick? With what disease?"
Inflammation of the soul, sir. The
shock of spending so much money all at
once was too great for him. The doctor
says he'll live, though"
How is that? should say his disease
was very serious one"
The disease is serious, Mr.. President ::
but his soul is so small that it doesn't hurt
him"
Up jumped a small man with snow
white mustache and pair of sparkling
black eyes.
81 move, ne shouted, that Samuel
Sands be fined 81"
What for?'' inquired the President.
Telling the truth in a regular meet
ing"
tCant man tell the truth OCCASIONALLY
demanded Mr. Sands.
Not if he wants to be a member of
this club in good standing retorted the
short man.
Order gentlemen, order'' said the
President. The Chair rules that a MEM
Der may tell the truth in meeting when
not speaking on the regular subject of the
evening"
There was no dissent from this decision,
and harmony reigned once more for a
short time. But Samuel Sands was not
happy. He arose once more.
Mr.. President he said, g rise for in
formation"
You do that Often remarked the Pres
ident his voice sliding from a deep bass to
a beautiful soprano. What do you want
now ?"
" wish to know, sir, whether member
Of this club has right to hit man who
calls him liar
No no." cried dozen voices.
President, his voice sliding all over the
scale " the Chair will explain. A men,
Der of this club should be proud of that
title, and when it is applied to him he
should thank the gentleman who applies it,
and, if the financial owl is not too much
boiled, should invite him to take refresh
ment of a liquid nature. Or am 1 right or
am 1 wrong?"
Right rightn' shouted the members.
Mr.. Sands" said the President, are
you satisfied 2'
am, " said Mr.. Sands.
Then sit down and look happy" said
the President. What is the subject for
this evening, Professor
Prof Snodgrass arose and drew from his
pocket a slip of paper. Then he read in a
slow and deliberate tone, Hunting in the
Great West"
And who is the gentleman to open the
fabricating?"
e" Mr. Samuel Sands, who has never been
further west than East Orange who never
saw a bear except at the menagerie, and
who never stood in the presence of an In
dian not made of wood
Samuel Sands arose and smiled benignly
on the assembled members of the club. He
was tall thin man, with a long nose and
anexpression of undying woe in his pale
yellow eyes. He drew q red bandana
handkerchief from his coat-tail pocket,
looked at it moment, and then, murmur-
ing THAT isn't it, put his hand into his
hip-pocket and produced an old-fashioned
horse-pistol.
This elegant revolver" he said, was
the means ="
Hold ON exclaimed the short man
with the white mustache springing to his
feet that's not q revolver"
Mr.. President said Sands in an ag-
grieved tone. :" move he be fined hard
cider for the crowd for correcting member
who has told a whopper."
The motion was put and unanimously
carried.
He stands in with the President. Mr.
Weir" muttered the short man as he sat
down. and always moves to fine people
hard cider because we have to buy it from
Weir"
That's a base falsehood!' exclaimed
Sands, who overheard him.
You fiatter me" responded the short
man.
order! gentlemen, order!!' cried tie
President. Mr.. Sands will proceed with
ms whopper."
Well, said Mr.. Sands ~ was about to
remark that this elegant revolver which
you see before you was once the means OF
saving my life. II was in the summer of
1919. when | was Fastening like many
Others to California, having been bitten by
the gold fever. We had q train of six
wagons and eight pack horses. There were
thirty-two of us in the party, including
the two famous scouts Nick of the Woods
and Baker Jim. We had also six Indians
Of the Chokeiaw tribe. We had journeyed
twenty DAYS west from Omaha, and were
in the midst of the plains. One night we
encamped on the bank of little stream.
Some of the men said il would be a good
thing before leaving so pleasant and good a
camping ground to lay in supply of game,
because when we got further west We should
strike a barren bit of country where there
was nothing to shoot unless & man had q
fancy for shooting alkali. So we organized
a hunting party to 90 early in the morning
to some bills not far away, where there was
plenty of game, such as mountain quail,
English snipe and wild geese"
What, in mountain p exclaimed the
short member, jumping mp again.
The gentleman is fined another round
of bard cider" said the President, charg-
ing it to him in the books then and there.
"Oh, this thing is a regular swindle, -
muttered the short man, sitting down.
If You make any more remarks like
that. said the President, ri fine you two
rounds at once
Let's expel him, - said another man.
Order order y shouted the President.
Don't you know any better than TO want
to expel man who gets fined cider for the
crowd? Why, if he were not in the club
you might have to pay for il yourself. Go
on. Mr.. Sands
Well" said Mr.. Sands, before 1 pro-
coed any further l should suggest that we
tackle one of those rounds of hard cider
right here and now"
The suggestion OF Mr. Sands was met
with general approval except from the
short man with the white mustache. who
could see nothing attractive in the propo-
si.ion. The cider however. was promptly
served by the Presidents tow-headed boy,
Gud.then Mr.. Sands was requested to plo-
coed with his whopper.
As l was telling YOU he said. "a
hunting party was organized. 1t consisted
of Barker Jim, the scout, two Indians.
named Wa-ta-skin, which means Too
Observation-Disclosures and Ja-de-dab.
which means Young MANY ith-the crook
ed-elbow,' three white men and myself.
We all had rifles and bowie knives and re-
volvers. and / carried, in addition. this
cheerful little popgun which you see before
YOU After q weary tramp of four miles
we reached the hills. The two Indians
were sent up to beat the bushes and chase
the game down, and the rest of us were
scattered about in good positions at the foot