Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-22
BILL jerks STORY.

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It was late in October, and the mount
ain air was chilly, but the fire which we
had built, and which reached up with its
long tongues of fame half way to the
dark pine top above, made the camp
comfortable We had stopped for the
night Just off the great Deadwood trail, a
dozen miles from that place-that great
wagon road which leads from the gold
mines to civilization, over 200 miles
among mountains and across plains, over
government land and through Indian
reservations.
I'm goin' to bed an to sleep to-
night" said Gene Brooks, a freighter,
with three great freight wagons and
twelve mules, which he drove alone, as
is customary; Il set up all last night
tellin you fellers stories, but you can't
rope me in that way tonight" We
had fallen in with Gene on the trail the
day before. We looked at the fire, now
burning lower, as we listened to the
night wind, unfolt below, singing
through the pine tops the same low, sad
refrain which the wind and the pines
ever sing.
Hanged if there amt stray mule"
said Gene, as he strained his eyes through
the darkness toward the trail. Looks
some like one of Bill jerks leaders, too,
but Dill don't let none of his mules get
away. Sides, he's gone to Sundance
this trip, though it must he bout time
for him to get back--he hurries long
kinder fast now-he gets lonesome, l
reckon. l b'lieve must tell you bout
Bill fore forget ii, ;" and Gene cut off a
chew Of tobacco with a pocketknife and
rolled over and kicked his toes into the
ground rs he gazed at the fire, while the
pines ceased their complaining song for
moment, and the murmuring of Bear
Butte creek came to our ears as it bub-
bled along over the rocks a few yards
away, all grayish, milky white, mud
died by the silver mining along its head
waters in the Galena district--all the
streams in the Black Hills run either the
same grayish, milk white or blood red
silver or gold mining.
You heard me mention Bill last
night" went on Gene. "He's a good
ono--ain't 'fraid Of nothing that walks.
Been frcghtin' ever since l havo--nine
year. Got twelve mule outfit-three
wagons. Bill amt exactly quGrrelsome,
but if he has got anything agin' anybody
he don't 20 round tryin' to forget it.
More likely he jumps the, foller an
cleans him out. Bill amt never been
licked on the trail. Carries a gun in the
wagon to use in cases of necessity. Good
foller if you know how to take him-I
never had no trouble with him--but q
little queer an not man to monkey
with less you're lookin' for mighty
lively exercise"
Gene meditatively took off his hat and
blew the dust from the wide brin--the
red, powdery dust of the trail, the
dust that is blown hither and
thither, on everything. through every
thing; that is stirred by the treas
uro coach and passenger coach, mule
train and bull train, by the passing
breeze and the gale as it sweeps down
out Of the canyon and whirls it along in
great clouds that shut from sight coach
and wagon train, dusty passenger and
dustier driver. Then he began again;
"Well, bout two year ago we was al
freghtin' from Pierre--ncaro5t railroad
town then, you know. Them was lively
times at Pierre. Killed Il man every
night, buried him the mex mornin', or
mebby the day after, 'cordia to how
busy they was.
There was a girl at Pierre named
Pearl Queen. Least that's what the bills
said her name was, though | al'ays
thought it was q little mixed bout it
bein' right She acted at the Alhambra
theatre, you sec. Danced on her toes
remarkably pretty like. She'd been
there some time, and we all Enowed her
more or less. She was a little thing,
midin' young, jedged, though | al'ays
! calculated she looked q little sort O
faded. She was kinder quiet, though
she had pcrtty peart look, too. They
said she shot Il teller at Sidney, out Pete
Ferris said it want her tall, SO don't
know nothing bout it.
Anyhow, Bill jerks got acquainted
with her one trip, and they jess seemed
to muchu ly fall in love with each other
at first sight. Well, we didn't pay no
attention to this, but we want quite
ready for what follercd Bill got load
of merch 'ndiso for Lead City, an the
mex mornin' pulled out, an the pint is
right here: Svttin' up on the saddle on
the near VIII, mule was Pearl Queen.
ies sf she'G al'ays been there. an Eli
was walkin 'longside, neJby little
closcr'n gen al, swearin' at the mules
jes' 'sif he never pulled cut no other
way.
.Wcll, W" all looked an that's bout
all we did G. when we see 'em comm n
there ha2pcaed to be quite n lot of us in
camp there an we was jos hookin' up
Dill had camped down By the freight
house. Pearl had on a new caliker
dress, mostly rcd and pretty like, an |
noticed she 'pcarcl rather better lookin'
than gea'ral, thought. Big Smith was
ca,apcd with Us; he's one o these ere