The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-02-17

whose DtOnZeu features anu vigorous
breath told of many winters on the
plains He seemed at once to realize
my embarrassment, and volunteered
to give me a lesson in frontier life.
First, he told me to brace up. He
knew how felt-had been ali along
there himself. He informed me that
II wished to be respected, to kill a
man now and then. No man amount
ed to any thing unless he killed his
man on the first Friday of every month.
he concluded by borrowing a dollar.
Being offered a situation with a
wagon train about to start versus the
plains by the Great Santa Fe trail to
New Mexico, 1 accepted. AS I was
tenderfoot, my wages must necessarily
be small, the agent informed me, but
concluded arrangements by a guaran-
tee of $75 per month, and free burial
should any accidents occur while in
the service. With this cheerful infor-
nation l took my position.
Every thingprogressed peaceably I'M
| til about one hundred and ninety miles
out, when member of our advance
guard came galloping into camp in
| great haste. At the first sight of the
returning scout, every man turned out
with his rifle, ready for business. The
wagonmaster was an old frOntiersman,
| and had many times faced death with
/ the same quiet resignation rs you or l
would plate of turnip greens, yet his
/ cheek blanched when he beheld the
| excited features of the incoming guard.
Instinctively he grasp his rifle more
| firmly in his hands.
whats the matter?" he asked, in a
| hOarse, stage whisper.
"B-hoys, UNI outen terbacker!" was
| the reply.
The wagonmaster promptly shot the
| advance, and commissioned me to take
| his place, and return to the other boys
with the required weed. With many
misgivings 1 complied, but as my
motion seemed too slow for his worship,
| he shot a hole through my hat. 1
hurried off without raising any dis
turbance with him for his familiarity,
for knew that if should get mixed
up with the entire troop. somebody
would get hurt. / also feared that l
would never draw my wages, further
than the free burial promise. spared
no time in getting ont of the reach of
the amsterdam b ,idcn' s-revolver,
and catching up with the remnant of
the guard.
Here l received a hearty welcome,
and when had informed them of the
action of Dan Belden concerning their
comrade, they decided to 60 back and
clean out the camp Accordingly we
rode back to where the train had
pulled up for the night, arriving at
about two a m.
Recognizing that 1 was a new hand
at the business, Bill Cole. captain of
the guard, selected me to hold the
horses, while he and his four comrades
should fall, all spread out, upon the
unsuspecting camp and massacre it as
it slept.
In five minutes every thing seemed
awake. The bullets playfully whistled
over my head in most astonishing
manner, but 1 got behind horse and
bravely stood my ground. 1 resolved
to die hero, at least, if bullet found
it's way through the horse.
In half an hour the belligerents re-
turned. Bill Cole playfully displayed
twelve human ears strung to a wire,
explaining as he did so, in his own
simple manner:
''Tmsh' ers what comes of some
folSses durnid smartnessr'
The attacking party had cleared out
the tyrannical element with but trivial
loss. Bill lost his right eve, three fin
gers and n pound of flesh from his right
thigh. Jake Summers lost One-half of
his scalp, the tip of one ear, and would
have sustained a further loss of six
teeth had he not swallowed them dur
ing the excitement Dan Mace lost an
eve and an ear; Coon Smith four fingers
and the tip of his nose, while Ben
Searle lost quart of whisky, the bot
tie having been broken during the
skirmish. All united and passed q
resolution of sympathy for Searle in
his sad bereavement, as that was the
last whisky in camp
As we had lost one nights rest by
our belligerent actions, we were forced
to push on without rest to make uI
lost time.
Nothing of Importance happened
during our ride of the following day
1 could hardly retain my seat on the
back of my noble cayuse plug. bui
Bill Cole had more sympathy for me
than the late Mr.. Belden. and arrived
at the spot where we were to camp fol
the night alive.
/ Thoroughly fatigued, 1 spread my
blanket after the manner Of the coun
try. Before had dropped off to sleeI
] I l,,,,-Fg 4l,o ,I,,o,.rr ,-.,;,, oF TlflI Cola
: young Teller! Young feller!'
''SirP' inquired, timidly.
just call me Bill. young Teller
/ plain Bill. wy, as l was gOin' tel
t say, eff you feels suthin' a-crawlin
r acrost We tonight, as feels rs eff it haC
) a thousan' laigs, and each laig was
1 red-hot coal of fire, wy them's senty
, peeds An Of yer feels suthin' sortel
borin' hole clean through yer earkui
. like, wy them's tarantchulas. An e
D yer feels suthin' like log layin' acrOs
E yer, an a sorter sawin' away on it
= own account, wy them's rattul snaix.
!. Thanking him for this information,
D turned away, and in u few second
I slept the sleep of the just, in spite o
( the likelihood of receiving calls from
such hideous nocturnal visitors
At about midnight l was rudel,
- awakened. Bill Cole never stood OF
S ceremony, so he merely grabbed M
. by the hair and shook me a few min
\ utes, and cried in an undertone, I'm
S juNsr'
e l awoke without further ado. Tn,
- BOYS were all standing in readiness 70
\ an assault The moon came out from
$ behind a cloud, and / saw in the din
- LII I'm