New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-12-05

HaVOr, you Know, OF che brIgands
and all that, you know. suppose
they demanded a ransom?"
ssRansom!' repeated Batchelor Jim,
with a chuckle. Not much. Ididn't
look like / was worth three cents.
was about the seediest looking chap
you ever saw, with an old boot on
oneefoot and a shoe on the other,
and my hair sticking out through
half a dozen holes in the crown ofmy
hat. ! was a likely-looking customer
to talk about ransoming. Besides
that wasn't their style of doing
things.
'sThe idea of going to buy hogs in
that sort of costume?' exclaimed one
of the opposite faction. SID have
gone and bought some descent
Clothes
Y But you don't understand, . said
Bachelor Jim, with another chuckle.
u did it a-purpose, don't you see?
it'd Nv been dressed up they'd Nv
suspected had money, and besides,
there was a man in the gang that
had worked for me and I'd discharged
for stealing, and my game would Nv
been up in a jiffy if he'd uVrecognized
me-"
"Oh! how perfectly awful, . ex-
claimed Miss Ealeria again. ssW eren't
you awfu]ly frightened?''
"Well, I'd rather they'd Nv let me
go along and buy my hogs, admit
ted Bachelor Jim.
81 reckon So" said the major,
laughing. Where did youhave your
money hid?"
"In my socks
pooh! the worst place you could
have though Of said the major.
II wonder they didn't look there
the first thing / should
ssBut they didn't search me, you
see.''
ooh! that was lucky for you.
''Well," urged Miss Valeria, "what
did they do with your
ooh, they just took me along until
they camped for the night. Yousee,"
he went on, with a sudden outburst,
as if some stronger vein of memory
had just been tapped, II was in Fire
Prairie Bottom when they caught me,
and they just took me back on my
road a little way, to hill Just op-
posite where Fire Prairie creek emp
ties into the Missouri, and not
more than three miles from my mill,
and there they went into camp.
There's fine cold spring there that
runs in clear stream down the hill
and across the road into Fire Prairie
creek, and on the other side there's a
sedgy pond that used to be the finest
place for duck I ever struck. I've
seen the whole pond just black with
'em."
"Just see how ignorant we all are
Of geography" said Miss Valeria.
Now, [ never knew before that there
was Fire Prairie creek or Fire
creek Prairie or Fire Prairie bottom
in the country. Did you, major?o
Cant say | did," said the major;
"but, then, these local names, you
know
"Of course agreed Miss Clara, the
leader of his faction, with scornful
curl OF her lip.
''Well," prompted Miss Valeria,
seeing that her man had quite lost
the thread of his story "They took
you into camp and whatDext?'
"Oh, they picketed their horses,
and got their supper, and sat on a
log and looked at EN-
"Why! why didn'tyou run away"
asked Miss Clara. "You weren't
tied"
''No, but there was the guard
standing around with loaded musk
cts, and then there were about 300
men besides. [ didn't see much
chance just then"
ssDid they give you some SUPERB
asked Miss Valeria's lieutenant.
''No, they didn't seem to have any
to spare. One of the prisoners asked
-
'sWhat!there were other prisoners?',
sob, yes; six Or eight of 'em. It
was way those fellows had of ar
resting every man they met on the
road"
"And what was it one OF them
asked?' asked the little lieutenant.
Asked the guard whether we were
not to have some supper. Guess
not, said the fellow, but you'll have
a pretty early breakfast most likely,
and he tapped his musket.''
Gracious! how perfectly dreadful, e
exclaimed Miss Valeria.
'sOh, that's nothing said the
major; guards always amuse them
selves by playing upon the fears of
their prisoners.
sSSince there were 50 many of you, 2
said Miss Clara, with the air of being
au fait in such matters. Il suppose
yourose and overpoWered the guard,
when the Others had gone to sleep
and SO got away. !"
ssNo, oh no. said Bachelor Jim,
without arms or concert of action;
that would Nv been impossible Z
Well, whatdid youdoY' demanded
Miss Valeria.
'tWent to Sleep said Bachelor