Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-13
A MACHINE GUN.
Bolder's Story, and the Great Mis-
take Of His Life.

When Smith had finished his story
old Bolder spoke up.
Il would have liked to have seen
your firework display" he began.
1T must have been rather interesting.
It reminds me of the time was used
for bait"
USED for bait!' exclaimed several
of us in establishment.
"Yes, bait for Indians. l tell you,
gentlemen, about the most unpleasant
thing in this life is to be used for In
dian bait. 1t has made me nervous
ever since. 1t is exciting and gives a
man all the horseback exercise he
wants, yet it is not as general thing
a healthy occupation. l would not
care to choose it as steady business.
1.-The first time met Slower l had
no idea he was crazy. He would talk
as nationally as any man here
(Which wasn't saying much for
him." observed the man from St. Paul.
Il was out of a job in Kansas City
and was looking round for work of any
kind when stumbled in on Slower He
seemed to have a sort of machine
shop. There was a lot of gun barrels
lying round and portable forge stood
in the corner. with the usual tools here
and there. He said he was going West
and he wanted man who knew how
to take care of horses and wasn't
afraid of work. told him was just
his man and he took me on the spot.
! asked him if he wanted to start a
machine shop further West and he
smiled grimly and said that that was
just what he was going to do. We
packed up lot of fixtures that he had
there in some boxes and there was a
lot of other boxes already packed, of
the contents of which was ignorant.
Well. we got away with another
fellow who deserted us when we were
out on the plains, and SO it was no
small work looking after the horses
that carried the things, for we had
three wagons and, when the other fell
low left, only two to drive and take
care OF them. 1t was the usual over
land business. Travelling slowly all
day and camping out at night. We
keep on the look out for Indians but
didn't see any, and We kept on so long
that l began to think old Slower was
going clear through to California, but
the old man knew where he was going,
and he went there in Decline. One
afternoon when We We're days and days
from civilization We came to a bluff
close to a small river.
Here's our spot said Slower.
Why. said l, you don't expect
to start machine shop heree'
80 You bet l do replied Slower.
We'll said. where will you
get your custom. There isn't anybody
but Indians for hundreds of miles
around
"'We'n have lots of business when
We get ready for it. Besides intend to
send you out to drum up trade if it don t
come in by ITSELF
IL began to suspect then that the old
man wasn't just right, but what was
to do? He kept the firearms and the
provisions and he owned the horses.
OF course l could have stolen one OF
them and got away. perhaps. when the
old man was asleep; but l didn't care
to do that sort of thing. Besides ]
knew that the chances were ten to one
that the Indians would nave me before
! got ten miles off. Although Slower
wasn't very sociable, he was a heap
better'n an Indian.
II took the horses down to water
and when came back said to Slower:
See here, there's been some one
ahead of you on this here claim. There
was a cabin down there by the river
that's been burnt down.
Yes said Slower, quietly, that
was my cabin
Nonsense said. now thoroughly
convinced that he was crazy; you
don't expect me to believe that you
were ever out here beforer
III you 60 to the other side of the
bluff, he said, as quietly as ever, you
will see four graves with a rough
wooden cross above them, If the In
dams have not taken it down. Those
are the graves of my wife and three
children, murdered by the redskins.
One day when I came home from hunt
ing in the foot hills ! found them
there and the cabin burned down.