Wichita eagle., 1888-02-03
MYSTERY OF THE DOE.

One will look in vain in The postoffice direc-
tory and railroad guides if be expects to
locate Soils Ridge for there is no postoflice
within nine miles and no railroad station
within a distance of twelve. Soils Ridge is
simply tavern, sort of iumberman's and
huntsman's rest high among the hills Of
northern Pennsylvania The big mills and
tannery are five miles away on one side Of
it, and the town" nine miles on the other
side A few acres of productive land to
supply the cellar, barn and bins of the tav-
ern and almost boundless areas Of dense
woods from which the tavernis larder is
largely kept fat, are its immediate surround
ings. Old Sol, the landlord, was born on
the place, and has grown gray, rotrnd and
jolly under the roof where his father had
done the same before him.
At this season of the wear there is always
hunter or two ouartered at Old Soils. and
one is sure to meet with rare specimens of
the genuine backwoodsman-gray grizzled,
lusty, rough and big hearted-reiics of the
day when the rife was not only the chief
source of their pleasure, but the arbiter of
their safety and comfort as well. The meet
ING of two or three of these old timers around
the blazing hearth of Old Soils bar room is a
rare treat TO those who may have the good
fortune to be calookers and listeners Gro
tescue Of gaTb and speech. bUbbling over with
good nature, and possessed Of fund of ro-
bust humor that is irresistible, an evenings
encounter with group Of these hardy hum
tiers is one never to be forgotten. There ex-
ploits and adventures in the woods, and the
rare experiences of others, form the invari-
able subject of their discourse-eZcept about
election times, when the merits and prospects
of rival candidates for ''shurfo or patnEaster
occupy their attenEon in more or less noisy
and always emphatic discussion. Ii at the
relation CT some of these hunting and fishing
stories the rude ard simple natives tell the
bones of Nunchausen do not turn and rattle
it will be because the boneS of that Industrious
and veracious nobleInau have long since re-
solved themselves into irreclaimable and I'M
palpable dust.
One evening at this time of year and at
early supper time a little old man with
a swarthy face and voice pitched in high
treble key came into the bar room at Old
Sol's. Sol called him Uncle Eb and was
glad to se him. lie had hardly settled him
self before the FIRE whe;. he was followed by
a tall raw boned hunter, with bcard long
and white and a very perceptible stoop in
his shoulders. Both Uncle Eb and Old Sol
greeted him as Squire. The Squire was
garl'ulous and had a habit of repeating the
last words of sentence when he began
another which gave an odd and con2ical turn
to his rapid conversation. The three old
veterans joined each other at the high,
ancient bar and were about to renew the as
suranccs Of their mutual esteem in festive
glass, when the door opened again and in
strobe a sturdy man, with a bristling, stubby
beard of two or three days growth on a
sharp, scrawny face, the high cheek bones of
which gave it the appearance Of an Indians
A napless wool hat was pulled down over his
eyes. When he spoke he did SO with q sing
song nasal drawl which would have clashed
harshly on cultivated ear. The new conner
slouched up to the bar and slapping Old Sol
on the back drawled:
"H-ul-l-o, S-a-w-ull! How b-e-e We, AN
n-y-h-o-o-w-w-u-h. An y-e-e-r-s the 'S-g-l-i-ur!
An d-a-a-r-ud eff y-e-e-r h-a-i-n-t Uncle
E-e-e-yub, H-o-o-w'd We leave the f-o-o-lks:
H-o-o-pe them a-a-wull a J-y-y-in' Their
s-e-lufs Gimme some FUN a-G'
'l-a-a-a-s-ses, S-a-w-wuilr'
The new arrival they called Sile. His
name was Sias, ard he was one of the great
est hunters in the county-7S years old, but
spending his time in the woods from October
until January. The three Old friends drew
up TO the fireplace. and Old Sol went TO the
kitchen to hurry the ''old woman in getting
supper.
"E-e-vy-e Knocked over amy Occur
this f-a -w-wull, S-q-u-,url" drawied Sile.
"Yes, think hov, SHE, replied the Squire,
talking as rapidly as the other did slowly.
''Yes, hev Killed three down iii the Rock
Run woods Killed three. think, Silc. Yes
killed three But it's hard gittir' deer now;
hard gittin' en- Tain't like il were when we
ussty sweep the ridges with our OF smooth
bores Wen we usety sweep the ridges with
our OF smooth bores Sile, twan't SO hard to
git EN-. But | killed three nice uns Already
this fall. Sile Three nice uns already. Yes,
killed three"
did We say three, 'Squiren piped Uncle
Eds treble. IVY who were it teiin' o ne
ez You had hung up four this fail: Lemme
see; who We're il teiGu' o. me that! Oh!
Tom Gilpin. He tot you'd hung up four"
$50 did, Eb, so I did" said tie Squire,
quickly. Eyes, | hung up four. Four. But |
Gidu't kill four, Eb. | only killed three-three
nice uns. But l hung UP four. Yes, ] hung
up four Tom Gipin's right. Toms right,
but only killed three"
Il don't 'dzacly foiler yer track" piped
Uncle Eb "Were somebody else a huntin'
with We, an put the slugs inter number
fourw
wall, sca'cely. Eb; wall, sca'celyi" OK
claimed The Squire. Il want huntin' with
nobody, an nobody want hurtin' with me.
Nobody WANT huntin' with me. Nobody, 'cept
the dogs, o course. 'Cept thedogs The dogs
was huntin' with me- O course. Yes. 'Twere
this here way This here's the wayit were.
/ were walkin' through an OF bark road back
O. Hulls Holler Back o. Hull's Holler. SO
fur back o. EulIs Holler th't nobody'd ever
'speeted TO see a sign stuck OF tree thar.
No. Yit tn were a sign stuck on a tree. 1t
were stuck thar, an il said, ez nigh ez could
make it out, th't TIL want nobody TO tres
pass on them parts. TIL want nobody to
trespass on them parts or the law'd be tuck
on EN- The law'd be tuck on EN-, the sign
said, ez nigh ez ! could make it ont. Yes.
So l stopped an read the sign. Read tn
sign, an then stood an wished th't some one'd |
come an try 10 put me often them parts. l |
were wishin' some one'd come an try, an fer
fear tn / some one mowt come jist AFTER were
gone | waiteda spell. waited spell We're
waitin when all OF a student heeri a veil. [ |
Eee,d a yell Sile an heerd yell, Ed. ez sot |
me squar' back 10 the days wen we usety raS-
sci with painters. II sot me clean back TO them
days, that yell did. Yes, it did. But Iknow'd |
wat it were. 'Twere cattymount. an a hic |
un a big un, know'G, from che yell give |
But il couldn't skeer me with no yell. an SO |
jist legged myself over to'ards the direction |
the yell were hhsted from. Right plumb |
to'ards the direction il We're histed from Yes. |
I hadn't gone more'n twenty rod fore l kim |
squar' onter the cattymount. Not more'n |
twenty rod Eb Not q foot furder'n that |