Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-10-25
WHITE HEAD"
BY CAPTAIN KEMEYs.


"Say, Bill, whar ye goin' to camp,
hey"
"'Bout FIVE miles further on l
guess
"Why not here, pard : Plenty
of water an grass
eyes, 'xactly so; and plenty of
sumthin' else, too"
"What's that p
"Pll tellyer. Don't say nOtnin'."
The scene, near the Cemanche
and LOup Creeks, Eastern Colorado;
the time, A. D. we'll, about 80 years
ago, say. The personages, two tall,
sunburnt hunters, guides or both,
who we're plotting somewhat long
tram of emlgrauts across the
plans.
These emigrants, although COM
paratively used to the Western
wllds, were not yet to be trusted In
any matters relating to the man
agement OF the train, nor in making
a decision IN which their own we'll
being was in the least degree con-
cerned. The hunters, Bill and
TObe, we're always appealed to,
and their verdict was final, no mat
ter what SUBJECT might be under
discussion.
The time was about Six O'Clock,
on a lovely day IN September, and
the train, with its patent draught
animals, had been tolling steadily
along, till its teamsters we're just
thinking of camping. The locality
was so lovely at the junction Of
the two creeks afore.named, with
low hills upon either side, that
stretched away in airy shapes till
lost in the dim haze of the cleud-
less SKY.
The clear creeks, set with sedges,
looked so inviting, that men and
animals alike turned a wistful eye
upon their cool how. Green grew
the grass there, and the beautiful
stretching meadow seemed to roll
its tree sward away to the foot
hills, where Gray's and Longs
peaks Glove the still blue air.
why not camp here? Let US
listen TO what the hunters say
"ThaTs a little grade right
ahead, Toby. Jest You 60 forrad
and tell the teamsters to put on
brakes in time, I'll stay here and
keep things stiddy like"
SO Bill proposed but just as the
leading team had almost cleared
the grade, its near iOrewheel drop.
ped into an unseen muskrat bur
row that undermined the way, and
brought up with a jerk so sudden
that the axle snapped off, as Tobe
expressed It, "shOrt as pie crust"
leaving the great wagon helpless
mass in the road; and, in addition,
stopping the headway of the rest
so quickly that an unsuspected
melee was the immediate result.
This having subsided IN some
meusure, the fractured axle was
subjected to an exaE'natiOn which
resulted "a the verdict that "some
time must be givnn for repair,
and as no part of the train could
proceed without the remainder,
a halt all along the line was order
) ed for the night, and orders were
gwen TO scamp upon the spot"
proceeding which, while 1t gave
unlimited satisfaction to most Ol
the tram, called forth the lOudest
expressions OF anxiety and dis
trust from the hunters.
"Just my luck, dog gone it, "sait
Bill, "ter get ketched in this blast
ed place. Wouldn't had it fur
hundred dollars.
This remark was overheard b.
one of the leading emigrants, VIII
hastily inquired what was tn
matter.
"Hush ~ SAID Bill. ~ don
want those punkinheads ter hea
me; wait till after supper, tbeI
III tell ye." &.
SO the dusty journey for tina
. day done, the camp was made, an
the tired beasts pIcketed near th
sparkling "Loup" cropped th