The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-01-26

got exceedingly dry. HIS relatives,
it lis said, supplied him lavishly with
funds. Repairing to Bill Drum
mond's, we'll known hunters re-
sort at that time, near Indian lake
on the Collinsville road in Illinois,
the redoubtable William asked for
his favorite beverage. 1t chanced
that the host had but little, and when
the hunter wanted a wholesale guam
tity, Drummond bethought him
self of other hunters who would re-
turn that night in the same condi-
ton William was in, and hesitated
to grant the request, until the hum
ter asked:
"What'll you take for everything
in the shop that looks or smells
like red eye?'".
The reply, twenty dollars" was
the response.
Here's twenty-five dollars"
Bill was given carte blanche,
and hunted up jug full and anoth-
er nearly SO; with few rolicking
companions the whole was consum-
ed before the next night. Bill had
a naughty disdain for anything like
beer or wine; but his thirst had
only been quickened by the gallon
or so of the fiery fluid, and he in
stituted a research into the cellar,
which resulted in finding, away
down in a dark nook, cobweb-
covered jug, which he quickly in.
vestigated, only to find it contained
cider that had passed through
the process of fermentation, and
smacked strongly of vinegar. After
drinking all of this that his sys-
tenn would comfortably contain he
picked up two jugs and swore that
he would go to Collinsville, get
them filled, and return that night.
The indomitable replenisher had
gone about mile when, in bit of
clearing, encircled by hazel brush
and fence, near the banks of Can
teen lake, he spied party of hunt
ers around a camp fire, just pouring
out copious libatlons of the desira-
bic LIQUID, for their own delectation.
After a few moments study of how
to usurp the treasures which he
knew the wagon must contain, he
sat down the jugs, and, going hastily
to Drummond's, soon returned, III
cased in his cowskin, in the tail OF
which stick had been thrust, and
the tip of which was always adorned
by huge stuffed bears claw. The
figure that he presented would have
inspired terror in a Button. The
hunters were busily picking the
meat from the bones of birds which
had been spitted over big, glowing
camp fire, as step by step the whisky
hunter crept noiselessly through
the hazel thicket. They were wholly
unprepared for anything savoring
of adventure, though perhaps their
imaginations had become slightly
inspirited by hearty drinks of what
Bill was after, when suddenly they
were startled by some unearthly
creature that sprang on the fence
with a terrible roar, as of a beast in
agony. A moment it stayed there,
uttering now shrill cry, as OF a
.na;nter." then a below as of an
enraged bull, and they were scarce
through a hasty conclusion as to
whether the thing that stood forth
in such awful relief, heightened in
horridness by the ruddy freight
glow. was man, beast or devil, or
an Indignation of all three, when
it shook it's forked tail, beloved a
sort of fiendish glee and sprang
right amidst the astonished hunters.
An instant it lay prone, while they
paralyzed with terror, dropped ev.
erything. They sprang to their feet
and fled wildly through the brush
with the dread monster in close
pursuit, which lasted only until
they were at a safe distance, when
the bugbear uttered a mocking
laugh in deep, sepulchral tones, that
sounded through the gloom like the
wall of spectral maniac, and re,
turning to the deserted camp, flled
it's coattail pockets with all the
-I:.L., - +ho;r stores and left.
In an hour or SO, comfortably
seated at prummond's, Bill Anheu-
ser did not explain to them where
he procured the numerous oottles 3
Of LIQUOR from which be replsnished
their glasses to instill descriptive
power, as they related how the! mao
been attacked by a legion Of lmPs