Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-10-15
MY PARDNER, BILL
The Story OF : Lonely Grave on
the Mountaiu-Sids.

IN hour later at Pueblo. storaed at q
way station long enough for = solitary
passenger to get on.
The person in question was man |
past middle age. OF medium stature,
firmly and compactly built, who would
not have attracted q second look. how
ever, but for the fact that his face was
badly disfigured by spurious scar on
his right cheek, In shape exactly re-
sembing Greek cross.
The new conner found seat beside
me. threw up the sash and became abb
sorbed in the scenery along the road,
his interest increasing IS the train
presently swept along q pretty valley.
Suddenly he turned half way round.
touched my arm, and. pointing
through the open window. said. very
abruptly: "Say. stranger. do you see
that pile O. rocks yonder on the slopep
Well, that's Bills grave"
The mans action and speech startled
me trifie, but looked out and saw.
as he had said. pile Of rocks on the
green slope Of the hill
YES" continued the man, 'sthat's
Bills grave. Twenty-Five years ago /
put them stuns thar myself Poor
Bill! pure gold cla'r through. an |
rec1' orter know. for / know'd Bill
from the ground up"
Having delivered this short speech
the man lapsed into silence, with 4
PARKWAY, dreamy look. as II recalling
events long past. But his words had
aroused my curiosity, and at the risk
OF interrupting the strangers reyerie
finally ventured to ask: who was
Bill. sir. whose grave is yonderP"
My companion gave sudden start;
then, recovering himself he answered.
Didn't know Bill. Ell? OF course not
seem he was dead before ye was born
| dead twenty-five years come June
Bill was my pard. sir, Bill was. A mar
to tie to every time Say, don't "
think ye'd love chap what 'ud b
/ willin' ter die for YEP Be willin', an
| would. an did. toop reck'n.
e do you mean to say your chuu
q died for your asked. now thorough
I ly interested, for there was tremen
. dous feeling and earnestness in thu
strangers manner.
# The man turned round, looked m
!, squarely in the face and in q solemn
!. voice said:
stranger. he did"
). Would you mind telling me some
h thing about your friendP' I asked
) Il never git tired. sir. of talkin
y about Bill" was the prompt reply
d stopped hyar yesterday jest to Sc
is that grave. Put up one or two O. tn
4. stuns as he'd rolled down. It's q
right now.
when I fust met Bill he was guid
for chaps a crossin the plains. SAINT
"a Fe way, Tor thar want no railroad
them days. A good guide n trust
;" Curious though bout some thing
20 He'd never use cuss words, nor drln
" but Lord! how he'd smoke. all day lor
:" n half the night, too; good-nature
" but the solemnest chap l ever struc
y Stranger, l never know'd Bill t
10 laugh, never. not oncest Told L
&c his heart was broke, n he couldf
L. laugh. What did he mean? Lor, ma
l dunno for he never said much abo
nc hisself l'asked him his name n
az said it was Bill ask'd him VIII
IT. he was from, n he said from n
AZ whar.' Ispec thar was a woman
IN the case-thar mostly is, notice. b
ne Bill was built like a clam N kept
~, mouth shut.
IN .Wall, Bill an me got ter be grt
- chums an was mighty sorry when
=, quit piletin' trains, an jined so
hunters, an pulled out into the he'
~. O. the Injun country.
~ "Bimeby, year later, havin' go'
If bit crazy on the subject O. silver m
I'd ing, struck this same region we
,., now passin' through, but we he'd
- luck at all in findin' silver, thougl
~ felt l he'd struck it rich one fine
~ when two hunters walked into
camp one of EN- being my old frit
10. Bill.
g. GLAD to see him, ehp Young m
~ eff we'd seen old Bill an me hugg
80 we'd thought we was couple o b
va for sure.
- "Bill had been tharabouts for s
erai months an said thar was no
YER signs about, an so our pa
pulled up an went farther south.
| STAYED with Bill an t'other chap
take a hand at trappin' beaver
age THE old fellow had nice bit {
'in- hut nigh quiet valley. where
REQ was heaps O beaver. an as thar
VI no redskins around we enjoyed {
% selves immensely.
'no "But l didn't fancy Bills comp
:. " ion, an he didn't waste any love
NY me either Bill had picked him
1'' on the border jest fer company.
, ', took to him bit because he seem'
~ nervy, brave fellow He was /
'no breed Mexican, named Yumez, a sn
a,o' wiry fellow, with sallow cheeks. c
o black eyes and Ratchet face,
'no crafty ways like fox. At frs
eau showed his dislike of me plain eno'
. 10 but by and by he became sudd
th'o very friendly. which made 1t n
nus pleasanter all round.
~. Zone day l went up the creek te
a. anime the traps, leaving Bill and
U.s. mez mending some of the old one
~. home. Having been gone about
-, hour was gittin' ready to ret