Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-11-13
ON THE DEVILS BACKBONE.

sorts of scrapes aud troubles there
! from.
The Washington county farmers used
to come into town then on their wa
gons, bringing along not only big
loads of grau, wool fax, poultry. anC
| other produce, but their wives anG
daughters as well. They would drive
in one day. put up over night at the
old Farmers inn,' down near the
Smithtield market. and the next day
would make their necessary purchase
and 90 home.
got to know personally great
many of the farmer folks, and had oc-
casiOn--Or took ito observe that
there were plenty OF very tiue young
women among them - buxom. full
bosomed, bight-eycd, red-lipped girls
full of health, vivacity, aud natural
honesty. But old man Dan Elders
daughter Jennie seemed to me the
flower of the Mock, and ! assure YOU
that, rs far as could, made It an
object of interest for the Elder family
to do its trading at our store.
Jennie and got quite friendly, and
began to have Il hopeful suspicion that
she was pretty near As glad 10 see me
when she came to town as | was to see
her. Once ! rot her and her father to
20 with me to u theater the first time
either of them had sccu i play, but he
got notion that there was something
| wrong about stage plays and would
not let her 20 again. Still the old fell
low seemed to take Il sort Of liking To
me, and after hc had got to know me
quite well, nearly two years from our
first meeting, hc invited me to visit his
place out on Raccoou creek.
About week aftcrward | hired a
good saddle horse and rode out to pay
that visit. 1t was easy enough 10 find
"Uucle Dams place, FOX everybody
within radius Of ten miles about it
seemed to know him, and | reached
his house just at dusk. | thought it
was good omen when the dogs were
SO much more friendly than country
dogs generally are in greeting Il stran-
ger and was sure Of it when Jennie
Eaid archly:
odd Bose wouldn't be so good
natured if be did not know that | was
expecting YOU He must have heard
me talking about you"
That evening the whole family, Jen-
ME, her father and mother, in elder
brother, and two siSters-wcnt TO Il
dance. about two miles distant, and.
OF course, | went along. At least |
seemed to do so. In point of fact. I
went to Paradise. | sat beside Jennie
in the big wagon, with my arm around
her while we went through dark
patches Of forest; danced with Jcn-
ME, don't know how many times;
waited upon Jennie ut supper, rode
home beside Jennie, with renewed
utilization of forest shadows; and even
snatChed kiss from Jennie ere she
fed to her room. Under such circum-
stances how could l be expected 20
be more than vaguely conscious that
there was big. hulking, cIod-hopper
named Jim ArnGy. who scowled aud
glared ut me as if he would like to eat
me? What the mischief did | care for
Jim Arney? But the fellow wouldn't
be ignored. The very next afternoon,
feeling that it was not quite the proper
thing for me to loitcr around the house
all day, | borrowed brother Dawes
rifle aud went out TO shoot q squirrel
or two if | could find any. Suddenly
at turn in the road was confronted
by Jim Arney on horseback. Ewing
me with an insulting aifectation OF
scorn he snarled:
You're pretty looking dandy from
town, amt you?" | replied thst eau
didly speaking, I really did think
presented rather agreeable contrast
TO him.
He flushed augrily. aud speaking in
voice thick with passion retorted:
I'D break your back ii Jennie had
mt said was to leave you Alone l
told him | would secure his pardon for
all the back-breaking he could do on
me, and invited him to wade 10, "
but he rode off on his way, and cut
on squirrel-hunting.
Leaving my course to charse I
strolled higher aud higher up gently
slopiug hill until | came out suddenly
at the top Of precipice several hun
dred feet in height, which | subse.
quently learned was called the Devils
Backbone Tho face Of tho cliff was
rs sheer as wall. but rough with
great holes burrowod here and there in
the soft sandstone by the elements, and
with narrow lodges, on which trees
and shrubs grew. masking all the rocky
declivity with foliage. The tops OF
tall trees were down below me, and
far in the depths beyond their roots |
could catch glimpscs Of the creek. like
silver thread. Around where stood
bushes grew thickly up to the very
verge OF the precipice, with trees occa-
sionally amoug them leaning over it.
An impudent, chatteriag gray sauir-
rel sat upon his launches in tree on
the brow OF the cliff. barking at me,
and shot him. lie fell and lodged
on little ledge full twenty feet below
the top, where ! stood. made 10 my
mind to get the body OF the little beast,
aud the difficulty and even positive
danger TO be- encountered in doing so
were only indictments to achieve the
ieat. Laying my guu upon the
ground. | seized tough bush, swung
over the edge Of the precipice, and
lowered myself To point where ] 90.
foothold aud second bush that
would bend still lower. Before max.
Ing the second descent | made the first
bush fast, in its bent position. to the
second, to have a way secured for re-
turn. Then | went to the ledge wher,
the squirrel lay. In STOPPING TO pick
II up, | carelessly let 90 the bush by
which / bad swung down. and i
sprung back instantly TO its norma
position, dozeu feet above my head
was securely trapped in u place from
which couldn't safely get away un.
aided without could have flown like
bird. Not a friendly twis was with