Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-08-09
DICK TOMN'S PLUCK.

If only lad decent gun now
r,urmurcd Dick Tobin half aloud.
Here's Vie shoetin' season Just com.
IN on. an all I've got is that old mus-
sle-'oader pap and grandpa used 10
tteir time. An Jim Ferris says 4l5
will buy dandy brcech-loader down
ct town. II might as well be $50. Pap
woa't give me the money. so there's an
end OF IL
From the old tavern window where
Dick stood the clearing sloped to the
rivers edge, and beyond the spark,
ling stream. rubbed into ripplcs by
the rude autumn breexes rose tho
forest all golden and scarlet in the aft
ernoon sun. stretching away in slop-
ing hillsides and sharp ridges until II
faded dimly into the blue October haze.
1t was view suggestive Of hunting,
and to Dick it was doubly tantalizing.
for we'll he knew that over in the woods
and hollows the pheasants and rabbits
were rustling the dead leaves and up
on the sunny slopes the quail were
feeding.
Dick was only IL. but from the time
he was 10 years old he handled gun.
and the free outdoor life in his noun
tain home had given him a perfect
knowledge of woodcraft
His father had kept the old tavern
for more years than Dick could re-
member. II was really only back
woods store, where the few lumber
men at the settlement and the trap
pcrs in the neighborhood bought pow
der and shot. tea and tobacco. Once
in great while belated trapper or
hunter from the far-of cities stopped
over night.
Jake Tobin's tavern it was still
calied,s though no strong drink had
been sold there for years. Dicks
mother had died when he was baby,
and Dick had vague knowledge that
the cessation Of the liquor traffic dated
frem that sad event
On this particular October afternoon
Dick was alone. His father was down
the river salmon-fshing and would
hardly return before shutdown. No
Customer had been near the store all
day. SO Dick had plenty of time to
think. and all he thought about was
that much-coveted gun that Jim Ferris
bad described to him. He fully under.
stood the possibilities Of q breech.
loader, for with his old musket he had
1s.s ~ .;m n nhe Jaaee .n'ouSn ,ne
~. " =, . .snuS A nso aau ne reaily
~ I;s.s " me .o.u IN future pe
ss..a sc o .nas lnucn.uc-
49, sun. ~ ne eon'lnneu 70 stare
80 s I:.. ~. w .ne au,oinn iano-
sS;P 49,. ..o .s..io lo.h On n's pro" aeeP-
os as TUG iain. report Oh gun
~ 0S ohcc y. TWICE over the distant
a.A 'an.ail.lnS sounu In MS pres
HAme OF nina.
, ssenIy inc creating SOUND OF
n, $3.50 Vaau MN W 1olge' ms t,ouo-
sos. .na. .unSlng OUT on tne porch. ne
oomlns uo"n inc rougn mountain
uA" iunioe"agon' ari'en Dy TWO
GTizzled old mountaineers, Silas Heck
asd Luke Carter. As they drove up to
the tavern door Dick noticed in the
wagon what appeared to be . big
wooden box.
sHullo there youngster! Is your pap
KF demanded Luke Carter. jumping
" the ground and hitching the mule
y syoung sapling.
ANo. he's gone fishin'," replied Dick.
Gone a-iishin', be's he?" cried
Like. He hcsitated moment and
then said. briskly. "Wa-al. reckon
ycuii do jlst as well. You see me an
Slaas here Is goin' down ter town to-
morrow. an we hev package to put
q? here over night. Wegot panther
IL that box. Catched 1t In trap day
atnre Yesterday. and we ought to git
spod price for it. bein' it's alive an
bekin'. Jest tell us whar to put 1t an
we'll tote 1t right inside. il won't do
tef leave it outdoors, fur all the dogs
" !he settlementll get wind OF it"
Get out you brute. ho cried, snap
pug bis whip at Mangy-looking
hound that had come up unseen and
was smiling about the wagon with
bSistling hair.
Dick looked at the big box with sud-
den interest. He hardly knew what
answer to make. for no guest Of that
kiad had ever been accommodated at
ting tavern before.
Hurry up youngster," cried Luke.
TITS gettin' late. an we'rs goin' across
thu river ter Bill Williams yet ter
night"
Bring her in, them said Dick. "an'
Pct it Ia the room at the end Of the
hall"
Luke and Silas wanted no further in
viiation. With much pulling and blow
Ing they carried the box up the porch
aud showed it roughly along the hall.
nl.k ran ahead and onened the door