Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-12-03

! NAkHES feel a sort of
thank line 8
on the prayer-day appointed by the Ma
/ TONS ruler, but how many Of US are
able to say that our hearts are really
OVERLOOKING with thankful praise?
Last autumn, Abner Walker. Tom
Pruitt and went fishing on the lower
White river, in Arkansas. We knew
nothing of the country and especially
were we ignorant of the best places to
fish; and, consequently, we employed
as guide an old fellow known as Bone
Buck. ] don't think that had ever be-
fore seen quite so lank man. Tom
Pruitt, considerable of wag, by the
way, declared that Bone Buck could
stand in a double-barreled shotgun,
reach down and take hold Of his boot
straps.
Reports of heavy rains above had
reached US, and the river was slowly
rising when we started down the stream,
but as dangerous rise is very rare in
the fall of the year, we paid no atten-
ton to the warning muttered by Bone
Buck. After travelling about thirty
miles we landed and began to explore
the neighborhood to settle upon camp
ing place. We had not gone far after
leaving the boat when Bone Buck
stopped suddenly and said:
Look here, in this country . big
spring rise that don't come is mighty
nigh shore sign of fall overflow. The
June rise didn't come, an now bet you
any thing we air in fur it. l bet thar is
a twenty-foot rise q rushin' down this
mint, an ef you men will take the adj
vice of man that Is putty nigh fool
in some things but powerful sharp in
others, you will strike out fur high
ground an let this fishin' go for awhile.
Fish never will bite when the water is
risin', nohow.'
was disposed to take Bones advice,
the way down here to fish and l am go
ing to fish. What do you say, AbnerP"
81 am in favor of trying it awhile.
anyway" Abner rejoined.
''All right" Bone replied. "I1l stay
with you, an even eff we don't ketch no
fish we mout have a power of fun.
Lissen," he suddenly added, don't you
hear that water roarin'?"
To hear that roar did not require very
close listening. had often heard the
comparison, like the rush of mighty
waters" but never before had I appre-
ciated the full force of the phrase.
Come" said Bore, wheeling about,
we've got to git that boat or we mout
be Grounded like lot of rats
We ran back to the place where we
had landed. The boat was gone. THAT
almost do settle It," Bone declared.
Come ahead an let's pull outen here
befo' it gifts too dark to see. You men
don't pear to ketch the meanin' of all
this here. Eff we git cut of by the wa
ter you will wisht you never hearn tell
Of a fish,"
He did not understand us, for we did
appreciate the danger, but not knowing
what to do could say nothing. We
struck out in westerly direction and
had proceeded but short distance
when darkness overlook US. Bone did
not say much, but judging by the grunts
he INDUCED in whenever he heard any
new noises, knew that he was far FROM
being satisfied with the situation. After
long walk through q forest densely
tangled in its wildness, Bone halted
and, remaining silent for a few mo-
, ments, said:
''It's plum dun settled now, I'm
. thinkin'"
: "Have you lost your way?" 1 asked.
81 amt had no way to lose. / don't
kere how often a Teller comes through
these here woods, he don't parn no way.
. A squirrel amt home when he's in
. here"
: What are you going to doP" Abner
asked. ''Td like to know for I've got
, my appetite with me, and / am begin
ming to banker after the flesh potts.
. "Yas," Bone replied, IAN let me tell
you that you'll banker still wus befo'
, you git to whar the pot is a b'ilin'
. Every thing we had, you know, was tuck
! away by the boat"
81 know that but can't we find some
= house?"
= Gould find suthin' of the sort eff we
( was outen here, but how air we goin' to
3 git out when we air dun hemmed in by
: the water? The river has riz so fast
3 that the water is runnin' on all sides of
= US like mill tail"
3 That's serious" said l, "but it NAV
soon fall so that we can get out"
Q "Yas," he responded, IAN 1t may stay
, up for month. Eff we don't starve it
: will be wonder"
4 You are deucedly cheerful in your
o remarks" said Tom Pruitt. Don't you
+ think that by straining point you
s could say few more dismal things?'
T Gould do it an mout not strain much,
5 nuther. Down in here summers few
: years ago a party of fellers got kotch
: out durin' rise, an when the water
went down we found them. They
Q hadn't lost none o. thar clothes, so all
r the expense we was put to was gittil'
d some plank fur the collins"
: Abner-a rather timid man he Is, too
v -groaned aloud, ludicrous evidence OF
Q fear that brought forth laugh from
= Tom. 1 didn't laugh.
b All we could do was to wait for morn
ing, and, making down beds of the
boughs of trees, we tumbled into
troubled dreams. The sun was shining
5 when we awoke. and Walker, taking the
brightness as an evidence that the dan.
ger was past, sprang up with shout.
: Bone grunted contemptuously. "You
J amt outen the woods yit, !" said he, ''an'
it amt hardly time to holler. went
down to look at the situation Jest now,
: an the outlook is mighty pore. Look
. over yander. Whut do you think OF
that?"
1t was nothing to inspire q pleasant
e thought, / assure you. We were In the
: midst of great sea. The great rush oi
water had formed "a cut off," leaving u
:. on an island. The river, or rather one
:. of its violent prongs, had torn through .
!. small cotton field and was rushing past
! with terrific sweep.
: II tell you it's dun plum settled, >
: said Bone. mo tellin' when this water
I, will run out, an I'm mighty Altered
!. that wen be mighty gnavish befo' we
see the juice of middlln' of meat.n
, sob rxro eyok %, have