The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-08-09
THE CLAIM-JUMPER.
Why the Rightful Owners Failed
to Plug Him Full Of Lead.

"Fcllers, reckon we've struck 1t at
last"
Reckon we hev, Dock, an purity dog
goned rich, too"
"Bet yer right, Jim. That thar claim
Is Jest lousy with gold, an ever blamed
one of us ill git rich often it Tell yer
whit. mover see as fine layout in my
life."
"Wal, fer my part" Jerry Dunkin re-
marked, in his drawing tone, I'VE can't
git rich none too soon. I'm dog-goned
tired o. diggin' fer nothin'."
Reckon Jerry'd think 1t wuz monty
hard work IL he jest had to pick the
gold up" said old Dock Perkins II
low never seed his equal fer gittin'
tired. Pears like he gifts tired of ever
thing but eatin'."
ssBet he never gifts tired o eatin',"
Jim Buster cried, at which there was a
general laugh at Jerry's expense.
"You fellers kin laugh il you want
to-" Jerry replied. in an injured tone;
"but when Teller amt feelin' we'll
reckon he don't materially feel much like
workin'."
mo; ner he orient to feel much like
eatin'. nuther. But reckon our noun
tain days air about over, boys. an in a
month or two Jerry an all the rest of US
I'll be gittin' fer the East. l fgger that
we'll git at least Ave Thousand dollars
apiece out o. Their new mine, an yer bet
II we do, I'm goin' back to see the wild
der an the young 'uns."
"Here, too, Dock. Blamed If / amt
hankerin' to see the ole oman an the
children wuss than l ever have in the
seven year I've been away from 'em.
Pears like the hope O. seein' 'em sorter
makes feller wanter see EN-"
Jerry an me amt got nobody to 60
back to-" said Dave Rice; ''leastwise no
wives an children, but guess we'll 60
long O. the rest"
Reckon mebby yer won't be banker
In, Dave. to see that thar gal what
you're allus writin' to. low not"
just at that moment Jake Lane. who
had been out to picket the donkeys,
returned. and approaching the group
said:
oval. fellers, there's job fer u.s."
"What sorter job?' Dock asked.
.Job o. hangin' or shootin', guess"
sWhut in the dickens do yer mean?
Who air we goin' to hang or shoot?"
II reckon well hev to do one or the
tother to the Teller that's jumped oul
claim
"Which-the new CLAMP"
s.Edzackly. A Teller has squatted
onto 1t an pears to be maxim hisself al
home"
THAT 'shorely can't be. Jake" jim
Buster protested.
'.wal, it pears like it kin be-" Jake
replied.
"why. blame it all, Jake, yer shorely
mistaken said Dock. "Thar can't b
anybody up thar"
Gosh ding it, Dock, low know :
thing when see it an asides, the fel
Ter is thar to show fer hisself."
For moment the men smoked in 81
lence. looking at each other in tn,
meantime with an inquiring glance. A
last old Dock broke the silence by say
ing:
"Fellers, you hear what Jake says
Uuat yer low 10 90?
'Guess thar amt but one thing to do
Dock Bill Nelson said, IAN l reckon
we all know what that is"
Guess we do. Thar only question is
shall we shoot or hang?"
Reckon 1t don't make no special dill
ference. Shootin's leetle the handles,
though"
..Wal, well shoot then. Air 20
ready to act now?"
''S'pose now's IS good as any time
The quicker We git i'm often the clair
the better. an, asides we won't hav
no time to fool with I'm to-morry
Guess We'd - we'll 60 right up an a
I'm and ham q over With.
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