The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-06-07
THE CLAIM-JUMPER.
Why the Rightful Owners Failed
to Plug Him Full of Lead.

''Fellers, | reckon we've struck it al
last"
Reckon we hev, Dock, an purity dog
goned rich. too"
"Bet yer right, jim. That thar claim
lis Jest lousy with gold, an ever blamed
one of us ill git rich often it. Tell yer
whut, never see as fine a layout in my
life"
''Wal, fer my part" Jerry Dunltin re-
marked, in his drawing tone, ''we can't
git rich none too soon. I'm dog-goned
tired O. diggin' fer nothin'."
-'Reckon Jerry'd think it wuz monty
hard work if 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'."
"Bet he never gifts tired o eatin',"
Jim Buster cried, at which there was a
general laugh at Jerry's expense.
''You fellers kin laugh if you want
to-" Jerry replied. in an injured tone;
''but when feller amt feelin' well
reckon lie don't materially feel much like
worliin'.'
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
III be gittin' fer the East. | fgger that
we'll git at least five thousand dollars
apiece out O. ther new mine, an yer bet
if 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 | ever have in the
seven year I've been away from 'em.
Pears like the hope o seein' 'em sorter
makes a feller wanter see EN-"
Jerry an me amt got nobody to go
back to-" said Dave Rice; "leastwise no
wives an children, but guess we'll go
Bong o the rest"
Reckon mebby yer won't be banker
in, Dave, TO see that thar gal what
you're allus writin' to. l low not"
just at that moment Jake Lane, who
had been out to picket the donkeys,
returned, and approaching the group
said:
%'Wal, fellers, there's job fer u.s."
S'What sorter job?" Dock asked.
~:.Iob o. hangin' or shootin guess"
'''Whut in the dickens do yer mean?
Who air we goin' to hang or shoot?'
y reckon We'll hev to do one or the
tother to the feller that's jumped our
claim"
"Which-the new claim?"
N.Edzackly. A feller has squatted
onto it an pears to be maxim hisself at
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 be
anybody up thar"
Gosh ding it, Dock, low / know a
Ching when see it, an asides, the fell
Ter is thar to show fer hisself."
For a moment the men smoked in 81.
4ence, looking at each other in the
sneantime with an inquiring glance. At
last old Dock broke the silence by say
ing:
What yer low to do?"
Guess thar amt but one thing to do,
Dock" Bill Nelson said, ''an' / reckon
we all know what that is"
Guess we do. Thar only question is,
sshail we shoot or hang?"
--Reckon it don't make no special diff
frence. Shootin's leetle the handiest,
though"
Wal we'll shoot, then. Air you
reafiytso act now?"
2 'rS'pose now's as good as any time.
7be quicker we git i'm often the claim
che better, an, asides, we won't have
no sine TO fool with i'm to-morry
Guess we'd as we'll go right up an fix
i'm and have ii over with"
The miners armed themselves and
sEa1Sed OIL up the gulch for the purpose
of removing the claim-jumper
The claim in question had been
worked a very little, but it had the ap-
pesrance OF having been abandoned
ssonie months. A little log cabin had
been erected by the former claimant,
and this was now occupied by the new
'ssOu4er.
That's the dog-gondest checklist
piece er impudence / ever heerd tell
1of," old Dock remarked, as they clam
bered up tue rocky gulch. think of
fs.llcr comm an squattin' down on
claim right under our noses Blamed
fool might a. klowed what 'u'd happen
20 'iip