The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-22
CULTURE ON BITTER CREEK.
Erom ths Sac Fi-aneisco Wasp.


&eached the Bitter Greek country l made
nv first overland trip to the Pacific coast
staged it from the then terminus of the
Union Pacific to the Central Pacific, which
Eas pushing east. The stage broke down
Oh Bitter Creek and the passengers had &c
walk to the next station. I grew tired OF
walking before reached the station, and
coming late in the afternoon to where some
Ssamsters were camped concluded 70 stop
with them for the night. On asking their
permission to do so they assented so heart
ily that felt at home at once. Life in the
vest was something new to me. was
young and buoyant and just out Of college.
l was fond Of talking. l thought it would
be novel and delightful to sleep ut OF doors
with these half savage OK drivers, with no
shelter but the vAulted, star-gemmed heav-
ems.
There were four teamsters and as many
wagons, while thirty-two oxen grazed
around IN the vicinity. OF the teamsters
one was a giant in stature and wore bushy
black heard. another was shorter but
powerfully built and one-eyed; the third
was tall. iank and hame-j awed, while the
fourth was q wiry, red-headed man. In
nv thoughts / pited them on account OF
the hard life they led and spoke TO them in
a kind tone and eDdeavored TO make my
conversation instructive. l plucksd a
flower and pulling il to pieces, mentioned
the names of the parts-pistil. stamen
calyx and 80 on-and remarked that 1t must
be indigenous to the locality and spoke OF
Abe plant being indigenous, IN contradis-
tiuction 70 exogenous, and that they could
see that it was not cryptogamous. In look
ing at some fragments Of rock my thoughts
wandered off into geology, aud l spoke of
the tertiary and carbontferous periods, and
of the pterodactyl, lchthyosauruS ana DINO
therium.
The teamsters looked at me, then at each
other, but made no response. We squatted
down around the frying pan to take supper,
and as the big fellow with his right hand
slapped or sort Of larruped, long piece OF
fried bacon over piece Of bread in his left
hand, sending a drop Of hot grease into my
left eve. he said to the one-eyed man: "Bill
is my Shakespeare In your wagon9 i
missed it to-day"
"No. My Tennerson and volume OF
Italian poets is in thar-no Shakespeare"
The lauk-looking teamster, biting Off a
piece of bread about the size OF saucer,
said to the big man in voice which came
huskily through the bread: Jake, did yer
ever read that yolum' Of po'ms that writ~
''No: but hev bern tell on EN-"
Eyer mean Musin's of an Idle Mann
spoke up the red-headed man, addressing
the poet.
YES
'sHev read every line in it a dozen times"
said the teamster with the red hair, and as
he sopped 4-iuch swath with a piece Of
bread across the frying pan he repeated
some lines.
''Ihem's they nodded the poet 1.-THE
Emp'ror Of Austry writ me a letter highly
cOmplimeutin' them pO'ms"
They're very techin'," added the wiry
man.
/ took no part in these remarks. Some
how did not feel like joining in.
The wiry man having somewhat satisfied
his appetite, rolled up piece Of bacon rind
into a sort OF single barreled opera glass
and began to squint through it toward the
northern horizon.
"What yer dom, Davel" asked the stout
man.
"Takin' observations of the north star.
Want to make some astronomical calkila-
tons when get to Sacramenter."
"Well, yer needn't ter make that telescope.
could er took yer observation for yer, as
hain't but one eyer
''Git out thar, yer darned old carbonifer-
GUS pterodactyll" yelled the hame- jawed
driver to an OK that was licking a piece of
bacon.
81 give good deal Of my time TO 'stron-
omy when | was up in Yorrup," remarked
the tall man.
"Over thar longr asked one.
GOOD while. Was Minister to Rooshy.
Then / spent some time down in Rome.n
"RUmem exclaimed the lank individual.
"Was born there. My father was a sculp-
tor"
''Well one wouldn't er thought 1t to look
at YER"
az never was in Yorrup,n remarked the
one-eyed man. when / occupied the
cheer of ancient languages in Harvard Cox
Iege my health failed, and the Teller that
had me hired wanted me to go to Yorrup
for an out, but concluded TO como west ter
Iook-Hold up thar, yer Internal fea-bit-
ten ichy'ceverusn he bawled to an OK that
was chewing cud.
felt hot and feverish and long way
from home.
81 got ready once ter go to Rome
wanted ter complete my studies-but gave
1t up,n said the one they called Dave.
''What furq"
= "They wanted me to run for guv'ner in
Virginny."
"Yer beat 'emP'
Thunder, yes"
"Why didn't yer stay tharp'
"Well, when my job as gunner gave out
they 'lected me Episcopal bishop, an / hurt
my lungs preachin'. Come west for my
ASA&es
@Eound 'emF
swell, Pm improvin',"
did not rest we'll that night AS day
came on and the men began to turn over in
their blankets and yawn, the tall one said !;
''Hello, Bill How yer maxim itP'
20, I'm indigenous"
AN DaveF
''rm endogenous.n
''An' you, lanky. yer son of a sculptorP
"Exogenousn
"How do you feel, Jake" inquired one Of
the three
.'Cryptogamous. sir; cryptogamous."
l walked out a few steps TO a little stream
20 get drink. l felt thirsty and ached
Then heard voice from the blankets
wonder If those darned old dinother uns
OF ourn are done grazin'P'
Then reply: II guess they've got to the
tertiary period.n
walked little piece to breathe the
morning air. kept on.
A Comm at Monticello.