Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-07-29
BLACK PETE'S DOSE.

DLAOh L IL IL ~ DOOL.
Before Bodfish's store at Cactus station
stood two mule team and loaded wagon.
Upon the drivers seat Joe Dobbs was
waiting to receive the last item of the sup
plies which he was to take to the Great
Cinch mine Beside him, with shining
ebony face, sat Peter Brayton, whom Joe
had just engaged to serve as cook at the
mining camp. Peters mouth was flash
ing ivory mpartially at everything, hui
morous or otherwise, that occurred within
his ken; millionaire might have envied
his contentment though all his worldly
goods were contained in flour sack tucked
beneath the seat and in a round pasteboard
box held carefully in his lap In the box
was his most cherished possession-a thing
at that time an object of curiosity and in
variable disrespect in Arizona-a high silk
hat which, tempting fate through igno-
rance, he was about to take with him to
the camp in Chiricahuas.
The clerk having filled black quart
bottle in accordance with directions given,
corked it and brought it wrapped in a
piece of gunny sack to the wagon. Joe
laid the parcel carefully among the bacon
sides and -four sacks behind him, then
gathered up the reins, halloed to the mules
and was off for the desert trail
Good luckn called the clerk after him.
Keep your eye peeled for 1njuns Word
came in this morning that some of the San
Carlos Apaches are off the reservation"
At this friendly warning Joe shifted
contemptuously. The idea of anybody
presuming to tell him-twelve months in
the country, and one of the owners of the
Great Cinch--anything about Apaches
Despite heat and dust, the trip to the
station for supplies was looked on as a
pleasure excursion by Joe, Missouri boy,
who liked nothing better than to "whack"
mules. The camp was a long days jour
ney away, and he called and cracked the
whip often at his long cared steeds to keep
them to their pace. The route lay through
an arid plain, its baroness varied by scanty
tufts of grama, tall sand grass, scattered
clumps of mesquit and many cactuses and
yuccas.
Black Pete-to give Peter Brayton his
usual and accepted title-was not pleased
with the appearance of the country, which
was new in his experience.
Its po' Ian fur a fac, boss" he COM
mented. "Nuthin a-growin but dem big
x
Pears like mighty fine kentry ober dar,
dough" and he looked approvingly toward
the southern horizon, in which the mirage
displayed a beautiful landscape of water
sheets, islands and forests.
"Oh, over there!' said Joseph, grinning
perfidiously aside. That's Mire-age lake,
an the islands where the oranges an cocoa
nuts grow. Hits close by the Great Cinch.
Well go a-sailin there some day."
This romantic statement led Pete to ask
more questions, in answer to which Joe
told his 'teEderfoot" passenger many as
! tonishing things for the truth of which
should not like to be held responsible.
About an hour after noontime the wagon
descended the side of deep hollow wind
| ing through the desert, with dry water
/ course at its bottom, bordered by patches
of tall, brittle grass and two or three stunt
ed cottonwood trees. In the sandy chan
mel, without visible inlet or overflow
spread the pool of muddy alkaline water
known as Corundo springs. Here the
mules were Embarrassed watered and fed
with grain, and at little fire of sticks and
grass the two wayfarers cooked the bacon
bread and coffee, which served as their
monday repast.
What's all dis talk agoin bout Injuns
boss" asked Peter, as he smoked his corn
cob pipe after the meal. Dem PEACHES
dey say dey're mighty troublesome now
adays. Allus a-spyin roun waitin ter s'prise
yer, and den it's goodby, niger. Dey'll
burn yer feet, an den dey'll scalp yer ha'r
off'n yer head"
"Apaches" said Joe, with lofty con,
tempt. That's talk fur tenderfeet. YeI
safe ter gamble that thar amt an Injun
within hundred miles o. hyar. The red
devils know better'n to come whar we
miners are They don't like to run W
agin this kind O. truck" And the boy
touched his revolver and his belt filled
with cartridges.
Pete decided that he would take a nan
Deposting his hat box for safety upon the
wagon load, he accidently displaced the
bottle in the gunny sack
WHATS in dat bottle, bossf" ne asked
"Sumfin good ter drink"
You let it alone; hits medicine" said
joe. Peg Leg Crawford thinks it'll cure
rv'rything from climate and bad water
ter old age. I'll read yer what it's made
NV"
Taking from his pocket worn piece OF
brown wrapping paper, he spelled out a
roughly written formula calling for Bran
dy, Camfire, X pepper aud Perrygorick. ,
"Clar for it," remarked Pete. "Wid
SIGH congrievances as dat, drink NJ Civ,
pusson a drefful stirrin' up, sho"
"Pizen him more likely" said Joe
Hits powerful sleepyfyin stuff, TUX 6
dose last summer when got the collie f'on
eatin cactus plums, an it 'peared like I't
never git awake arter it,"
Pete crawled beneath the wagon ant
went to sleep. The mules having eater
their barley, Joe, who meant to finish tbs
trip in the cool of the day, picketed then
out on the bank where, within the rang,