Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-01-08
AN INDIAN ADVENTURE.
The Remarkably yeracious Story Related
by e. =. Railroad Conductor.

ductor had punched the tickets of two
passengers who had boarded at that
point, and was again at liberty to
pursue the thread of one of the many
narratives to which had been an in
terested listener.
Yes, they were boss times, round
go" said he. Il was a young man
then and as clipper as any of 'em, l
can tell you. Plenty Injins round
this country. too, and they hated
white man like pisen. That reminds
me of little adventure | had which
will give you an idea of how bitter an
Injin can hate.
Il was down to Silver City in the fall
of 81. | had just returned from
successful prospectin tour, and was
sort O. loungin' around waitin for
somethin' to turn up. | was gettin'
about sick of doin' nothnn'. when who
should | meet on the street one day
but Bill Winter, the partner of many
of my adventures.
Halo, Captain says he, Just the
man I'm looking for. Got anything to
do?"
well, no. say I; I'm kinder rusti-
catin.' Anything startling on?"
Yes, says Bill, there's prospect
in party down here waiting for a cap
tain. You'd better take charge
Done says l; I'm your man. What
direction are we amin for?'
East, following the course of the
Carson Rivento the fork, near the lake,
then towards the Augusta range SAYS
Bill. and then. just anywhere
'"Whoop! here's sport. Well, [
kinder guess | will 60" says L. i
know the country like a book
In three days we were provisioned
for a two months trip. -Four horses and
heavy wagon completed the outfit.
There were twelve men besides myself.
| always did hate the number thirteen.
and felt kinder blue when | counted
the party. but said nothin'.
I'VE made twenty-five miles the
first day, and at shutdown went to
camp by the river. After supper we
pulled staws for picket duty, and Bob
hours, Bill Winters for the second
A puff at the pipe made us all sleepy
and by 9 O'Clock the camp was quiet.
Il guess I'd been asleep bout an
hour when | was startled by an I'M
earthly shrek. Others were wakened,
too, and we jumped to our feet and
made for the direction where Bob had
been pacing on guard an hour before
The moon war shinin' bright. and we
soon found Bob. Poor fellow, he had
been stabbed in the back and was
dead. Closely examinin' the damp
sod near the BODY we found the hoof-
prints of herd of wild hogs. who had
scampered away with Bob's dying
shrek. These hogs, l want to tell you,
were common camp-followers, and
when a man was on picket would come
snootin' and gruntin' around the camp.
A teller wouldn't bother 'em unless
they got in his path which they rarely
did, and then he'd simply kick them
out of his way and pass on.
''NOthin happened the rest of the
night. At sunrise we buried poor Bob
and again examined the sod prints. but
marcy "a trace of anything human could
we tiud.
The next night after hard days
tramp, we made camp, had supper,
and were soon dead asleep. At 10
o'clock jake forget his other name
gave half yell which startled the
camp and-well we found HIM just as
we had found Bob. stabbed in the
back and stone dead.
I'll never forget the cold chill that
passed over me nor the awe-struck
fpelin' which was plain or every face.
We were all dazed. and no wonder.
There wasn't man in the party who
wouldn't lace death in fair tight, but
this. arrangement gave Teller no
chance 1T all The boys wouldn't
back out of tie night picket and took
their duty without anything unusual
happening.
The following night, Bill, my old
partner gave me a quiet hand grip and
took the first picket duty. | was to
take the next following him. At II
o'clock Bill touched me lightly on the
shoulder and said:
BE careful, Cap, keep your eyes
open?'' gripping my hand at the same
time.
Looking carefully to the condition
of my rifle, | took my place on the
lookout. | made up my mind | wasn't
going to be stabbed in the back. so [
kept my eyes in all directions at once,
if such a thing were possible. | was
beginning to git kinder careless, when
| noticed a herd of hogs snootin' and
gruntin' at the other side of the camp,
near the horses. They slowly worked
round my way while | watched them
curiously. -Four or five of the beasts
crossed my path, but the remainder of
the herd passed to the right and be-
hind me. was just turnin' my head
to the left to resume my walk, when
like a flash caught the shadow of
standin' figure within four steps O me.
| fired and shrek rent the air which
might have been heard a mile. Be-
fore you could say Jack Robinson the
camp was on top of me. I'll be hanged
if they didn't nearly shoot me by mis-
take.
This, of course, cleared the mystery.
The Injin had got bOar's skin some
where, and Disgusting himself in it
had gone among the hogs as one of
EN-.
You can bet we didn't allow any
more hogs around our camp the rest of
the trip.
Hello, there's the whistle for Reno.
Goodbye. stranger. This is the
terminus of my division. "-DetT0H
Free Press.