Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-01-07
AN INDIAN ADVENTURE,
The Remarkably yeracious Story Related
by u. p. Railroad Conductor.

The Union Pacific express had just
left Truckee, bound east. The con-
ductor had punched the tickets of two
passengers who had boarded at that
point, and was again ut 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
60" said he. Il was young man
then and as clipper as any of 'em, l
can tell you. Plenty Injins round
this country. too. aud they hated
white man like piscn. That reminds
me of little adventure | had which
| will give YOU an idea of how bitter an
Injin can hate.
L 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. L was gettin'
about sick of dom nothi1l'. when who
! should | meet on the street one day
but Bill Winter. the partner of many
of my adventures.
'"Hallo, Captain. says he, Just the
man I'm looking for. Got anything to
do?"
well. no. say 1; Tn kinder rusti-
catin.' Anything startling on?"
Yes, says Bill, there's prospect
! in party down here waiting for cap
tain You'd better take charge
Done says |; I'm your nan. What
| direction are we amin for?'
East. following the course of the
Carson River to the fork. near the lake,
then towards the Augusta range says
Bill. and then, just anywhere.
"'WhoOp! here's sport. Well, l
kinder guess l will 60" says |. i
know the country like book.
In three days we were provisioned
for two months trip. -Four horses and
Il heavy wagon completed the Quilt.
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
| Mullen was chosen for the first two
hours. Bill Winters for the second.
A puff at the pipe made lis all sleepy
and by 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 Weakened.
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 examiniH' the damp
sod near the body we found the hoof-
prints of Il herd of wild hogs. who had
ScamDered away with Bob's dying
shrek. These hogs want TO tell you.
were common camp-follOwcrS and
when man was OH picket would come
sn0olin' 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 trace of anything human could
we find.
The next night, after a hard days
tramp, we made camp, had supper,
and were soon dead asleep. At 10
o'clock jake forget his other name
gave Il half veil which startled tn"
camp and-well. we found hlm just us
we had found Bob, stabbed III the
back aud stone dead.
I'll never forget the cold chill that
passed over NE nor the awe-struck
freliu' which was plain on every face.
We were all dazed, and no wonder.
There wasn't a mau i'll the party who
wouldn't lace death in Il fair fight, but
this arrangement gave Il Teller no
chance AT al The boys wouldn't
back out of tne, nights picket and took
their duty without anything unusual
happening.
The following night. Bill. my old
partner. gave me II quiet hand grip and
took the first picket duty. | was to
take the next following him. AT IL
o'clock Bill touched me lightly on the
shoulder and said:
BE careful, Cap, keep your eyes
openP" gripping my hand ut 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 ut once.
if such Il thing were possible. [ was
beginning to cit kinder careless. when
noticed Il herd OF hogs snoOtn' and
gruntin' at the other side of the camp.
near the horses. They slowly worked
, round my way while [ watched them
, curiously. -Four or live of the beasts
, crossed my path, but the remainder o.
: the herd passed to the right. and be
hind me. | was just turnin' my head
to the left to resume my walk, when
like Il flash | caught the shadow of 4
standin' figure within four steps O. me.
/ fired and Il shrek rent the air which
:, might have been heard 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 a boar's skin some
where, and Disgusting himself in i
had gone among the hogs as one o
. 'em.
You can bet we didn't allow any
more hogs around our camp the rest o
the trip.
: Hello. there's the whistle for Reno
| Goodbye, stranger. This is The
L terminus of my division."-Detrot
Free Press.
Young Men Are Sly.
Did YOU notice that well-dresseC