Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-22
HAPPY DICK.

eMi,ter, do you think I'll meetany
bears or ranthers between here and
Malvern"
Tho speaker was strOng-built,
good-loOking boy, and the place was
On Il railroad track in deep valley
IN the Ozark Mountains, in Arkansas.
1t was not the idle question that
timidty might prompt any boy to
ask when he found himself alone in
great forest, with night approaching;
it was IL question based upon sound
reason, for their are bears and pan
theirs in those woods. and in the
ncighboring towns bear meat and
panther skins are staple articles OF
tradC.
l had seen this boy ahead OF me on
the track for some time, and had no.
sliced that he was evidently waiting
for me to overtake him. This, per-
laps made me grasp my hickory
stick little tighter for in the dis
tance l took him for man, and we
were on the little branch railroad
running from Malvern to Hot
Springs which, as l had often been
warned, was dangerous promenade,
on account OF the many desperate
tramps who infested that neighbour
hood in winter.
"ProLably not" l told him; "but
still YOU might, for there are both
bears and panthers in these woods"
"Do you think could get there
before dark" he asked. e.
III am sure you could not" an
swered. lit is growing dark now,
and Malvern is more than twenty
miles from here. This is no time Of
DAY to start; you should set out in the
morning, if you want to walk to NAL
vern."
"Well," said he, as checrily and
uncomplainingly as though he were
iingling golden eagles in his pocket,
and trying to make choice between
two first-rate hotels" l shall have to
sleep in tree anyhow, and I suppose
it might as we'll be on the road to
Malvern as anywhere Moneys
rather tight here in Hot Springs"
This philosophical answer made
me look at the boy closer and l was
surprised to see that he was colored.
He was so verylght that had taken
him for white boy: not the pale vel.
low of mulatto, but like country
boy with the tan OF two or three sum.
mers left upon his face.
ado you live IN Hot Springs" l
asked him.
mo, sir" he answered. 81 just
live wherever am. did live in
Waco. Texas, but I've left there.
And where are you going?"
asked.
''Oh, I'm noways particular, sir u
he replied. II suppose I'll get along
somehow; always have so far. I've
been travelling for five weeks, sir, and
I've got as much money now as l had
when started"
"How much was that?"
Not cent, Sir"
1t occurred to me that / had ar
opening for this boy for few days
where he could be Of service, and al
the same time earn comfortable boarf
and lodging, for my household ar
rangementS in that Christmas weel
were very peculiar. l was living
alone in Il cabin in the Ozark Noun
tains, some miles from anywhere
There had been four of us in a camp
ing party. and some very fine weeks
we had spent in those Arkansas
mountains, with neighborin!
''colored gentleman" to come il
daily and do the cooking: but tn,
coming Of Christmas had left N,
alone with few days to spend il
solitude before the time appointed tt
start for the West Indies.
There was one great drawback Il
my solitary life in that Arkansa
cabin. A 'cold snap" had come on
the weather had changed suddenl
from almost tropical warmth to arctic
GOODNESS. This made little difference
in the daytime. but night brough
trouble. Arkansas cabins are not, a
rule, fitted with furnaces or stean
pipes. There is an open fireplace
where the cooking is done, and tina
must supply all the heat. We ha
bought great quantities of wood, bu
wood fires have an unhappy habit Q
burning out rapidly l might leay
as great fire as l could on going t
bed in my hammock, and in tw
hours the cabin would be as cold a
Greenland.
This was the principal use I ha
for the young philosopher found O
the railroad track. Why should h
not be my night fireman, and kee
that fire blazing from bedtime ii
breakfast? Then there were the e
fands to run land how many errand
even camping establishment r,
quires nobody knows until he tries
several miles from any settlement
and there wore the guns to
cleaned.