The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-22

met could lay me low and drag my body
out among the bushes, where the coy
otes would prepare my bones for later
discovery, and the label, in some
dime museum: Traveller overcome
with thirst in the desert" Geronimo's
entire band might be s%ojourning on
that very trail between me and the
camp! An elegant evenings entertain
ment | would furnish them.
Toward sunset | approached a deep
coulee that crossed the trail. Looking
ahead into the gathering dusk l saw
two ponies laria ted among the mes
quite bushes. The saddles appeared to
be of the Indian pattern, but there
were no riders anywhere in sight. My
first thought was to put about and re-
treat, but that was useless, for either
pony was a far better mount than my
mule. 1t would be wiser to keep
straight ahead on the trail and trust to
finding ''friendlies"-White Mountains
or Pimas.
As l approached the ponies a tall
white man sauntered out of the bushes
and planted himself squarely in my
path. He wore the wide-rimmed hat,
dirty blue overalls and greasy buckskin
shirt of a miner, and most prominently
a scraggy, san dy beard, which, after
radiating in all directions from his
head, fell half way to his waist. He
concluded the movement by thrusting
the butt of his Winchester rifle be-
tween his toes and holding up his left
hand.
Pause, stranger" he said, quietly.
Pausing was right in my line. ]
wouldn't have refused his request for
half the territory in fee-simple. ]
paused and said: Good evening"
Light" he said. l lit.
Without altering his position he
looked me over from head to foot.
Then turning his beady eyes full into
mine and wrinkling his shaggy eye
brows, he inquired:
You air that medico from the sol
der camp? Thought likely you might
pass this way" He turned and beck.
oned me to follow him into the chap
arral.
l answered Yes" and walked after
him, feeling like a doomed convict OF
his way to the cart. Surely the houl
had come.
We entered an open space, in the cen
ter of which was the figure OF a man re
Ginning upon a blanket.
"Pard," said my captor. addressing
the figure, Il hev brought you the
medico." Then turning to me he added
"Pard an me he'd a dispute about who
owned the mine, an l winged pard."
Joy of the thought! My professional
skill was required. The other fellow
was to be the victim, not me. 1 NIGH
leave my revolver behind, but my pocket
surgical case, never.
What can l do for you, my friend?'
I asked, bending over him. The right
arm was bound up with a red bandans
handkerchief and blood was oozing out
You might patch up that hole Tonic
bored in me-" he answered, feebly
He got to rar.n' aroun' here all out O
my claimin' the mine. When he swor,
he would never let me hat min,
alive it riled me, an l var goin' t.
make medicine weth him. but Tonic al
double geared-easy doc, it air very
techy douEe-geared lightenin' OF
pullin' trigger, an he winged me for,
l could git my gun levil. l reckiu thu
mines his"
(which will teach ye hereafter to re
spect the wishes of IN honest pardner,
observed the master of the situation
sententiously.
at air a ticklish thing to shoot
mans old pardner," continued tn,
afflicted, as l went on with my surgery
ME an Tonto's been prospectin' To
gether for nigh five year wethout one
fallin' out. l finds a mine and digs til
1 think it amt no use diggin' no more
an gives up, advisin' Tonic to d.
the same an pull stakes an NOV
further up the creek. Tonic won
leave it, digs deeper an deeper ar
strikes ore. Thet's why he thinks h
orter hav that mine O. mine, jest as i
he finds it himself. 1t pears to me i
makes no difference who works in
mine-the man ez finds it owns it. How
do it pear to you, doc"
In a country where weapons only
carry weight I preferred to defer IN,
opinion. That depends" answered
"You see, doc" he went on, holding
out his arm while l bound it up g
finds that mine twict. When we frs
struck her there var a tall pine ire,
standin' up on the edge of the gulcl
right over the lead, an it want n,
trouble 10 find the mine by tibet PIN
tree. But while we wal gone down t.
Tombstone to git grub the wind blew
tibet tree clean out by the roots, an i
war the devils own game to find tn,
place again. Thet's how we come t.
call it the Lost Pine mine / cluml
up out of the gulch an walked along
till | struck the tree lYin' fat on tn,