The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-11-15

al. I was particular friend of this
lawyer, SO the boys told me to go
ahead and talk to him. So I went
aud when he come out told him he
had just thirty minutes to get out Of
town in"
"Gimme an hour says he"
No; you have Just thirty minutes
and you wouldn't git that ii yon
wasn't a particular friend of mine.'
and then I told him about one of our
fellows having that rope. He took
the thirty minutes, aud that was the
last we ever heard of him.
1--WE didn'tlike the place where we
unu-pu5 sJu.r..-~.,.,oassss que
there and dug him up and put him in
another place. lam an undertaken,
you know, and always looking out for
business chances. Twelve years after
wards, I went out there and dug Mr..
Injun up and got these shackles which
he was wearing that time when my
brother went to Sleep"
"These other shack. 4" taking I'D
the lighter pair, twas part of the
jewelry wore by lightning-rod ped
dler, who came up here and sold lot
of lightning rods. He put three on
my little house. Finally house
with one of his rods on 1t wa. struck
by lightning and burned. We went
out and caught the Teller who sold
the rods and put him In Jail to stay
while he was getting ready to pay for
the house what burned. One night
he got out of Jail, and, with these
same shackles on, he managed to get
across the line into Manitoba, not
much more than a mile away. A
blacksmith over there at Emerson cut
them OFF for him. I saw him do it,
and the Teller: he said: Bill, you are
a particular friend of mine and pre-
sent you with this jewelry was
deputy sheriff, but, Of course, could
not do anything with him. being
across the line, SO took the things
and brough4 'em home with me. I
never heard anything more of the
lightning-rod man. Maybe he found
that lawyer and went partners with
him."
"Will you not tell these gentlemen
why you are called High Water Bill?n
'That's because I'm always predic-
ting in high water times, 1 make
money by it. Ipredict and the 9TH
or fellers bet that / don't know what
I am talking about, and I take In
their money. I seldom miss because
I have been here SO long that l usual
ly know just what Red river is going
to do. This was q great country for
me before the whites came in, but /
have to keep my eyes open to make u
living now. That's why I'm always
out for chances In my under
taking business"
Zone time the river was way up,
and 1 said it would go higher. Every
body else said it wouldn't, and Igath-
cred in their money. Next day 1
predicted some more water, and they
put a rope around my neck down
there where the postofficc is, and led
me up where the Winchester House
stands. There was a considerable
sized tree there then, and they told
me that they didn't want any more
of my predictions, as thev had
enough water already. Then l show
ed them a knothOle In plank on the
side Of my house, and the water was
mighty nigh up to 1t. Gentlemen I
said. the water will not run through
that hole this time, Then they took
the rope off my neck, and some fool
fellows came around and wanted to
bet that the water would run through
the knothole. / took their bets. and
the water stopped rising when it lack
ed but an eighth Of an inch of running
through. 1t was close shave, but I
collected my water bets and went up
to Winnipeg. and Il Teller said the
bridge over the river was safe, aud I
said 1t would be gone in the morning,
and he put up go that 1t wouldn't.
Next morning, sure enough, the
bridge was gone, and I collected the
go aud quit predicting at Winnipe
g