Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-05-25
HOW PICKLES JOINED
HIS UNCLE.

The old cattleman leaned back IN
his chair and poised between scornful
fingers the last chapters of a cigar.
''No, son; I never did no KILN my
self, but I've stood round and seed
folks get checked clear through,
which is more profitable. I calls to
mind a KILN down to old Ike Stock
toms. There was big crowd at
Stockton's that June day. The cor
rails was full of pack mules, an bull
teams, an wagon trains from the
East, an white men, Mexicans, half
breeds an Indians was a-mixing an
meanderin' round, a-lyin' an a
drinkin' an a-laughin' old Ike's whis-
ky mighty profuse. Four or five mule
SINNERS had their long, sixteen foot
whips, which are loaded with dust
shot from butt to tip, an was crackln,
of 'em at a mark. I've seen one of
'em with the most easy, delicate,
deliberate twist Of the wrist, make his
whip squirm in the air like hurt
snake an all at wonst straighten it
out with the crack Of twenty rifles,
an the buckskin poper would cut
a hole in a loose buffalo robe he'd
hung up, am all without investin' two
ounces of actooal strength. Several
of US was a-lookin' on from the hotel
porch applaudin' of the good shoots,
when Short Creek Dave speaks up to
Jack Moore nexu to me an says:
Jack, you mind that old Navajo
you downed over on the San Simon
last fall?'
&c 4 minds it mighty clear says
Jack. He was a-stealin' my boss at
tle time, an / kin prove it by his
skelp on my bride right now
" WELL says Short Greek Dave,
pointin' to a dirty saddle colored
half breed who was maxim himself
pretty numerous, that Teller they
call him Pickles is his nephfy, an
you wants to look out a whole lot, for
I've heard him allow that the KILN
of his uncle was mighty rank, an he
he didn't like it nohow.'
"That's all right says Jack; 'Pickl-
es an me has been watchin' each
other fer an hour, an I'll tell you
ALPS private-if he goes to play boss
a little bit, he and his uncle will be
able to talk things over before night
'sBimby Pickles comes along where
we are.
&c Hello jack he says been maxim
it smoky down in the San Simon late
ly?'
g No, not since last fall says Jack.
AM now thinks of it, see that old
Navajo boss thief of an uncle Of yours
when I was down there last. I amt
met him lately, though. Where do
you reckon he's done loped to?"
"'Can't say myself says Pickles,
with a sort of wicked cheerfulness.
sOur family had a reunion over on
Bear Greek last spring, an couldn't
count his nose among 'em nowhow.
Mebby he had an engagement
an couldn't git there. Mebby
he's out sloshin' round in the high
grass some'ers now. Great man to
go around permiscus that Injun was.'
you see,' says Jack, L didn't
know but he might be dead, cause the
time I was 'ludin' to, was settin' in
camp one day an happens to look up
am thar was my boss, Alazan, with a
perfect stranger on him. Alazan was
a-pitchin' an a. buckin' an a-cavort-
-, f,.r fr1l q
was goin' to cripple that stranger
shore. Well, you know me. I'd rath :
er lose two horses than have man
get hurt, so I grabs my Winchester
an allows to kill Alazan. But it was a
new gun, an you know what new
sights is-coarse as sand burrs-an'
no Ids too high an an I keGches the
stranger, bang! right back of his left
year, an the bullet comes out on his
right year. I never was SO displeased
with my shootin' fur ten years. The
idea of holding four foot too high in
100 yards. was so plumb disguised
an ashamed I never went near the
stranger till after I'd finished my
grub. Alazan, he came up all shiver-
in an sweatin', an stood there, an
in hour or so 1 walks out to the re-
mains, an when I seed sem, they was
nothing but an old Digger Injun. You
kin drink on it, I was relieved. Bein'
a no account Injun, of course, I didn't
paw him over much for brands, but it
struck me at the time it was mighty
likely to be your uncle. The old cuss'
skelp is over on my bride, if you
think you'd know it,
'Oh, no. says Pickles, mighty on
consarned, lit couldn't be my uncle,
nohow. If it was one of my family it