The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-04

some time ago. said PayatTeak John-
son. as he turned his other side to the
camp fire mo, i've got no objections
TO tellIn' you about It; It's been on my
mind u right smart chance of the time
senee it happened, an 1t don't hurt me
none to talk 1t over: seems like the
more that knows It the better ! feel
hut I've got To tell you one story be-
fore get to the right one, though they
both 60 together.
six Of us was comm over on the
stage from Wlekenberg, iniendin' TO go
into the hills where new strike mad
been made, An right here let me say
that when you've got fair prospects
where you are, stay with EN-, I've no
ticed In my thirty years in the hills
that you always hear OF richer strikes
Jest over the divide, never In the camp
where you're at, an nine ttmes out OF
ten they're fakes nothIn' in 'em. You
pack up an so trapsein Off, leayln'
good prospects for poorer ones, n l
guess the odds is greater m | said,
Tor I've been chasini these new strikes
for thirty years, N what have got?
But, as was sayin', there was me
m Doe Cutler 'n'Sim Viewer 'n'--but
then you don't know 'em, They was six
OF US men besides 'ShaGbark Bill the
driver Why, cause he was always
eatin' shagbark hick'ry nuts; he'd send
back east for 'em, There was anuther
passenger q little, old, white-haired
woman, w'th the kindest, softest face,
iookiR Jest like an OF us remember our
mothers did the last time we see EN-,
Doc Cutler m Sim Viewer was devils
for drinkn', m they both mad big
TASKS OF territory whisky in their pOek-
is, but when they see who was In the
stage they never touched drop. Later
on see Doc stown' hls'n away ia his
pack, an Viewer throwed hlsn away
us We was walkin' up heavy grade,
An when she'd speak an sort OF smile
soft you Jest had to take of your hat.
She was comm ONT from York state
to visit her son. He'd been out here
quite awhile, and when he writ last he
was dom Well That was eight months
before, an she hadn't heard from him
sence She'd been Twin round with
her married daughters, but he was her
only boy, an she wanted TO see him,
She had writ ;or him TO come home.
but had got tired waitin' an was
comm out to surprise him James
Richards, mightTt any OF US know
him? Nom, we couldnit- jest recolIec'
OF anybody by that name. as we was
strangers somewhat in the camp We
was goin to. but we lowed she'd have
no trouble in tindln him; wed help her
all we could. Howsomever We lowed
among ourselves that she'd have a
tough job You see they was lots OF
young fellers that 'ud come out to the
territory to turn corner in the world,
an urIless you had mighty pressin' BUSH
ness an was willir to run the chances
you wouldn't ask Buckeye Ned AL
bany BILL 'Kentuck Pete 'Missoury
Sam or any of 'em what was the name
their mothers gave 'em, We was think
in OF this when she lowed that mebbe
the postmaster'd know him. Why. Of
course, dern our fool souls, why dldn't
We think OF that: but, then, none OF us
had had any truck with the postofIlce
SO long that we'd ABOUT fergot they was
such thing.
Along in the afternoon, after gettln'
UP u steep grade. / climbed into the
seat with Bill to smoke, an he says,
low-like, i wish TO the Lord we was
safe through Bowlder Canyon an
then he pinted to a tall, thin smoke
on butte off to the right.
"Injuns?' asked.
yep, says Bill: White Hills
'Paches. They's q gang OF bucks left
the reservation last week, an I'm
a-feared they'll get us in the canyon.
When 1 get to the top OF the canyon
I'll pull up an let on like I'm liXin' the
harness; you get the boys out, an Wen
talk It over BIZ drawed up, an we
both got down. l give the boys the
wink, an up nigh the leaders heads
We held council. We decided to get
back in the stage, careless like. an get
our guns handy--every man had u re-
peater an siX-Shooter, an II they jump
ed us Bill was to CIT the bosses loose,
mount a leaGer an 30 for help. II thay
got Bill first, then anuther OF us was TO
try 1t, an so on. You see we preferred
TO do our nghtin in rough gTound ruth
er than in the open below, where we'd
been dead-easy marks. When We struck
the top OF the grade Bill braced him
self, throwed of the brake. an away
we went down the canyon faster'n that
stage ever went before, We hadn't let
on to her, but 't'waSn't long till Bill
let out yell, an we knowed he'd sight
ed 'em.
"'Get down in the bottom. ma'am,
said Doc. quick-likc; don't get skeer-
ed, little Injun surprise, that's all:
Wen soon he through it. Then we
piled the cushions round her, got our
guns ready an waited. Twasn't more'n
a minute till we felt BIZ DRAWN up.
They've blocked the trail at the bend
boys. he hollered. but / can jump II
with boss They're on the north side /:
they's hole In the south bank, part
way up, Jest opposite. Lay low an
Iii draw their fire when / get started,
then you can run for It. In about a
minute Bill had cut the bosses loose.
was on the OF leader. an goin down
the canyon hellIty-spllt, an yellln' like
mad.
I'VE opened the door on the fur side.
an Doc he took her up, sayin', we've
got to run fer II, mother, but don't be
skeered; Wen look OUT FOR you same
as II James was along Two OF us
vera first then Doc an her, an then
the other three boys About twenty
five feet up was q hole worn by water,
an wc got to It while they was lookin'
after Bill. We could all scrOoch into
1t, an we put her back against the wall,
an rolled some loose powders In front
80 they'd kinder protect us by layin'
fiat. The 'PaChes come for the stage.
but they never touched H. We plugged
some Of EN-. an the others took to the
hills on tother side, Rcreechln' Ike dew
lis, Above EN- was graNte cliff,
straight up an down but they was a
lot Of big loose powders at the bottom,