The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-12-22

~ "a Il him them books he's writ has
been more'n a gospel TO us miners in the
mount'ins, and I'll say come clear from
one Of the newest states in the now world
TO give him my humble thanks.
Where was ~ Oh, on the toll road.
set there and smoked my pipe, looking
down the gulch on the Uncapaghre spar
king like n silver cord fur below and lis
tenlnR to the wind whispering through the
pines. and then heard sound The road
is so sun dried and hard It echoes This
was sorter pattering, and wan { no shod
creature either IL can't be mount'in
lion, says to myself He wouldn' Z dare be
here. l felt for my gun-revolver, you
know-and then / see this was dorg, a
Gordon softer and thoroughbred, white
and black, with the humanest eyes ever
SEQ I'm animal l called him and after a
survey he come and seemed friendly
enough. H. was footsore and lean and
looked like he d come long way. picked
cactus thorn out of his paw and want
he gratefulS kept a watch round turn
of the ground for his owner, and pretty
soon | see four burros heavy loaded, and
walking behind them youngish Teller
He was tall and broad shouldered, dressed
like the most Of us in rough clothes, wooden
shirt, sombrero and long boots. He was
bronzed some, had curly hair pleasant
blue eyes and a struggling mustache trying
hard to cover mouth pretty rs woman's
GOOD day" he says hating the pack
animals. Thanks for helping the dog.
1t was careless in me not to look when he
limped."
"Howdy," says, looking him over.
stranger In these partsY"
L
on rock and hopping his forehead.
"Minorf"
"Going to be. BY the way, am I any
Day2"
"You be- 1 says cautious. "near Bige
Days tunnel. It's up that trail"
"You must know himY"
"Sum'at. Do your"
"No, the claim have purchased Of Gen.
eral Raymond of Denver is a half mile
farther up the mountain than his"
Poker SAM" gasps, and mebbe 1
swore some, for the young teller looked
sorter s'prised. "Thats his old gag, sends
'em here, mentions my name and gifts me
into his schemes. Stranger, last month
there was seven men I'd never set eyes on
afore travelling up that trail on the look
out for Bige Days claim. They como
different ways and times, and swore in
diff rent langwidges, but all was directed
by General Raymond-where he got the
general he don't know hisself-and had
all bought claims Of him. answered 'em
civil at first, but my dander got up and l
took the last one--a slim fellow from New
York-and 1 says: See that speck up
there, that pint a half mile up mountin
. -waal, that's 1t. If you don't keer for
yer life and has good legs, you might reach
1t alive. If you've breath left then, you
kin diskiver tunnel six foot into the
mount'in and rock, all the rock you want,
but there never was, nor never will be, any
streaks of pay dirt there and no way Of
Citing 1t down If there was. Some of her
secrets this old mount'in won't give up,
and where a human gits OVERLOAD in
climbing up and trying to find out, why
she Jest shets down ON him at the start.
Poker Sam played you for a sucker"-I
looked him overland l guess you was
easy to play"
Possibly" he says carelessly. Ee
drawed out a cigar and give me one. He
set back then smoking coolly, his hat slider
him and the little rings Of hair curling
round his forehead. l chewed my cigar
awhile to git the taste.
"Busted?" / asks.
"In the vernacular Of the country, Just
that" he laughs.
Erich folks mebbeS"
Haven't a soul to care whether live
or die" He looked kinder far away then.