The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-16

Paystreak Johnson, as he turned his
other side to the camp fire. No, I've
got no objection to tellin you about
it; it's been on my mind a right smart
chance of the time sence it happened,
an it don't hurt me none to talk it
over: seems like the more that knows
it the better [ feel. But I've got TO tel
you one story before get to the rlgnt
one, though they both go together.
six of us was comm over on lie
stake from Wickenberg intendln 10 go
into the hills where a new strike had
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 80 years in the hills that
you always hear of richer strikes JUST
over the divide, never in the camp
where you're at, an nine times out OF
ten they're fakes; nothin in EN-; You
pack up an go trapesin' Off, leaVln
good prospects for poorer ones n l
guess the odds is greater N l said, Tor
I've been chasin' these new strikes LOT
80 years, N what have | got!
But, as 1 was sayin,' there was me
m Doc Cutler m Sim Viewer 'n'-put
then you don't know EN-. they was
six of us men besides 'Shagbafk Bill
the driver. Why, cause he was always
eatin' shagbark hick'ry nuts; he'd SEND
back east for EN-. There was anuther
passenger, a little, old, white alreo
woman, with the kindeSt, softest race,
lookin' jest like all of US remember our
mothers did the last time we see EN-.
Doc Cutler m Sim Weever was devils
for drinkin', n they both had big
TASKS of territory whisky in their peck
cts but when they see who was In the
stage they never touched drop. Later
on I see Doc stoWin' hiS'n away in ms
pack, an Viewer throwed his'n away
as we was walkin' I'D heavy grace.
An when she'd speak an sort OF smile
soft you jest had to take off your nat.
''She was comm out from York state
to visit her son. He'd been out here
quite a while, an 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 for him to come
home but had got tired Waitin., an
was comm out to surprise him. James
Richards, mightn't any OF us know
him? Nom, we couldn't 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 findin' him; we'd help her
all we could. HCwsomever, we lowed
among ourselves that she'd have q
tough Job You see they was lots OF
young fellers that nd come out OF the
territory to turn a corner in the world,
an unless you had mighty pressin'
business an was willin' to run the
chances you wouldn't ask Buckeye
Ned Albany Bill, Kentuck Pete.
'Missoury Sam or any of en- what was
the name their mothers gave EN-. We
was thinkin' of this when she lowed
that mebbe the postmaster'd know
him. Why, of course, dern our TOOL
souls, why didn't we think of that; but,
then, none of Us had had any truck
with the postoffice so long that we'd
about forgot they was such thing.
Along in the afternoon, after gettln'
up a steep grade, climbed INTO the
seat with Bill to smoke, an he says,
low-lil1e, Z wish to the Lord we was
safe through Bowlder Canyon, an then
he pinted to a tail, thin smoke on a
butte off to the right.
=" Injuns?' l asked.
yep says Bill; White Hills
PEACHES. They's a gang of bucks left
the reservation last week, an I'm
a-feared they'll get US in the canyon.
When [ get to the top of the canyon,
I'll pull up an let on like I'm fixin' the
talk it over Bill drawed up, an we
both got down. I give the boys the
wink, an up nigh the leaders heads
we held a council. We decided to get
back in the stage, careless like, an get
our guns handy-every man had q re-
peater an six-shooter, an if they
jumped US Bill was to cut the bosses
loose, mount leader, an go for help.
If they got Bill just, then anuther of
we preferred to do our fightin' in rough
ground ruther than in the open below,
where we'd been dead-easy marks.
When we struck the top of the grade
Bill braced himself, throwed off the
brake an away we went down the can
yon Eastern that stage ever went be-
fore. We hadn't let on to her, but
t'wasn't Ions till Bill let out a
yell an we knowed he'd sighted EN-.
" Get down in the bottom, ma'am,
said Doc quick-like: don't get skeered
little Injun surprise, that's all; we'll
soon be through it, then we piled the
cushions round her, got our guns
ready, an waited. 'Twasn't more'n a
minute till we felt Bill DRAWN up.
They've blocked the trail at the bend
boys he hollered, but 1 can jump it
with a boss; they're on the north side;
they's a hole in the south bank part
way up, jest opposite. Lay low an I'll
draw their fire when I get started, then
you run for it. In about minute Bill
had cut the bosses loose, was on the
off leader, an goin' down the canyon
hellity-split, an yellin' like mad.
eve opened the door on the fur side
an Doc he took her up, sayin', we've
got to run fer it, mother, but don't be
skeered; Wen look out for you same
as if James was along Two of us
went first then Doc an her, an then
the other three boys. About % feet W
was a hole worn by water, an we got
to it while they was a lookin' after Bill
We could all schooch into it, an we put
her back against the wall, an rolled
some loose boulders in front so they
kinder protect US by layin fiat. The
PEACHES came for the stage, but they
never touched it; we plugged some OF
EN-, an the others took to the hill or
t'other side, screechin' like devils
Abive them was q granite cliff, straight
up and down, but they was q lot of biz
loose powders at the bottom, an they
got behind EN-. Well, sir, it was hot
blisterin' hot, the afternoon sun beatin
down on US there in that hole, an not
a breath of air could reach u.s. an
them devils on t'other side KEEP &
plunkin' away at us; they had to shoot
up kinder, an by layin' clost they shot
over US.
I'VE KEEP a-shootin' fast, for we
didn't want 'em to know how many
they was of US, for they might make g
rush, but she sorter handicapped us by
prayin.' When the shootin an yellin
first begun she got kinder trembly, but
got over it an lowed somethin about
God bein' as clost to US out there in q
Arizony canyon as he was in Yorl