The times., 1897-05-02
What Can Be Done With an Old
Flint-L0ck MuSket.
TALEOF THE OVERLAND ROUTE
Tenderfoot Jake and the ATaches.
Judge Hoke, of Sandy Bend-Does
Gambling Pay?-M. Quad's Wit
and Humor-C -Cautankerous Jim.
Odd GIeanings From Every ywhere.

Yasty enCdiflpcu one evening ucdI TIE
then small town of Kansas City, No
Early next morning, as we were prepar-
ing to resume our journey, big, awk
ward looking fellow, apparently about
twenty years OF age, stro!led up to the
wagons and cooly proposed TO Join us.
.Why, young man, we're not in rar-
ticular need of a tenderfoot just now
said our captain, Jim Saunders. Besides,
we can't ford to take a deadhead along.
This outfit and four months supply OF
grub cost q pile of money, and, Judging
frcm your size, you've likely got IN able
bodied appetite What's your name and
where Go you come from, anyhow"
The stranger raised a pair of honest
looking eyes aud slowly answered: "Waal,
they call me Jake Trueman. I've been
sort of farmin' down on the Missouri bot
tens, but hearin' of this Californy rush
j made up my mind to line the first
overland party that come along; so
sold my mewels and other truck, and here
j be. / amt no deadhead. I've got
money enough to pay my way. and mebbe
have some left to start me in Californy.''
Its all right, then, Jake" said the
captain; but what in thunder do you tote
that hollow bar of iron around for, and
what do those notches mean?''
This old rifles some better'n it looks;
1t amt no slouch,' reJoined Jake Gran
ther Trueman fit with it into the Revolu-
tionary war, and reckon IL hasn' got no
record to be ashamed on. I thought it
might conei IN handy some time, forI guess
it Kan noutshootany of thenpurty pureusslon
guns OF yourn
Perhaps so, if it ever goes off, laughed
one of us, but the notches, Jake, the
notches?"
''Gran' 'Gad-he lived to be nnety-never
told me what this short row meant, but
this long one means deer, the next long
est buffaloes, the next bears, the next
wolves. the next wildcats, foxes and other
varmints, and these four notches off by
themselves means panthers. Gran'd dad was
great hunter in his day, and alters made
notch for every worthwhile critter he
killed; SO l reckon the OLD piece did go
off now and then. But 1 hope l won't
ever have to try it on Injuns, for they re
the only humans I'm scared OF: and besides
(refiectingl I've an idee that, if ever git
back TO Missouri, my gal might like me to
bring my scalp along Her names Sairy
A I'm Martin, and she's purity as picture,
but sort OF particular bout some things
Don't bother yourself about that con-
solingly said Saunders "If your scalp
goes the young lady won thave a chance to
twit you with its loss"
II dunno if that's so very comfortin'
after all, meditatively replied Jake
Our outfit consisted of eight wagons and
a little army of horses and mules, while
the party, with its latest addition, nunr
bered thirty-two men, three young married
women, and Jessie Clayton, lovely
twelve-year-old girl. and the light and Joy
OF the party, any of whose original mem
bers would have risked his life TO save
her from harm. AS for the Missourian,
be had not been with US week before be
coming the veriest slave of the winsome
child, whose pretty ways, joyous spirits
and merry chatter had completely won his
heart.
III there's any thing on airth,'' he said
one morning, as Jessie danced up TO his
side, THAT could make me face wild
lnJun, it's this young un. She's purity
as-as-my Sairy Ann, and gooder,
reckon than she's purity
We had passed through Kansas, Colo
RADIO and the southeast corner of Utah
without more serious annoyance from
Indians than slight alteration with
wandering band of Pah Utes. One Sat
urday afternoon, however, we encamped
rather early near an affluent OF the Rio
de Shelby, and almost in the shadow Of
Squash Mountain, designing TO Iest over
Sunday,
Although we had not seen any Indian
"sign" for days, and had no apprehen-
sion OF an attack, the eight covered
wagons were, as usual, arranged in a
hollow square, into which, after filling
themselves with grass, the horses and
mules would toe driven for the night.
For some unexplained reason, the three
women and little Jessie had lately got
in the habit of sleeping by themselves in
one Of the wagons, and this was always
placed next to the one occupied by the
husbands, SO that the latter would be
within easy call. Owing to this arrange
ment, there was no wagon berth left for
Jake Trueman, who generally rolled himself
in blanket and slept anywhere-ofteD out
side the corral, on the ground.
Before it grew dark that evening, our
guide, as a mere matter of ,outine made
careful scout to the bottom of the foot
hills, and, on coming hack, reported that
not hoof print nor moccasin track was
anywhere to be seen
1.-The reds won't find us out for a day
or two he said. Wen have a quiet
night and good sound Sleep but stin
the guard squad better take turns al duty,
as usual"
We did have a quiet night, but Just
before daybreak in the morning a de-
plorable thing happened. Whether the
sentry then on duty had slept on his
post we never knew, for the poor fellow
was found dead, with a knife In his
heart he had been SO quietly and surely
struck that, whether asleep or awake,
he had had no time to give an alarm,
nor had any OF US heard the slightest
sound until a series of frightful yells a
short distance away suddenly aroused us
to the fact that large body OF lnLians
had stolen on US unawares But they
seemed to be retreating! How was that?
A question quickly answered, for on
springing up, rifles and revolvers in hand,
We found to our dismay that one of the
wagons, tHc Oit SVHtstiHlliS TIE women,
had been rolled out fifty yards on the
plain, and that every last horse and mule
was gone.
All had been SO defuy and silently
done thatnot soul inc camp had ava akened;
and now, having gained good start,
the savages had remounted their ponies
and, with waving blankets and hideous
cries. were stampeding the captured stock
Greatly wondering why we did not