Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-04-28

against the Apache Indians, which he
tells me are quite thick In this neighbor
hood and not very friendly toward the
whites; But boys" he said, "they steer
clear of old Johns place. They know il
they come here, they will lose their top
knots (scalps). They don't bother me
since l made their acquaintance, some
years ago. when | cleaned out six OF
them and sent one off with broken leg
and other wounds" etc. Tell us the
story, John" Cant do it tonight,
boys, but before youg go back will tell you
my experience of the last thirty years
that have been in the wild west, and
tell you who | am, what l have been,
and the numerous Indian and animal
flights have had in that time ItelI you,
boys, it would ill quite book"
After partaking of a good supper, and
while sitting before a nice fire in Johns
old fireplace, ne told how on the morrow
we would go out and kill anclk, as had
told John that wanted monarch elk
head to go In my collection.
well, now, Winans, know just the
elk you want. have seen this big fell
low here on the range for several years,
but he is shy one, and if we kill him,
| we will have to take him unawares. He
Is bad one, so you must be careful, as
would just as soon tackle grizzly bear
| as an old bull elk, when he Is mad or
| wounded
After our plans were all laid, we went
to bed will acknowledge that l did
dream of Indians, and my slumbers were
not quite as peaceful as If had been in
bed at Garrett. But, all things have an
end, so, in In the morning, bright and
early, we were up, horses fed and
good breakfast, ETC., taking lunch with
| US of bread and bacon, off we went, old
John in the lead, with his old Kentucky
rife, about six feet long, on his shoulder,
riding fair-sized burro, his feet almost
on the ground. He looked like he meant
business. After following up a canon
between two huge mountains. we came
out on level piece of land with small
streams running toward the gorge In each
direction. At this point, we dismounted
and lariated our horses and followed
John a quarter Of mile from this place.
We came to a small valley. and there I
behold a beautiful sight-some eight or
ten elk were feeding, little thinking
trouble was so near at hand. In the
band OF elk John pointed out one old
monarch, standing at least seventeen
hands high, with an immense head of
antlers. He looked so beautiful and
grand as he stood there, as If to say. II
am master OF all | survey" John said,
Don't speak or whisper; follow me down
a ravine" We went. almost holding our
breath, and In that way we came up
within less than 100 yards Of where the
band of elk stood. Now, boys, will
shoot the big one. Winans. you take one
to the right, and Bray the one on the left
wing. Now. when we shoot, don't raise
up or say word till tell you to-" John
continued in low tone of voice, and, as
the gun cracked, down went the big one,
and the one shot went off like an arrow
for quite distance; then down he went
head over heels. John remarked: "Well, !
that was we'll done" In few minutes,
John said, Come on" We approached
the elk John had shot. John was prob
ably fifty feet In the lead, and about ten
feet from the elk, when, to our surprise,
up jumped the big fellow and made square
at John, head down and eyes flashing.
He looked to me like he meant business.
For an instant we were all dazed, but
saw something had to be done quickly,
so stepped out Of range of John and
shot at the elk. hit him In the front
shouldar, but not a fatal shot. Bray let
down on him with the same result. By
this time John realized that the band
wagon was in the possession and that
he had better get move ON him, and
knowing that he could not reload his old
he laid it down and pull
ing his old hunting knife, he waited for
the elk to come on, which the elk was not
slow to do. In the meantime, we hep.
shooting at him, but think, frota the
way tho bullets went, he was either
nervous or the powder was bad. Some
thing was wrong, for the elk was as blk
as the side of barn; and have always
thought some one was excited. from the
way things looked. The old elk was mad
and came at John like locomotive, and
or a minute there was a mlx-up, and the
way the mesquite brush and John and
he elk were mixed up was sight to be-
iold. thought we would have a corpse