Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-08-30

Tof mlScalllnS MIN, me- assumed the
simple name of Smith. But he couldn't t
: get anybody to call him Smith until
his exploit of holding the bridge up
there relieved him from the nickname.
I can tell you the story before We get
down to San Rafael" And this is the
story he told. - y an
7 Twenty-one years ago the silver
mining industry in Colorado wes
booming from the discoveries at; Lead
willie. New camps started mp every
where, one of them. being Excelsior,
the town we have just left. Among
the people who came focking in was
Bunglewits, then an apple-faced boy
of II, square, solid and very strong.
he was an expert axeman and earned
q good living by cutting timbers for
the different mines.
Bunglewits spoke English we'll
enough, but he was reticent sort of
fellow, which is not surprising, for
none Of the inhabitants, with single
exception, ever spoke to him without
trying to ''take rise" out of the
slow-thinking German. It was much
to the credit of Bunglewits that he
did not actively resent this perpetual
badgering, for he was surprisingly
strong, and there were few men in the
camp whom he could not have
thrashed, had he been so minded.
The one person who treated him
tat a
body, and timid, too, except when she
thought there was an injustice to be
righted. She was the wife of Martin
Benson, prospector, well know in
Z, the place. By way. of showing her
disapproval Of the general maltreat-
ment OF the sober, hard-working young
German, she always addressed him by
the name he had adopted Mr.. Smith;
or, later on, when she came to know
him better, Henry. She opposed the
whole town by refusing to understand
when anyone spoke to her of sBungle-
wits. It was small thing; but, as
matters turned out, she had goodrea.
L son to believe that her-qtiiet cham.
pionship touched the heart-of the-sto-
lid German boy.
The winter of 1877 was extremely
severe in all this part Of the noun
tains. After the first heavy snow fell
in octoberthe ground was never. clear,
for one storm followed another, until,
about New Years, there were three
feet of snow on the level.
One consequence of = the hard
weather was that the timber wolves
became very bold. The few people on
the outskirts of town who kept COW,
were careful to- shut her up at night,
and very often in the morning the
tracks of wolves might be seen, in
the snow, where the hungry brutes
had walked round and round the shed
in the hope of finding an opening.
Two or three times during the win,
ter they ventured to come right into
town.. when their visit would be- pro!
claimed BY the yslping. Of some cap;
tured- stray dog. Children were kept
indoors after sunset, and even the
men disliked going about alone when
the darkness settled down, for the
town was unlightsd then, aud the black
-.woods-whenee-.t the ,-marauders~ came
fringsd the little place closely on
every side. ,nrs,sgr. ~
AIRS Benson's husband, Martin, the
prospector, went off III December.
down to San Rafael to look for employ.
menf, for he couldn't go prospecting
in three feet of snow.- Presently Mrs.
Benson had aletter from him, telling
her to pack mp and come down to San
Rafael with the two children on the
following Saturday. She therefore
got ready and engaged passage in the
mail slsigh, which was q a,wagon-bed
set on runners. The distance is 80
miles; the driver used to make the
"trip dowr"one day aud back the next.
But the usual driver could not go
with Mrs. Benson. and her twoichil.
dren, for he came in on Friday night
very late with both his hands frozen
So it was necessary to find man to
take his place.
Bunglewits heard of this, and being
out of work just then,h applied for
the position, and as he knew the road
we'll from frelghtlnS- over IL, he was
taken on trial. When the cumbrous-
looking sleigh pulled up at Mrs. Ben
sons door next morning she was sur.
prised and pleased to find in the new
driver her young friend, Henry Smith.
~ Bunglewits brought out her one big
trunk, handling it;'with as much ease
as if it shad been empty; next he put
his passengers in the. bottom of the
wagon-bed, so that the high sides
would protect them from the wind;
then he drove down to the postoffice
= and took in the mail sacks. Giving
no attention to the ,jeers and chatting
OF heloafers aboutthe postofiee door,
he cracked his whip, and away they
went, squeaking over the frosty snow.
They made the firstf5 miles to the
relay Stable in due time, and soon af-
terward they were clear of the woods
and ont upon ahe: rolling plai p which
sextenasall the.way dewnRto San Ra-
sfael. The horses were on brisk trot
< when Mrs. Bensop saw her driver sud.
denly sit up straight and turnito look
back.