Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-08-11

thankful way, ez if I'd brung him de
best fodder dar wuz in Virginny, and
dem great big, soft, lamblike eyes OBJ
his d turn on me ez if he'd say: "You's
a jewel and my best friend. L nebber
kin Tub you enuf."
But alter de surgeon had fixed up my
bones tree or four times, 1 larned, in
bitterness oh heart. dat when he looked
at me dat away I'd better keep mile
from his heels, and hab a big club
handy.
For days afore we made dat forced
night march trough Smokers Gap tub
head off de rebels from Washington,
Caliber 65 had been so awful good dat
l wuz skeered. knowed he wuZ layin'
fur sumfin, but what dat sumfin wuz
1 couldn't guess. Dat wuz de dumb
fuscation OBJ it. You nebber could tell
when and whar he'd break out. He
wuz cunninger dan a sheep-killin' dog.
Dat night ebberybody and ebbery-
thing wuz a-pilin through Smokers
Gap ez if de world wuz comm tub an
end. 1t wuz Forward! Forward!
Quick time! Double-quick!" ebbery
minnit wild men and teams and can
mons. [ WIZ ridin' on CALDER 65, on
top oh hull lot oh camp truck, and he
wuz doin' jest splendid. [ wuz ahead
OBJ ebberybody else, jest behind de rear
OBJ de regiment, and in front oh de am
balances and company wagons. We'd
dun come tub dat place you'll remem-
Der whar it's a steep rock all de way
down on one side, and a steep cliff
straight up on de udder, wild only room
enuf fob de road. Oars only one SIGH
place in de gap, and ebberybody knows
| it. De night wuz ez dark ez pitch, and
| Caliber 65 had nebber been dar afore
in his life, but dat blimmed fool smart
| ness a mewel has told him dar wuz his
| chance. I done felt him sot his fore
! legs down solid and stiff, and stop. NV
hair rig, fur knowed what wuz com
| in.
De ambulance driver run into us, but
Caliber 65 nigh kicked the head often
| bofe his horses in two sweeps, widdout
| budgin' his forefeet more'n if dey'd
growed dar.
| go ahead dar, you mullet-headed son
of a Senegambian slush-biler, wild your
measly, mump-faced Newell" swore de
ambulance driver. De fust thing dat I
could lay my hands on wuz de frying
4
! Caliber 65 ober his head. I knowed
it'd be no use toward movin him till he
got ready, but it relieved my feelings.
| De udder ambulance bumped into dc
head one, and he swore wuss dan de I'D
ders, ez wuz his privilege. De company
wagons bumped into the headquarters
wagon, but dey didn't dare to tub cuss
de headquarters teamster ez dey want
ed tub, but took it out on one anudder.
De wagon master he cum up, and swore
wuss dan all oh dem put tugedder.
which wuz his right.
| He wanted to git at me, and frow de
mewel and me ober de cliff into de gully
below, but de road wuz SO narrow he
couldn't pass de wagons, and had tub
| take it out in swearin'.
| Den de aids begin tub come up, wild:
de ginerul's compliments, and what de
| helfs de matter?"
| Dey talked OBJ doin all sorts OBJ awful
things. Some wanted tub send com
pany through de woods on de udder
side, SOS tub shoot. acrost and kill de
mule. Some wanted tub send men up
Oh, top OBJ de hill tub heave rocks down
and smash him. None oh dem talked oh
slippin' up behind de newell Dey'd bin
too long in de army fob dat. CALDER