The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-07-14

saw the bar they was SO sl1eert the
couldn't say nothin' an jest ran back 10
the house. I took in everything they
said, an the next night when they as
me if wanted to go long down with
'em an explore the old mine, ] was Jest
tickled to death to get the chance. We
took an old minin' lamp with US, an
when we got thar started IN ahead.
carryin' the light. The old drift hadn't
been worked for years, an dirty water
was drippin' from the roof an coverin'
my best coat as CROPPED nay way in,
never doubtin' at the gals would fol-
Ter. had only got dozen feet or SO.
an was jest turnin' round to see if the
damsels was gettin' on all right when
1 stumbled over somethin' an went
sprawlin'. The light went out n the
furry an the fust thing / lnowed they
was a deep growl at echoed through
the mine an somethin' had hold of me
by the bootleg.
''Tt was pitch dark in the hole, but q
flood Of moonlight to one side told me
whar the openin' was. With an awful
effort ]. ierIed my leg frea anR scram-
bled to my feet with the iDtention Of
maxim dash towards that flood of
moonlight Wal, had only jest nicely
got onto my feet an turned around
when 1 felt somethin' shoot between
my legs an tip me back. I clutched
wildly in front of me an got my both
hands imbedded in the shaggy hair of
Bruin-for I llnowed right well by this
time what it was. The bar shot out
of that drift at an almighty rapid gait,
an didn't dare drop off for fear of
buttin' my brains out against the sides,
so 1 jest laid fiat an hugged tight,
watchin' for a good chance to make a
leap.
oval, I kin sit here now an laugh
with the rest Of.you, when I look back
at it; but you kin bet they want no
fun in it fer me jest then.
Fright outside the mouth of the drift
was little decline, an at the bottom
of it was a pool of water that was m de
by the leetle stream flowin' out of the
mine. 1 was all ready, am as soon
seen at I was out in the open air az
I jest slid off, easy as you please
the bars back an struck right in til
pool of water. Wow! But I did Sc
| nice duClxin' an no mistake.
'The first thing 1 done was to cuss
myself for bein' such a blamed fool as
| to drop in that water, an then I pulled
myself up onto my feet an proceeded
to look myself over. Never lettinT up
on my eussin' for q minute I meant
dered bael to the camp an iest suaa &
asaa t ate
/ / got around the Hest moEnih ar eaee
my surprise. Hers when went be.
+ hind fle fence an, Seen one So them
4 blamed gals feedin an old Bar outen
. tin pani
AIseen how tae whole thing was in =
second, Them gals bad been maxim
# game OF me aH the time, AM the B ar 'at
had been maxim me 50 much trouble
/ was nothin but atane one 'at wouldn' t
hurt nobody. Fust had notion to 20
in an get my shooter an put an end to
the 'tarnal thing for spite, but con-
/ cluded it was best to curb my temper
an let it g5. The fellers had all gone
| to work, an I l1nowed if I waited until
they got back they'd be onto the thing
an have an awful leg on me, so jest
! got my togs together an scratched out
as quietly as could.
"Yes, this is lonesome, pesEy hole,
an no mistake, but they amt no dudes
here nor gals to play hide-an' -go-seek
with feller's heart an ne Payin', I'm
durn glad of it,