Tombstone epitaph., 1900-09-09

HOW WE CAMPED OU I
 We had two weeks more of vacation and my friend Joe Gates and deeid- ed to spend fe~ days in camping | out"
 First we laid in pretty good stock l of beans, potatoes, and crackers. We didn't forget the grease that we would have 60 use when we were frying potatoes.
 We had a small A. tent but it suited us ins, right, snO, besides, we didn't expect to carry everything on the backs of two horses.
 The place ,bat we selected for our camp was pn the sIds of hill rot far from the Drsgoon mountainS, and in the peiehborhood of small spring. We pitched our tent in grove Of scrub oaks, for We thought the trees would shield us from the sun during the hottes, part of the day.
 After eating lunch of fried pots- toes and crackers, we began to look around and see what fun we could have. l suggested that we climb the mountain ard Joe said, "All rigbt."
 At tir-t the climtiDg was easy, bnt when we had climbed for about five hundred feet, it was SO steep that we had to Gismonnt from our horses and tie hem up to shrub.
 We climbed the rect of the way on loo: though tine ground was pretty rocky.
 When We were coming down, we ,onto a ledge oi rocs that ~e coIld not get of oi. We were separated from another ledge by s wIde gully and this, we tried to cross, but we lost our foothold and began to slide down that gully.
 We would run into 6 cactus every little while, and once Joe went so far as 10 cit down on one. The result was howl that must have been heard s mile away.
 IL wzs with difficulty that we stop ped our-slves from sliding clear down to the foot Of the mountain, bu, we caught hold of bush and climb bed out of the ditch.
 When We came to the place where we had left our horses, we found that my horse had broken loose and he was nowhere to be seen. So both of us had 10 mount Joe's horse and riie double down the noun tain. When we cam in sight ot our camp we were astonIshed to see smoke ris. ing fro n in frOa. of our tent, and when We were a little nearer, we could see somebody standing near tn fire. IL proved to be Cur irieud al d sch oo!- mate, Jim Jackson. He had cooked 2 supper 0! beans for us, 90 we took our plates and sat down Un the ground , to tat them.
 Joe was the hrst to taste of the beam, and l could zee that something was wrong with him, but he didp'i say word. Then I tasted them Say JIm," asked, "where in :he nation did you learn t. cook feans?' My mother learned me how to cook beans" replied Jim qricsly.
 Well I'm glad that don't have to |, eat yonr mothers cooking if she cooks like this. These taste more ike rock- than beans. I've bad tooth and i, broke of when I bit into those stones I'd rather live on crackers, straight Iw nt 10 the place where We kert our crackers, but not a cracker could I find. Somebody had been there and had stolen them, every one. Then I went 10 where we kept our potatoes, but they were gone also. We had to go without a-y supper that pight.
 We went to bed early and slept well until about midnight. when We were
 awakened by a terrific wind storm
 followed by downpour of rain.
 As we had neglected to dig 8 trench around our tent, the water began to run into it, and uucer our blankets making il very uncomfortable. "This is camping out with s venge- snce."I said. Hardly had I spoken those worde, when a sudden gust O! wind blew the tent over, and we had hard time crawling out from under the canvas.
 We had to run for shelter to some of the trees that grew around our camp and bad 10 stay there til morning Oi course we were drenchei 10 the skin.