The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-08-16

| Their settin' sun was blinkin' his
weather eye over ther brown strip
horizon, an every now an then ei
prairie hen I'D whistle loud in thei
evcnln' stiffness, or er little prairie dog
I'D pop his head out o. his hole an
bark at ther comm night. lay to tt
ther wlnd'ard o. er thick scrub growth
an was drinkin' in ther breath o. thel
balmy air thet come scutterin' out o
ther west. l was contemplatin' bliss
fun ther beauties o. nat're in ther wild
erness, when, all o. er sudden, seen
er movement in ther tall prairie grass
about or hundred yards Off my weather
bow. Then In ther twinklin' o. an eye
SIX little wild horses rose out o. thei
ground an like er fash six giant red
skins, hidous with warpaint, were on
their backs an comm fer me like ei
whirlwind. They were yellin' an
whirlin' tomahawks an long rifles
| bout ther heads Quicker'n thought
my gun was in my hand, an l split
time with er bullet thet ate into ther
skull o. ther nearest Injun. Ther
secon' bullet followed ther first so fast
thet 1t was in ther skull O. ernother
savage fore ther breath was out o.
ther first. In er twinlilin' er third
dusky buck yelled an sprawled dead
In ther high grass. Err fourth wild
horse was riderless. Their fifth heath.
en- let fly er tomahawk thct passed er
bullet thet choked his last breath
Their sith was most ertop O me with
ther muzzle o. his rifle half down my
throat when my little gun coughed
again, an er dead Injun fell under
my pony's feet, ther ball from his rifle
speedln' ercross my skull an clippln'
clean ther brm o. my hat"
Cap'n Hawkins settled back in his
chair with no other expression on his
weather-worn face than that of n man
who had just rected some. ordinary in.
cident of unequivocGble truth. For
five minutes there was no sound eX-
cept the occasional pop of the coal in
the little stove.
Finally oil Skipper Freeman. noted
throughout his long list of marine ac-
quaintances as man of few words
and unquestionable veracity, slowly
Strengthened up in his chair, locked his
hands together, and began twirling his
thumbs meditatively. Then in u
smooth, easy drawl he began:
"Cap'n Hawkins BILE. Back
-in-the for-ties. Gold fever. l
warn't ship'd on no cra-aft. Little
coin--ftted out-an started fer ther
gold fields. 'Mong other things, er six
shooter-latest make.
"Over hills-through valleys-tracli-
less forests. Few shipmates--mos er
lone. Come evenln'-sea o wavin'
prairie grass. He'd used one bullet in
gun-fve left Gain ct set--tin' sun
-re-ve-la-tion o nat'r glory. Sudden,
six fiery horses-redskns. glants-war-
paint, feathers-tOmahawks - belts,
long ps-rifies-kniyes. Connect
me like simeon. Whipped out gun"
Cap'n Hawkins was gazing intently
breathlessly at the speaker.
First redskin-'bang ping happy
-huntln-. Second Injun--hole in
= heart yell-dropped like log.
Fourth-high grass-riderless pony.
head, muzzle o rifle foot from mer
heart-'nother pony, no rider-bullet
in me tobaccer-pouch.'
Skipper Freeman leaned over to the
table, grasped mug of water and
drained 1t at one gulp. Capn Haw-
kins was fidgetlng around his chair
and looking nervously and expectantly
at his old friend.
Cap'n Hawkins could stand it no
' longer. He Strengthened up, and
swinging round so as to face the old
' salt who had just finished speaking
asked huskIly:
Skipper what became o ther sixth
Injun?"
: Skipper Freeman. looking squarely
into the eyes of his questloner
drawled:
-Injun-killed-me.
Cap'n Hawkins sank back in his
chair as If he had received a blow
For minute he was stunned, then he
Strengthened up glared sayagely al
u Skipper Freeman. and then with al
: air of deep injury bent down to the
l. floor and drew his wOrsted cap from
= under his chair. He rose from his
chair slowly ana stood erect. His
snappy little eyes scanned the group OF
l old salts. They sat unmoyed. Cap'I
u Hawkins stalked with great dignity t
the three steps that led 10 the cabil
door He mounted them one by 0n'
= and gripped firmly the door-knob
% Then he turned full on the group be
~ low him and in n voice tremulous will
y emotion gasped:
i "Ananias'
The door closed behind him.-Ney
York Sun.
Where Mosquitoes Are Thick.
> "We have to fight mosquitoes a
~ ,,irIL Ii ..1nn ~ il,n nl,rhI nnllnnnln