St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-06-29
battery would scatter an elephant

4
over a township.
We Hoped along quiet and easy until
sun-up. The Grindstone Butts lay
about . mile ahead of us. Looking
back, we saw the Injuns coming over
q rise of ground way in the distance.
"Now," says my friend, II know a
short cut through those hills that'll
bring us out ut Johnson's. They've
got enough punchers there to do tho
United States army up-starched and
blued. Shall we take it?'
'Sure!" says 1. "rm only wan
dering around this part II the coun-
try, because this part of the country
is here-if it was anywhere else I'd be
just as glad"
So in we went. It was the steepest
and narrowest kind of canyon, look
ing as if it had been cut out Of the
rock with one crack of the AK. I was
just thinking: zee whiz! but this
would be a poor place to get snagged
in" when bang! says rifle right in
front of US and "m-e-arr!" goes the
bullet over our heads.
We were off them horses, and be-
hind couple of chunks of rock, soon.
er than we hoped for, and that's say
ing a good deal.
"Cussed poor shot whoever he is, I"
says my friend. "Some Iniun holding
us here till the rest come up, pre-
sume?"
THAT'S about the size OF it-and
I'd like to make you bet that he
does it, too, If I thought I'd have a
chance to collect"
"Oh, you can't always tell-you
might lose your money" says he
kind of thoughtful.
81 wouldn't mind that half as much
as winning" says I. "Rut, on the
square, do you think we can get out
I'll jump him with you if you say so
although I amt got what you might
call a passion for suicide"
snow you hold on a bit" says he
II don't know but what we'd have
done better to stick to the horses, and
run for it, but it's too late to think OF
that. Jumping him is all foolishness
he'd sit behind his little rock and
pump lead into us till we wouldn',
float in brine-and we can't back out
now"
He talked SO calm it made me kind
Of mad. "Well," says I. Sin that case
let's play Simon says thumbs up til
the rest of the crowd comes"
There you go!" says he, "just Xix,
all young fellers-gett:n' hosstyl,
right away if you don't fall in will
their plans. Now, Sonny, you keel
your temper, and watch me pla,
cushion carroms with our frient
!, there"
Meaning how?"
this side of him with the square fac'
towards us? Well, he's only covered
| in front, and I'm a'going to shoe
against that face and ketch him OF
the glance"
"Great. il you could work it,
says I.
"Well, watch!" says he. Then h,
as not to give the Injun an opening
i, trained his cannon and pulled tn
, trigger. The old gun opened he
mouth and roared like an earthquake
: but didn't see any dead Jnjun. Thel
twice more she spit fire, and still
there weren't and desirable corpses I,
| be had.
"Say, pardner!" says I. "Yo'
, wouldn't make many cigars at thi
|, camel"
"Now don't you get oneasy?" say
he "Just watch!"
"Biff!" says the old gun, and thi
time, sure enough, the Injun wa
knocked clear Of the rock. fel
all along that he wouldn't be mucl
Of a comfort to his friends after
. wards, if that gun did land on him.
Still, he wasn't so awful dead. TO
. as we jumped for the horses he kin,
; of hitched himself to the rock. an,
laying the rifle across It, and workin,
the lever with his left hand, he sen
q hole plumb through my hat.
, "Bully boy!" says I. ] snapped a
. him, smashed the lock Of his rife t
flinders. Then, of course, he was on
meat.
. As we rode up to him. my pard he'll
, dead on him. The 1njun stood n
straight and tall, and looked u
: square in the eye-say. he was mar
! I tell you, red-skin or no red-skir
The courage just stuck out on him a
he stood there, waiting to pass in hi
: checks.
E My pardner threw the muzzle of hi
gun up. 81 can't do it--he's gam
from the heart Quit" says he.
Then we shocked along down t
7 Johnson's and had breakfast.
"What became of Frosthead an
his gang?" Oh. they sent out a regi
ment or two, and gathered them in
bout g soldiers to an Injun. No
1 no harm was done. Me and my par
were the only ones that bucked III
l against them-chuck out cigarette
Kid; my lungs ache for want OF
). smoke.-Idler.