The National tribune., 1902-01-02

together, telling adventures of their lives,
and yarns, to their Dlutual entertainment.
Now and then, during good weather, the
one or the other who had 4 taste and
some knowledge of music would unpack
flute or fiddle from his saddle-bag, and
strike up the melody of some popular air,
or q song of the time, in which the COM
pany would often join with a hearty
| chorus. Their nightly encampments or
rests in some lonesome cabin, which
would furnish q meager shelter. were not
infrequendy enliyencd with this sort of
amusement. which all readily enjoyed.
1t was such q journey as this that
George his father, the sehOol-master and
others from the Boone's Lick country took
to court. A more picturesque company
of men perhaps never bestrode horses and
started across the Western wilderness.
1t was peculiar party oddly. costumed,
for the time marked the period of the
change from knee-breeches and three
cornered hats TO long trousers, boots, leg
| gins and white, fuzzy plugs, with bell
crowns, in those days called beavers -
| Hunters and Indian-fighters with tawny
| skins, brimless coOn-skin caps ornameutpd
with feathers, hunting shirts, leggins and
moccasins of deer skin. rifles and powder
horns, led the pack horses or mules.
| There was quite a confusion of tall, white
! fuzzy hats such as the mythical Uncle
| Sam in the cartoons wears. mingled with
! tbree-cOrnered hats and coon-skin caps.
| leggins and riding-bo0ts of the jack boot
class, long frOck coats with enormous roll
| ed cuffs, and pockets with flap coverings
on the outside. ruffled shirts. coats with
capes. dcer-skin jackets, until one might
| fancy it masquerade or comic opera
company.
| Mr.. Spooner, a lawyer from old Frank
| lin, a town long since tumbled into the
| river, led the advance, dressed in the lat.
est fashion, white, tall hat, and carried
a riding-whip in his hand. Mr.. SpooneT
was the local counsel Of LaBoome. and a
peculiar man. His face was smooth 'as
n woman's. and he wore his hair long, and
what added greatly to his feminine ap.
pearance was his voice, which was de
cidedly womanish.
Though most Of the company were go
ing TO battle against each other. the ut.
most good humor prevailed, and laughter
jest. and badinage enlivened the journey
Mr.. Griggs took his violin from his sad.
dle-b9gs, and as he rode through the woods
struck up lively air, TO which some
whistied an accompaniment.
| Then Mr.. Sp0on1r sang a high tenor
solo, which the deep bass voice of his
brother attorney accompanied.
Those were the days Of hard practical
Jokes, and in camp at night it was per
fectly legitimate TO steal the blanket from
a sleeper, and cover yourself until the
sleeper awoke, cold and chilly, and toGI
the blanket from the first man he could
find asleep.
They came TO the home of Mrs Bodell
a widow, whose husband had died a few
years before, and she with her big boys
was conducting the frontier farm to tho
best of their ability. She kept n sort OF
way-side inn or stopping place, where the
court party halted for the night. Poor as
her accommodations were they were in
finitely better than the forest. Her beds
were given up to the judge and lawyer.
and older men Of the party, while tht
younger members rolled themselves il
their blankets and slept on the floor, O,
retired to the barn loft.
: Mr.. Griggs played a practical joke OF
ms brother attorney, Mr.. Spooner, which
made that gentleman register vow tha
. he would get even with him, il it took |
hundred years.
: Taking advantage of Mr.. Spooner'
feminine appearance, he went to th
/ widow and in very serious. grieved, con
. fidential manner Informed her that tn
parsonage with smooth face and long hal
= was a woman attired in mems clothes
} who had been following them. He pro
feSSed TO be greatly shocked at such lacl
OF modesty, and assured the widow tha
} the intentions of this female could not b
otherwise than evil. The gentlemen o
the company had done all in their powe
, to get rid of the persistent character. bu
r she would not be shaken" Being gen
: tiemen. they could not use force aeains
woman, and nothing but force woul
= eyict person Of such determination n
: the individual calling herself Mr.. Sp0oneI
: Widow odell being mo gentleman,
had no seruples about using force on sucl
: q disgraceful character.