Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-01-15
TESTIFIED
KILLIN'"
How Old Jones Settled
With Curly Bill.

The sun was low toward the west
ern peaks when Old Jones and his
nephew halted their teams for the
night. Old Jones and his relative
were freighters, and the crack of
their long, shot filled mule whips
and the creak of their heavy wag-
ons had been heard in half of the
camps of Colorado.
The four wagons tonight were
swung into the segment of circle,
and the mules were hobbled and
cast loose from the straps in which
through the day they pulled. At
this relief these grateful slaves
stood about and attested their Joy
In the loud cries peculiar TO their
kind, but which are so unfortunate
In their lack of harmony. To stop
this racket the nephew went about
giving them their vesper feed. This
he placed in morrels, or nOsebags,
which he hung TO their hungry
heads. Old Jones built a fire and
began the compilation of an intri-
cate but savory dish known to those
happy ones who have the recipe as
''freighter's stew"
Supper over, the two freighters
sat about in the lurking shadows
made by the fires blink and glim-
mer, smoking their pipes. All at
once there was a cOmmotion in the
band of mules. Those patient folk
who had scrambled and pulled all
day over rough mountain trail
with wagons loaded on the principle
of 1900 pounds to a mule, and Who
now in the proprieties of mule life
should be at peace and rest with the
world, were charging about and
snorting in a very alarming way.
"Injuns!" said Old Jones. shov-
ing back into the gloom. "lnjuns,
for a thousand dollars, There amt
no animal on earth, bar Injuns,
ever makes mules take on that
away"
The nephew thought so TOO. Old
Jones and the nephew did not fear
an attack. There were no Indians
about that were not described as
friendly.
But what they did fear was that
the mules might be stampeded.
Stampeding stock Is a great aborig-
inal industry. The Indian will
stampede your cattle or mules and
then claim a dollar a head for find
ing them for YOU. Thus do these
wise sons of nature fill their Golfers
and exact a revenue from those who
cross their lands.
JOseph's nephew took a Winches-
ter from the wagon ond began TO
work his cautious, silent wav to-
ward the mules Those last were
still snorting and shying as if prey
to wild alarm. The nephew disap-
peared in the darkness. Old Jones
placed his hand over his pipe bowl
so its fiery eye could not be seen
and peered after him into the
gloom.
Bang Bangl Bang" 1t was
the Winchester speaking. 1t told
the Indian policy of the border, and
a very sufficient good policy it is
too. Old Jones at the sound heaved
a sigh, but never moved. After
little the nephew came in TO the
fire. He seemed alert, hopeful and
unrelenting as to the Winchester
Indian policy.
did you stretch one?" said Old
Jones.
Il think most likely I did" said
the nephew in a sanguine way.
eve can tell in the mornin'. shore"
Old Jones and his nephew had
visitors in the morning. The whole
Ute tribe and their agent came
down to the freighters' camp. The
members Of the Jones family az
once seized their Winchesters and
alacriously prepared for war. The
Utes ran about, jumping and yell
ing and demanding vengeance. Old
Jones and his nephew stood silent
and grim behind their wagon and
showed their iron teeth. The agent
insisted on peace. Would the
ones VINO nau killed the UCe the
night before give himself up? He
would be guaranteed from harm,
but the Utes insisted on his arrest
They (the Indians) would attack
the wagons if the criminals did not
surrender. So spoke the agent, d
nervous little incompetent, as many
an Indian agent is.
GIVE up nothin'," said Old Jones
derisively. "You tell them UteS if
they want anything round here to
waltz in and get it,"
The Utes howIed and danced still
harder and higher at this. and the
agent talked more earnestly than
ever. He threatened the JOneses
with the power of the government.
This was too much. They would
fight the whole Ute tribe, but they
were afraid If Uncle Sam. After a
brief parley the nephew stepped out
and gave himself up to the agent.
He would have displayed more sense
if he had remained behind his wagon