Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-30
CHAPTER XVII.
The Trapper's Story.

yourself, SAID berCnd, the nlSnL VI
the trapper's return after supper was
over and the evening was before
them. Father" she continued, "has
told me very much about you, but he
only knows your late life. We are I'M
der SO many obligations to you that
we feel interested in your early his.
tory, your childhood, your birthplace
your father and mother, your brothers
and sisters-everything about you
Mr.. Hammersley!"
"You ask something that know but
little about, myself" replied the trap.
per. 'T have been on these plains SO
long that the past all seems like a
dream. In fact, it is so much like q
dream that I sometimes get it con.
founfed with my dreams and scarcely
k~ow which is real and which a
dream.
"I was born in New York City. At
le1st. when first recollect, we
were living in Boston, and my
in New York, and that we had
lived in Chicago. My step-father
was a big coarse fellow, a ship
enough to be in the way he was very
my mother were married when / was
only two years old, and that my father
had died when I was only one year
old. l do not even know his name
It is unfortunate, too, but I was so
young and knew not the Importance
of having my own name, so took the
name of my step-father, though I
hear the given name of my father.
This much I learned. but I do not re-
member how I learned it.
Anyway, my mother died when I was
still mere child and then I was sent
to sort of orphanage Or place for
the poor, and as soon as I got old
enough to leave the place 1 did SO,
and drifted into the streets-was a
common street arab for several years
sold papers, shined shoes and did
such things as that class of boys do
until I was fifteen years old. In the
meantime l had been reading cheap
novels-I had picked up a smattering
education at the orphanage. and kept
up reading. My soul was fired to go
west and kill Indians, and be a hunt
er and trapper and do such other
things that a frontier life might lead
to.
We'll. one day I met Leonidas Lig
gett. an Englishman. whc said he had
known my mother and father ~apG-
took a great interest in me on that ac-
count. He said that he was going to-
join an immigrant train to cross the
plains and asked me if l did not want
to come. 1t was the thing 1 most de-
sired, and I hads no preparations to
make, as had all that l possessed in
the world on my back
I'VE joined the immigrant train early
in the spring and l worked my way by
driving stock, helping about camp and
doing whatever fell to my lot. We had
many adventures, were attacked by
the Indians, some of the immigrants
took sick and died, and the teams
gave out, provisions run short. in fact,
we had the usual mishapS of trip
across this long stretch of uninhabit-
ed country.
when We reached the Boise City
military post my friend Liggett met
Martin Lyle and after few minutes
conversation he got employment with
him and came on to the desert. They
seemed to know each other, Or some
thing Of each other, and after they
met they were never separated before
they left for the plains. Liggett came
and bade me good bye and said he
was sorry he could not get me en-
ployment. too. but I did not care to
come to the desert then, did not want
to work on a ranch, and remained
with the immigrant train under the
protection of the military post.
IAN old trapper by the name of
Mike Hope came into Boise one day
with a fine load of furs. He was
dressed in furs and was SCARED and
rugged, and told of his adventures on
the desert. l followed him about the
post every day to hear him relate his
and when he had finally
sold his furs at a good price and
bought his supplies. among them be
ing a number of large bear traps.
ventured to approach him and request
that he take me along. He sized me
up and after learning from some of
the immigrants with whom I had
crossed the plains that | was what he
considered true blue, he consented.
1--WE left and came to this very
place. and while he had prepared
great deal of the improvements here,
assisted him in making more. But
he had found the secret chamber. and
It was always guarded as such and
kept prepared as a refuge in case we
were ever attacked by the Indians.
though he always treated them right
and often made them presents. On
account of this course We were never
attacked by them. though we often
met them when they were on the war
path.
THE second summer after I came
poor old Mike left me in charge Of
the place and traps and he made an
other trip to Boise That is the last
l ever saw of him. He got into i
game of cards and then a fight and ne
was killed along with several others
in the fight. When l finally became
alarmed | made the trip to Boise and
learned the facts of his death. I also
learned that he did his part in the
fight
Left in this manner there was but
one thing for me to do. l had learned
the trapping business and liked it.
There was money in it, and | return
ed and took charge of the place as my
own. In a short time after my re-
turn found your father under the
doubtless that he has
already explained to you and since
that time l have had no occasion to
get lonesome or give up the plains, as
/ have made his cause my cause and
long to see him revenged against the
terrible deed of his brother and his
Dan Follett."
"But did you ever meet your friend
Liggett, again." inquired Bertha.