The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-11-07
HOW HE DID IT.

A4O w ILL D1O LIE
The short story lam about to relate
is "camp yarn" told to me among
the evergreen mountains Of northwest
ern New Mexico, and in the midst of
these very surroundings which clus-
ter about the scenes Of the story. We
were party Of prospectors, tired and
weary with the days climbing, in
search of a ''bonanza" camp beneath
the wide-spreading branches of gil
gantic, cone shaped Hemlock, near
themargin ola gurgling mountain riv-
ulet. Supper was over, the soft, fra
grant browse beds were made, the an
imals properly secured, and, with our
pipes lighted and our feet stretched
out toward the cheerful fire, we were
spending the hour, as usual before
sleep, in telling yarns and 'cracking
jokes"
Joe Marks, an old hunter and noun
taineer, was called upon in his turn,
and related the following:
"There were seven of us in the
party, and ole Hank Jones was along.
He war funny critter, ole Hank was
But you all know him, an know that
he knowed every cave, an creek, an
peak, an rock, an canyon, an tree, an
grizzly by name, an location, an
could 60 to 'em in the dark. He war
a dead shot, too, an knowed more
about bars an their natur's than they
did themselves. Another teller of the
party was young Englishman, as
handsome, well put up, an merry a fell
Ter as y'ever see anywhere. He war
jolly, good-natured, 'fraid of-noth-
in chap, too, an jist as takin' a chum
as ever rolled in a blanket afore fire.
But he war red-hot for huntin', an
nothin' 'ud stop him when oncet he
struck trail-rabbit or grizzly-it
war all the same to him, tho hekinder
leaned toward the grizzly, an that's
why l think his airly trainin' was neg
lected, The rest on the boys was all
old hands from the plains an the
mountains, an understood their biz
to the handle.
"The young Teller had plenty of
dust, an he'd hired us fellers to show
him round among themountains, an
he paid us big an furnished all the
stock an grub. His pint was to get
into the widest country where the
game was the thickest; and [ tell you
ole Hank-who was the captain an
leader-showed him round lively.
Cali this time the huntin' war first
class. We killed no end O. deer, elk,
sheep, goats, an SIGH, an caught loads
O. trout; so in course the young man
war in his glory. But we had skeered
nary bar, and that was one O. the
things that he was a-huntin for, tho
we wasn't.
cat last we was a-cookin' breakfast,
one mornin', when we heerd noise
down in mole below the camp, near
where the horses was. Every manned
hunk o meat on forked stick, cook
in it for hisself on his own hook, an
the smell Of it made our mouths wa
ter to get at it, cause we was hungry,
an the smell O. the meat made us wuss
n wolves or buzzards maxim, fur
karkass. In a minute ole Hank
knowed what war up, an what made
the noise, but he war too alfred hun
CRY to be bothered-sides we he'd a lot
O. meat. When the noise come agin,
and there was a loud snort with it,
the young Teller pricked up his ears,
and SEE he:
'Cap>n, seq he, whats that?
"'Nothin' that you er me er emmy
of us wants jest yet sed ole Hank,
kinder cross like.
"'But what is it?' asked the young
Teller agin. An then there was an
other snort, an he dropped his meat
an rushed fur his rifle.
"Tt's a bar, young man. sed ole
Hank, still a-turnin' his meat, an
a-smackin' his lips as the meat was
a-gittin' nearer done. TITS bar, an
Of you jest let him alone till we git
away with this steak, he'll let you
alone, / reckon
''The other boys looked at the young
Teller an kinder smiled at his takin'
on so, but still kept a-turnin' their
meat.
"'A bear, did you say, cap'n? ex-
claimed the young Teller, as his eyes
sparkled an his face glowed like the
fire. "A bear! The very animal I've
bin a-lookin' fur SO long in vain, an |
now when I wasn't a-lookin' fur him, !