The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-11-10
Tales from the
Knob Country

s@rT5 HE Knob country lost Its leadin' /
and most valuable citizen when
Uncle Jasper died." remarked the man
from that storied part of the Pike coun-
ty wilderness that lies back of Lacka-
wack. why. Uncle Jasper could
actu1ly smell bear, Uncle Jasper could
And when it come 10 wild cats, why.
gosh all hemlock! he was like a prophet
of old
"One time. hadn't seen wildcat in
two months, and | wanted a couple the
wust way. Seemed as If wild cats had
all left the county. So, one day was
passin' along by Uncle Jasper's and |
asked him where all the wildcats was
He said he hadn't thought nothin'
about wildcats for good while.
Why says he. do you want someT
Only couple, l says.
Lemme see,' says he This Ia
along in November, he says.
Then he looked around at the wealth
err awhile, and seemed to be considerfn'
the leaves, how they was fallin', and
then he says:
well, DanI, he says. I see by the
way things looks that there's couple
O. wildcats down back O. the swamp
yender, he says, and I'm glad you come
along, he says. cause | wouldn't "a
thought nothin' about wildcats if you
hadn't come along he says, and them
two would "a been up here and played
hob with my chickens tonight, sure!'
he says. I wish you'd so down and git
EN- he says, but you won't git 'em
both if you don't act right, for they amt
together
Go down Just beyond the big tama-
racks first he says. There, in one o.
them tamaracks, or nigh it, you'll run
agin one O. them Wildcats he says.
"It'I be the littlest one o. the two.
Don't kill her dead he says. Jest wing
her so she can't git away or jump on to
you. Then she'll YELL Great Jupiter!
how she'll Yell he says.
Then you want to keep your eye
peeled sharp. fer it won't be long before
t'other unll come tearin' along that way,
from up yender in the laurels. where he's
layin' about this time, watchin' fer a
pheasant.
Hell hear them yells o. her'n.' says
/ Uncle Jasper. and he'll tear down to see
what's goin' on. Stand out good where
he'll see you about the time he gifts with
in a couple o. rod o. where t'other un's
yellin' and spittin' and squallin', says
| Uncle Jasper When he sees you he'll
stop and squat Then you let him have
/ it.
land be sure you kill him. II you
don't mebbe you'll be sorry you went
down after 'em. So be sure you kill him
Then, says Uncle Jasper, you kin
settle t'other un,' he says. and you'll
have EN- both. and l am glad you come
along he says, SOS to set me to thinkin
about wildcats, and SOS | could sort o
locate these two fer you, he says
Them two is all there is in these parts
to-day. 'cordin' to the signs he says.
That's the way Uncle Jasper laid GU
the programme fer me that day as tC
wildcats, and l follered it out and go
'em both. A leadin' and valuable citi
zen Uncle Jasper was, and it was bis
swat to the Knob country when b,
passed away.
1T was somethin' tough on him tina
he had to go. too. particly as he had t,
leave setch woman to be wilder a
Hammer was. Why, whenever remem
Der Hammer and them three bears l al
most have to set down and shed tears 70
Uncle Jasper to think he had to go ant
leave setch woman wilder.
Then three bears, the old she on
and the two spring cubs. they come dow
into the corn patch at Jasper's clearin
Jest about dusk one day, when the mill
was in the corn, and laid out to have
high old feast on to it. They knowed
them bears did. jest as sure as your
born, that Uncle Jasper was way bacl
o. the Knob havin' the gun with him
and wasn't comm home that night: blu
J they didn't know that Hammer had S,
many p'ints about her
They had been rompin' around in tn
tearin off roastin' ears and havin
time gener'ly, before Hammer dis
EN-. There want no gun il