Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-02-23
Dead Mans Spring
How 1t Got Its Name.

MNN a recent trip through what Is
known as the old oil country,
in rugged part of Venango county"
said John Gilbert, the travelling gro
ceryman, "the man who drove me over
the hills was a grizzled native who
seemed to be able to remember a
whole lot of incidents of the early days
of petroleum seeking. On our way, at
q wild and rocky stretch Of the road,
we came to rivulet that flowed across
it. and the native pulled up his horse
and stopped.
"Want to get out" said he, and
take drink out O. Dead Mans
spring?
1.-THE question was startling, and l
didn't see any sp.fng, but l was
thirsty, and / said would be glad
to have the drink If he would produce
the spring.
"'Go to the upper side O. the road,
yonder, where you see this little run
come out O. that bunch O. bushes,
said he, push the bushes open, and
you'll find as proper a spring as you
ever set your eyes on to, or put your
mug in
II followed directions, and true
enough, among the rocks and 'bordered
by rank growth Of ferns, was deep
spring, at least two feet in diameter
and of water the coolest, softest and
sweetest had ever tasted. Iquenched
my thirst and got back into the wagon.
"'Now,' said the native, see that
hummock on t'other side O. the road,
'longside O. that big rocks?
II said l did, for the hummock was
plain enough to be seen.
"'Well,' said the driver, that's the
dead man that gives the spring its
name. Coed ap, Joel!
I'VE drove along some distance, and
the native made no further reference
to the dead man Or the spring. In
fact, he seemed to have forgotten all
about them, but l was little curl
GUS, and by and by I said:
"'And how did 1t happenr
1.-THE driver looked at me for all the
world as II he hadn't the slightest
idea Of what l meant. pointed my
thumb back over my shoulder, and was
about to explain, when he exclaimed:
"'Oh-h-h! Him.
eyes said /. And the spring.
"'Well,' said the native, the spring
was always there, but he happened
lest because crude grease IL the best
thing in the world for to make han
grow on bald heads, and rattlesnakes
won't touch anything that's got 1t on
s'I looked at the native Q little un-
easily, but waited.
".Dan Mitchell, l s'pose, was the
luckiest man that ever struck OIL he
said, after ahiIe, mot cause he struck
oil 80 much a. It wAs cause he used
big lot Of 1t on his bald head to make
the hair grow.
"Dan had a couple o good wells
down yonder long the creek, but he
was prospecin' for more. He had a
bald spot on top of his head about the
size Of pancake, and It worried Dan
tremendous. cause he was q young fell
Ter UT, and had hopes.
Somehow or other Dan hadn't
heard yit that crude creased start hair
to CROWN on to bald heads as sure as
q mustard plaster d start a blister,
and that rattlesnakes, which was plen-
tier than flies round q 'lasses jug,
drawed the, line at II, and let anything
alone that had 1t on
"'while you was putin down q
well, you had to kick rattlemakes out
o. your way, or carry . club with you
ali the time, but the minute you
struck oil and she began to squirt,
them rattlers a begin to cut sticks
away from there 90 fast that you
wouldn't be able to find one within 4
mile O. your camp Don't blame EN-
much, for crude grease don't smell
anyways nigh like . pineapple.
".'And that's the reason, / s'pose,
that folks hain't took to the crude
grease cure for bald heads more than
they have. They'd have to 90 into
quarantine, s'pose. while they was
usin' It, anywherss outaide o. the on
camps.
~sWeIl, anyhow, Dan Mitchell had
that bald spot and Il was maxim hial
future dark. when one day I told him
about the crude grease cure and bel
pitched into urin' Il for certain. u
~son one Of his prospecting triro
Dan come along this mad. Il went
q rad hen that you would run'
WAGONS cato, and a. some one hat|
go nnn,a hor.a IL ~ vnlkin! IA