The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-01-20
The Professors Gun:
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By Franklin WelleS Calkins.
4: 4: e e e S a: q: Se9s a:

1T is something over 20 years since
l | accompanied small military
expedition, under Lieut.. Isaac Murphy,
which went from the Rio Grande west
ward to establish new post in Ari-
IONA. Several "tenderfootS," bent up.
on prospect and discovery, were al
lowed to travel with the command over
a route beset with danger from attack
by hostile Comanches and Apaches,
and, although the lieutenant did not
admit it, l think he was not altogether
displeased by the addition to his fight.
.ag flower of the ha'f-dozerg we'll
armed. well-inounted and well-pro-
yisionad Civilians
But At Sccorro We were Joined by an
individual. ? fresh arrival from the
Ibrth. VINO attached himself TO the
expaditi4n witaout so much as "By
your iessa. gentlemen" A tall, I'M
ga5ufy. cl6avarons and solemn person
~ was, his age gnessable at anywhere
between 20 and 6e. He was cross
eyed and 50 near-sighted that he wore
cumbrous, large-bowed spectacles to
correct his vision He had the thin
cheeks and hacking cough of a con-
sllmptive. .doreoye:, hS.sad no rid
ing animal, and the two burros he had
been able to buy in Socorro, to which
point his goods had been sent, were
SO heavily laden with his trappings
that they looked detected.
'.See here, Mr.. Man." said Lieut..
Murphy. as we broke camp, you can't
travel with this outfit. You're phys
ically unfit for the trip and my two
wagons are loaded to the limit"
"No trouble to you, l trust, sir
h-m-m," said the stranger, who had
already been dubbed the Professor"
No real disability, sir-h-m-m; just
a touch of bronchorrhoea-h-m-m;
find this dry atmosphere great help,
SIR He spoke in a calm, decisive
tone. but coughed at every other SEN
tence. 'I'll come on in your rear, sir
can't ride in saddle on account of gas
tritis-h-m-m-just touch, sir!"
Good gracious!" muttered Murphy.
Bronchitis, gastritis, cross-eyes, false
teeth, and afoot! Well, sir" he added,
in louder tone, for the man was ap-
parently somewhat deaf, 81 suppose |
we must leave trail behind u.s.
The tall stranger bowed gravely and |
went on with packing his burros, a
task which he accomplished with sur
prising neatness and speed. When we
moved away from Socorro he fell in
respectfully behind our six-mule |
freight-wagons, came on at an I'M
wearied swing for the 24-mile stretch |
which brought us to our first water
hole and coolly camped within our
picket lines.
We'll lose him tomorrow" said
Murphy to his mess. "Cacti!" and he
chuckled contentedly.
Our trail the next day led over a high
mesa carpeted with prickly-pear, a
mating of thorns so dense that the
passing of a holf-dozen "freighters"
could have offered no protection to
feet less well-shod than those of a
mule. Yet the professor plodded I'M
oauntedly across this stretch, and,
much to our establishment, came into
camp at night without limpipg.
Our surprise gave place to a degree
or respect when We noted that the
professor wore wooden shoes lined
with ehamois-skin. He certainly had
proved himself an experienced trav-
eler--and now his cheeks were showing
sunburn and his cough seemed less
incessant
TO the ruder jokers of the command
the professor afforded unlimited
amusement. His ungainly figure and
lantern jaws, his "butter- milk eye"'
and "double-back-actio eye-gear,"
his air of intent gravity when pack
ing, unpacking, or when cooking his
meals, his big gun case, which meas
ured the length. of a burro and
whacked its patient bearer, now and
then, upon the jaw, his carefully
guarded and never-opened packs, his
general owlishness-all furnished no
end of fun to the cavalrymen.