The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-06-23


q ~ morning by sound Of
To~ lively greeting on the
piazza just below my
chamber window. The next moment
Bessie Leveret's face cleaned In upon
Inc as she eagerly exclaimed:
"Come down, please do. He's here
and there'll be such exciting talkw
Descending, I found my three young
cousins gathered about the queerest
jolliest-looking man II has ever been
my good fortune 10 behold. A glance
showed Inc that he was the famous
Rocky Mountaineer, whose praises had
been ruDg into my ears ever since my
arrival at the beautiful city which
guarded the entrance to the eternal
hills.
Cousin" Bessie said, with charm
ing dignity, "allow me 10 introduce TO
you our particular friend, Deerskin
Pill"
depressing smile Mt the deferential
manner with which Bessie uttered the
suggestive title, advanced and bowed
to the distinguished mountaineer.
DofIlng his fur cap with awkward
courtesy, Deerskin Bill responded:
"Sarvlce, ma'am. hopes the snow
storm up In the mountains hes not dis
commodcd ye In pcrtic'lar wise. Do
ye mind the pecooliar glstenin' white
ness thet lays down around old Bald?
Eff ther hain't fell five foot o. snow
up ther since Yesterday morn I'll never
shoot q mountain sheep ag'in."
We turned our eyes toward the
snowy range, stretching white AMI
grand above the misty blue enshroud.
ing the lower hills. The soft Septem-
Der sunshine sifted through the clear,
thin air about us, suggesting scarcely
hint of the eternal winter reignlng just
above. In the distance Pixies Peak,
the highest summit Of the rocky noun
tains. touched the sky in lonely
grandeur.
Five years ago l saw the sunrise
up ther on Pixies Peak on New Years
morn, and twas wuth rememberin'.
] was huntin' black-tailed deer up
ther, but when the sun riz l forgot the
deer, and bless me ef I've remembered
him to this day."
This speech was greeted by burst Of
laughter from the children.
"Well, Jack" Dick Leveret said,
"lets see If you can remember what
happened to you one time while you
were driving stage to Pixies Peak ever
so many years ago"
~
things thct l must stop ana think"
returned Deerskin Bill, forgetfully.
"Do ye mean when the avalanche slid
down on me, or the hosses broke loose
and percipltated the stage into the
gulch, or the big bar planted himself
across the road in front o. me, or the
Rocky Mountain ghost came down the
! canyon"
"No, no." interrupted Dick, with
something like contempt, "all those
will do for commonplace adventures
! but we want cousin to hear the rcal
hair-raislng Indian story-how they
burned you and Willie at the stake
you know"
The children had heard the story
many times before, but an expression
| OF resolute endurance closely re
sembling torture crept into their youns
faces as they prepared 10 listen agar
TO Deerskin Bilrs adventure with III,
Indians.
"Ye see twas years before the Kan
sas Pacific Railroad stretched through
the Golden Belt which means In,
finest wheat country in the world
! Western Kansas was howlin' wilder
ness, and Denver was nothin' but ;
tradln' post when used to come an,
git pervisions and sich, and I'm sorr,
to say, whisky, which the miners roun,
Pixies Peak he'd ordered, and il SCENE,
30 be my dooty TO transport. l used (
drive four mules and four hosses. an
when the road was dangerous IN
mules went ahead and picked the wa!
but when twas even ground and
wanted 10 make quick time, l gin Ill
hosses the lead, and ncater-footcd cri
ters II hes never been my lot TO way
The ribbins over.
"Waal, as was about 20 start on m
o. pervisions and whisky, but nary
passenger, ther suddintly appearc
afore me boy with yaller hair, an
eyes the color o yon sky tnet tips dow
sideways TO the snowy range.
"Wher. in the name of all thet
bright and sh!nin', DO you hail from
axed, with wonder and amazcmcnt.
"'Came across the plains with ,
emigrant train he answered, with
mournful kind o. smile. Am goin'
Jike's Peak TO search fot father, W
came out here two :earbs ago and n
not been heard from only on
Mothers pinin' away with grief n
suspense, so I'm goin' to try 10 find O
sometbin' sartint.'
, "Thet was the boys meanin.' hut {
bootiful soft voice and nice smoc
words ',won't be expected Of DcCrsl
: Eli TO initiate.
"Waal, learnt while we was on {
Jog that the missin' father OF the pul
boy was one o. them KNOWN fcllo
D wat spends his lie a-hur Tin bu
and stones. and other curious thing