Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-08-31

The horn of the hunters is heard
on the hill. More horns. Drink
brave hearts, and be glad. The hun
tiers of the desert have returned to
town, and we can laugh at the win
ter, for the larders will be full.
Tom Risch, Tom Kendall and Billy
Douglass are back from the great fish
and hunt at Mammoth Lakes, and
they brought back with them some
mammoth tales. Tom Risch captur-
ed two Teddy bears, which are on ex-
hibition at the Brokers' Exchange.
I'm the greatest fly caster on the
coast" said Mr.. Risch, capturing a
crowd in the area way. Il can make
a cast in a foot"
What, of water?" inquired Dick
Davis, the i%ncredulous.
"Water!" exclaimed the fisherman
derisively, what can you catch in &
foot of water?"
Suckers" suggested Mr.. Davis.
The eleven o'clock whistle at the
Tonopah sounded and every good Elk
knows what that a Risch is a
good Elk. He bought.
"Well sir" said Tom Kendall, 81
had a rough and tumble fight with a
bear. The critter had gone down to
the lake to take a drink and l was
Johnny at the gun. Bang! and the
bear rolled over. | was so excited
that | rushed right up to him, with
my bowie knife in my hand ready to
skin him. He was playing 'possum
and he up and give me a clout on the
arm that sent the knife flying from
my hand"
Gee" shivered Jim Meighan;
Just like Caspar the hunter
What's that?" demanded Mr..
Kendall.
Nothing" said Mr.. Meighan. ct
just reminded me-
WELL" continued the narrator,
'he raised up on his hind legs and
| Just looked at him in the eye. Say,
that old bull dog story of looking the
dog in the eye don't go with me any
more. 1t didn't feaze the bear a bit.
He came right on and l s~idestepped
You know I'm a good wrestler and
as he was going by l gave him the
foot and he fell in a heap. He was
the most surprised bear you ever saw.
Quick as lightning, / grabbed him by
q the left hind leg and dragged him to
the lake. He rolled over and tried
a to bite me, but | was too smart for
him. In my excitement | fell over
, into the lake backward, still holding
onto the bear. He came with me
and ! swan out into deep water and
then dropped him and he drowned
= [ just managed to get back to the
bank. and fell exhausted, and I don
know how long l slept"
+ 1t was a dream.
= Talk about fishing" said Bill,
Douglass.
1--WE weren't talking about fishing
Billy" said Jack Salsberry.
II was out in a boat" resumed thu
Tonopah Isaac Walton, unmindful D
the interruption, "and | had TIVE
lines out. / held a rod in each hand
Il and at the same time I got a bite OF
each. You know the Mammoth
Lakes are trout streams. Well,
got a tug and l couldn't land either
h | thought that that was funny. Well
by golly, the boat wasn't anchored
and it began to move. All of a sud
den, both rods were jerked out 0
my hands and there they were float
ing down the lake. | looked afte
them in surprise, as you can imag
: ire. Then / woke up and pulled 70
the shore. | began to chase thos
rods, but couldn't keep up witt
them. l found a horse tethered
short distance away, and I jumped o.
his back. The Mammoth Lakes ar
! five in number and l was fishing 4
the top one. l rode and rode, an
the rods still kept going.
), About dusk l began to get hun
CRY, and we we're getting to owen
River. There was a turn, and
!, thought If l could get there 1 coul
grab the rods as they went by. S
- l jumped from the horse, and leane
:. over the bank from a rock. On the
came, and l was sure of them, whe
/ heard a shot and a bullet whistle
over my head and made a hole /
the water just in front of me.
sprang to my feet and turned to cor
front a dozen men, each armed wit
v a Winchester. / put up my hands
and somebody said Get a rope
tried to be friendly, but there wa
nothing doing. l asked the men wha
Ill 1t was all about, and they said they
show me how they treated hors
thieves in that country. l comics
that l got a little red, and maybe
re little white, for l remembered takin
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