The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-07-22
FREAK WAGER MADE HIM RICH
UNIQUE JOURNEY W|THDONKEY

Bun on = man We nnally divided
up two or three swallows. Then !
insisted on giving Don a drink, W"
had turned two Of the burros and
Don loose to ind water. They came
back an hour later and had found
none Guns were drawn again. ]
pretended to yield to him. He iell
asleep and then gave that dog "a
drink. He licked my clothes, D.
hands. my ieet. my face and lay
down beside me- to watch over me
against Tom the whole night long
never saw such gratitude.
In the morning Tom went plumb
crazy. He had Mysteries We went
down a trail which We had climbed,
into the blazing desert Tom threw
his clothes away He tore his hair
/ pretended saw a sinboard and
told him | could. We struggled on
and only half a mile away | did find
board which said that Fedora
Springs was two miles away
gave Tom all the water We had left.
remembered walking for about half
a mile further, and that Is all The
next knew was drinking at a hole
in the ground with the burros and
Tom and the dog, and stranger,
who had come East in a prairie
schooner. was standing over me say
ing: There's plenty Of water,
stranger | never looked at him.
drank and drank, and fell back eX-
hausted.
NO man can ever know what sur
fcring is until he feels thirst like
that Don afterwards saved my life
/ by his wanderings in Nevada when
. desperadoes tried to kill me.
/ wandered all over the country,
I roughlng it. In my desire to build
up my health Don went with me.
out in California one time | met a
man who was kind to Don and me.
| Don liked him. The man wanted him,
3 and because the rancher was kind
and was man OF good repute ]
| let him have Don until | should
| send for him. Don liked his new
| home, and have never sent for
/ him. wouldn't hurt that dog
| feelings for the world. He's still my
dog. / hear Of him from time to
time, and some day hope to see
him. Once We went 1876 miles with
out seeing habitation. lie watched
over me while | slept
L could always lecture TO Don,
even If had no other houses. !
remember that in Yonkers in my
first night out | had just three per
sons at the lecture, all deadheads.
OF course things improved as | went
on and got notoriety and mayors OF
cities used to ride my buro out
Of town, and all that
Il landed in San Francisco with
sl.2S5 In my pocket, all of II earned
on my way. | weighed 13O pounds
when / started, and gained forty
} pounds on the trip. | was so much
improved in health that | went into
roughing 1t. worked on ranches
went to washing gold and mining.
| worked in winteries, in paper mills
and lumber camps. | started learn
ing mining in Cripple Creek and got
started I'm that business. ! worked
on the famous 1Ol ranch in Okla
homa. wrote articles and stories,
Gradually my peoplc and friends
saw that there was something be-
hind being freak. ! had the real
purpose Of recovering my health
and studying the West in all its
phases. | know II now. do not
turn my back on that so-called foolish
episode. II made me.
III YOU write anything about me
Just bring out this phrase, that grit
and pluck. no matter what is at Is;
sue. always pay. | want to get my
pile so that | can write. | have
written n lot OF verse. II may be
foolish. but some day | want to see
a book OF poems with my name on
H. have already written two book
which have gone pretty well, but
verse is my hobby
Il met Mr.. Bryan recently End
told him II he had not run for prcsi-
dent ! would not have been success.
ful. lie and his wife entertained
me and Don on my trip West
Well, Pod he said, YOU certainly
have added to my enjoyment Of life
by your stories, and | am glad | ran.
Don't call me Mr., Bryan. You may
have the privilege OF addressing me
as Bryan"