Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-12-30

deed. When get drowned, with a
tight plank. under me and a pair of
oars in my hand, 'twon't be in the bay,
| I'll tell you that. But / was scared for
Van Brunt and his lordship in the
Dora Bassett They didn't either of
EN- know the jib from the rudder,
and the valet was too crazy frightened
to be of any use if he had
| But Van was sure to be cool enough,
and the broken gait would act like
double reef, so that was some COM
fort. And the squall want going to
amount to nothing-'twas only a fair
breeze even now-so if Van had sense
enough to keep the tiller straight and
let her run they'd fetch up some
where's alongshore, judged And, to
make me hope still more, the squall
had brought a complete change of
wind with it; now twas blowing back
up the bay instead of out to sea-
So squared my shoulders and laid
to the oars, heading for where, judg-
ing by the wind, the land ought to be-
Twas darker than a black kitten in
nigger's pocket, but cal'lated to be
|
States somewheres. 1 got aground on
the flats five or six times, but along
towards midnight 1 butted ashore at
the little end of nowhere where there
was nothing but bushes and sand and
pines, no sign of civilization. And by
this time twas pouring rain.
After couple of years of scratch
ing and swearing and falling down 1
come out of the scrub into a kind of
clearing. Then 1 discovered a barbed
wire fence by hanging up on 1t like
sheet on line and located the back
of a barn by banging into it with my
head. Then nice laxative dog come
out of the barn and located me, and
things commenced to liven up.
While me and the dog were con-
Quoting our experience meeting, a
| light showed in an upstairs window
little ways off and somebody sticks
their head out and wants to know
what's the matter.
Who are your" he says.
my names Pratt" says I.
Where are your
WELL" says, " Judging by the feel
and smell I'm On top of the pig-sty.
But I amt real sure. I can tell you
where your dog is, if you want to
know"
What are you doing round here
this time of night?" he says.
l told him as we'll as I could. The
dog was having a compton fit, trying
to bark itself inside out, and 1 had
to say things over three or four times
SOS body could hear. But the Teller
at the window want satisfied even
then. I never see such a wooden.
head
What Pratt did you say you WASP"
he hollers.
l told him my name and where I
hailed from.
"Sol Pratt?" he says. "Of Well
mouth? What are you doing way
over hereT'
BLAST it ALL" 1 yells. eff I want
half drowned already 1 should say I
was getting wet Turn out and let a
teller into the kitchen or somewheres,
won't you? And tie up this everlasting
dog"
That seemed to wake him up some
and in ten minutes or so he comes
poking out with a lantern. knew
him then. Twas Ebenezer Holbrook,
Hubby Ann Scudder's sisters husband,
who lives over in the woods on the,
line between South Eastwich and
West Ostable. There was another
man with him and blest if it didn't
turn out to be Nate Scudder himself.
Him and Hubby was visiting over
there, same as he said they was going
to.
Nate had more than a million ques-
tons to ask. Ebenezer tied up the
dog-the critter pretty nigh broke
down and sobbed when he found I
want to be fed to him-and We went
into the kitchen. Then Mrs. Holbrook
and Hubby Ann. rugged up tasty and
becoming in curl papers and bed quilts,
f1oated downstairs and there was more
questions.
When Nate found out that one Of
his dodgers was cast adrift in the bay
he was almost as worried and upset
as I was. But Ebenezer agreed with us
that there was a good chance Of the
sloop's getting ashore safe. He said
why didn't 1 turn in on HIS setting
room lounge for the few hours be-
tween then and sun-up. and In the
morning me and Nate could take his
yawf dory and cruise alongshore and
hunt. So 1 done it, though twas pre-
cious little sleep got.
About six o'clock we started. I
thought first I'd go up to Eastwich
village and telegraph to Hartley Then
thought I'd better not; no use to
scare him till 1 had to. Nate had
heard about the pig chase and Hart
ley's doings over there and he pes
tered the life out of me with questions
about that.
Queer that boy should turn out to
be his brother. want it?" he says.
hrofhar0D Cor, Ioo-f~D