The Lamar register., 1909-11-17
A Drink From
the Hassayampa
D. GEORGE BRIDGES RODNEY


copyright. by J. b. Lippincott Coz
We sat upon the porch of the big
gest liar in the southwest but one and
listened to him. The sun was drop
ping slowly behind the shoulder OF
the San Francisco peaks. and the cold
mountain twilight-for 1t Is cold there
even In June-was upon us.
Conversation turned upon trout
whsreon our host said much.
DO you know a man named Wilkin-
son on the Ouray agency" asked
someone.
Don't talk to me about Wilkinson. .
the old man grunted out between
puffs Of his pipe. Him an me camped
three weeks once on the headwaters
Of the Hassayampa-"
He fell into silence.
~wsuf"
AN anybody what's ever drunk the
waters of the Hassayampa can't tell
che truth.
Il never drunk the waters there"
he added hastily. IL had other stun
10 drink: but Wilkinson. he must We
druAk . barrel-nigh foundered his
Oslk Don't make no difference though;
everybody believes him. an he tells
en- the wust kind o lies an says l
said It"
Somebody asked question.
-Coune ! II tell ye." His eyes
sWiaklsd - he looked at the group on
the porch AN this here amt a lie.
u , the solemn truth. an II s got a
fur
Yea know that timberwolf skin that
p - the dinin room floor? Well. Just
aboat ave year ago l killed that wolf
up - the Black mesa. an l skinned
hin e. brought II home. That night
The ambulance came In. takin' the
AOv eommandin' officer from the rail-
eoaA 70 Fort Jewell. There was quite
Q party Of 'em an they was right
AansIy.-
Remembering his qualities as .
Aost ve one and all licked our lips.
hAsviAS what that party must have
-
Ne vAs . man I'd knowed % year
oe0ore. when he was n lieutenant. an
20 81 up till midnight taikin' over
- aays when Grey Fox pushed the
AoasAss to the aidge O. the mesa an
0AAs tAs country fit fur white men.
Mhns Ne was yarnin' he seen that
WoltA3ds an he says: CUNT he
oayu. where d you git thatf d like
- ~ one Just fur looks sake
""You can often git EN- about here
00w.' ] says. unthinkin' an meanin'
snly - b. polite.
Mex mornin' got up early 'tendin'
- 90 down to the creek to get some
trout fur the ole man. When started
cut . the door. I tripped over that
blamed hide an fell into bucket O.
A1n1lin' wood. an knocked enough
sk1n OF \ my shins to make second
elsutsaaAt O. infantry. Hang that
A1lsi' -. an kicked It on n the
DoesA- wen I come back 1t was Just
6out Anyiight. an that skin looked
- natural lynn under n bush that
Named n It did MT make me jump.
mat Dst the idee into my fool head:
- took the skin an cut little sap
~ N stuck Il in the ground just be-
Hind . BIG pine log. Then I took the
sA1n IN stretched It over the sapiin'
- the line O. the back Just showed
ever Tie log. To make It look more
natural. sticks the nose an fore
pawn 0ut beyond the end o. the log
- puts . dead chicken under the
Oaws. When gifts back on the porch.
NAMED u did mt want to take a shot
- Il mySslf. But ! did MT. went
- knocked at the majors door.
swho 10 itf says he.
sHs.' says I. an II you want to git
. pay wolf come down quick says.
with that I hears the bed shake.
a. then he like to knocked the chiny
ornaments on n the dinin.room man.
tsl 1umpin' out O. bed. He was in his
oaz0 feet an he only had on some kin
q . white shimmy thing that come
oSwn to his knees. Gosh, but he
1ooked odd.
Il showed my 45:so Winchester into
his hand an says: Come on; he Q
after the chickens
"Whn the ole man seen that VOLTS
back. b says: Cad! man. he's ms big
- q oxi'
sBneak down In the grass an
shoot him In the back says l.
Il wish you could we seen him.
There was 4 heavy frost on the grass
an the ole man just wallered in IL.
~Bimsby he gets good place an
1e sAys: How fur away is 1t. Jim?'
"'etxty yards. says 1; shoot. man.
hAooti'
with that she went on. an I seen
kAe major stan up an pull down the
IN q hi shimmy. an look kim o.
Sunny.
-pea blame M says he; look at
xAati'
The bullet Just materially throwed
Nhaa skin two feet in the air. The ole
'0Aa took one look at it an then looks
~ Ds I was leanin up agin the
porch POST holdin' my sides an
Ioasplh'.
"You got him.. says 1; you 20,
hin Arst shot. You skinned him alive.
"0ot hsal!' says he. Durn you an
buuf fool Jokes! I'll git squa. , with
Uou. jim. Y I got to lay fur you like
-