Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-06-17
- - I. =.
M 81 S Story
By I, DE WITT BOWEN
Copyright 1sln BY American Preos
=. -,Fs.s Association. Vt. +s

among miners When the gold fever
was at It's height In the west-that Is.
before mining communities were or.
ganized on the respectable basis many
Of them, are run on day---Itd did a deal
Of work among them. i would settle
myself. at a central point III a. mining
district, from which would make trips
to different camps, speaking to the PED
pie, trying to lead them to walk in the
straight and narrow path. I was young
and muscular in those days. Indeed, n
had been:a member Of the university
football team Of my college.
= One Sunday morning. started on. q
ten mile walk to a mining camp. at
which, I had spoken before and had
made enough converts to warrant the
starting ola church. l was going to
address them on the subject after
which a collection would be- taken up
TO start fund for a building. The day
was fine. the sky deep blue, and as l
strobe on, occasionally pausing to en-
Joy some expansive view, thought
how thankful ! should be at having
such work to do instead Of being shut
up in q counting room or an office try
ing to make money out Of people rath-
er than improving their condition. l..
On the way met man carrying a
lariat in his hand, who. seeing my cler-
teal garb, took or his hat to me and
wished me good morning. I stopped
% speak with him, but he politely
turned about and walked with me that
the time used In conversing should be
aalt: his expense instead Of mine. He
,aaked me where / was going, my purL
pose and other questions pertaining to
my work noticed that he was par
ticnlar to know II this were to be my
t1rst visit to the camp. Then he asked
me where would preach the next
Sunday, and I-told him at the: Palmer
Gulch, camp, some Eve miles from the
Acme camp, to which waa then 60
ing: / gave him much other informa-
ton, including my name, before 1t oc-
CURED to me that he might have some
object in getting all these facts.
Suddenly he whipped out a revolv-
o. and. holding 1t cooked upon my;
nose, told me to take of my clothes
It flashed upon me that he would put
them on himself 60 TO- the Acme
camp. personates me-. take up q col
lection and II possible get away with
II Probably might have given my
life to defeat his purpose, but my life
would avail nothing ,obeyed his or
der, andsexchangeds othea with him.,
after which he bound my ankles and
my hands with the lariat and left me-
On thinking his design over made
up my mind that he would not 30 to
the Acme camp, for I had told him
I was known there, but to Palmer
Gulch camp. where he knew / had:
never been. i must: get rid Of those:
cords, follow him and head him OF
from what. believed was his swim
ding purpose Though very, strong,;I
could not burst the bonds, nor could ],
unite them Twas smoking q pipe when
the man Joined me and had continued:
to give an occasional put. The to-
bacco was still lighted. It occurred to
me that might possibly light a fire
and burn them. The only inflammable
thing near me was dry grass. l. man
aged TO- collect some with my fingers,
dumped the lighted tobacco on It and
by vigorous blowing produced fame.
Over this I held the cord that bound
my wrists, smuggling it so that with my
natural. strength was able TO- break
It. though singed my wrists as much
az the cord. My wrists being free, I
had little difficulty In untying my an
kles. H.. ,..- 49,. -
/ The man had a good start OF me,
and, though must hasten, ! must not
overtake him, unarmed as was. Il
kept a3sharp. lookout before me and at
one point Of the road saw him ahead
oS me making u straight line for the
Acme camp Il could not for awhile
understand & his going where ! was
known TN It occurred 20 me that he
would say that twas il Or otherwise
engaged and shesWas TO take my place,
i Swallowed him. keeping him most
Of the time in view, though he was far
ahead oS me ] wished that II might
meet come one from whom I could OBJ.
tain afweapon, but my wish was not
fuldlled Once or twice II saw him
stop and turn around. 1 knew be was
looking 20 assure himself that I had
been securely bound ana was mot fol:
lowing him Vhenevee he turned
was invisible % him, having fallen on
my face before he could SEQ me. /.
4 expected he would arrive at Acme,
fas I had expected to arrive, 20 flnd the
people gathering lii an open space used
tor meetings Doubtless he did 20,
/ tor when entered the place saw
him there just mounting the board
platform pulpit circled around and
approached the meeting from behind
him. True, / faced his audience, but
! stole along under bushes TIL I reach
/ ed the trunk Of a tree directly behind
him. was still without weapon,
but preferred not to use one. Sud
denly inst as he was exhorting his
aock 10 give literally 10 tho new
i church f,rlfId ing Fl rnaisa n dash and