The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-01-29

L
Yarn hell! One bit Mallory last
year when he was roundup up cattle
In Tonic basin. an he went out sud
den.'
"One day Mr.. Hirton come to me
and says: Conner, how would you
like to put In six weeks hunting noun
tain sheep
"'Fine!' I says. Up near the line
there's lots of EN- There was no
fine in them days fer KILN 'em.
Mr.. White an the perfesser would
like to CO. he says. so fix up fer all
Of We to go tomorrow. Ye can take
Smith to help with the packs
I'VE finally hit the foothills of the
White Water Range, after about two
weeks travelling. an made up near
the head of the canyon. I'd seen
some o. them burned hydrophobia
skunks loafin' around the camps, an
every night Id take my beddin' roll
an prop up the edges O. the canvas
with sticks or sling 1t up between two
trees.
Specs wasn't much ON huntin'.
'ceptin' bug huntin', so he says, You
folks go hunt yer sheep. an I'll lie
around camp an git my game here
he says. So he generally had grub
hxed fer us In the evenin'.
"One night when we come in l went
up the stream to catch some flsh, an
about a half-mile up the stream I
seen empty on the bank with Stats
nailed over it, an inside 1t was one
O. these yere animals. Specs got
pet thinks, an meant to josh him
about 1t. But when l went back to
camp forgot all about 1t.
Next night l moved my beddin'
roll an hung 1t up between two trees
away out from the dre. an lay there
a-watching' Specs chop up squirrel
he'd shot. White had turned In, an
presently Specs goes down to wash
his hands in the stream. When he
come back he come by the rear Of the
tent. an got In on the side away from
me.
Il turned out at daylight, an while
yell up in camp that made me Jump;
then shot, follered by two more. I
made one jump an lit by the fire.
White was standin' by the are with
his gun in his hand. his face whiter'n
Chalk. an at his feet was = hydro
| phobia skunk-dead.
What's the matterT says L
"'One o. them varmints was in
Whites boot, an bit him on the hand
says Specs. Heat knife he says
''Ths IRE was out, an 1t took about
VSafr IN att a q
blade hot. We done the best we could
BY tyin' string round the arm an
cuttin' into the hand.
THAT broke up the party. We got
the packs ready to pull out after din.
ner, an went upstream to catch
some Dish. I'll Jest go up an look
at Specs pet thinks l. an when got
upstream to where he had 1t, l seen
the box. but there wasn't nothin' in 1t
Wonder how he got out? thinks ].
an the fust thing seen was thot
the top stat was knocked on. Now.
there amt no animal Twin what'lI
knock the top Stat off'n a box to git
out.
I'VE pulled out after dinner. an !
never want to see worse trip. White
was nervous an worried. an would
look fer hours at his hant. After four
or dve days 1t turned red an angry
lookin'. an White got mighty irritable
an his eyes was bloodshot. an he
had the meanest grin on his face that |
ever seen. Old Specs was devotin'
all his time to him, even maxim poul
tees fer him out'n rattleanake weed.
Zone night after we'd hit the back |
trail fer about three weeks we camped |
fer the night. handed White his tin
cup full Of coffee. He took 1t, an |
seen him strain an strain. an the
big swallerin' muscles on his throat |
stand out. but he couldn't drink. He
says to me quiet.like: Conner,
guess I'm all in.'
Il says. Nonsense. White! Buck up.
It's all fancy There wasn't no Pas
teur treatment In them days.
The next night we had to tie him
He was foamin' at the mouth.
God! what = awful sight, says
Specs.
Il took my gun an spun around the
cylinder. an says: No law runs west
Of the Colorado line. but them AMI
mails 10 sure bad medicine. There may
be some things around tonight that
need killin'.'
Specs looks queer. but says nothin'.
That night about nnoonrise heerd I
shot. an come out o. my beddin'
roll all standin'. White was layin'
by the IRE with his feet IN the ashes.
his revolver In his hand. an tin
cup half full O water beside him. His
head was -. Well, there was let.
ter lyin' by him. writ on label on'n
4 tomato can. an Specs was a-leanin
over him. He says: God forgive
him. poor devil! What do ye make Of
it, Connor?'