The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-04-21

~ h
~ it,s hard to break of. 1t
~ was pretty well fixed on
~ Tim Upton when first he
Rod came to the Sierra Madres
g kIaY along with Badly and three
W. mr. four other pack-mules:
=, saldy was his intimate trlend' and
~ others didn't count.
i vas when HoIcomb Valley, away
!. !, tbe tops Of the hills, was real
amp where every one was busy get
,,ng gold. or sure he was going to get
~ n was nobody's business who
.,hody else was or where he came
s.om Curiosity starts lots of GENE
.aLes 40 it didn't pay to want to
know too much. All that any one
aver really cared about was whether
~ other fellow was on the square,
"A lin Upton was all of that, So
~.s Raldy. When Jim gave his word
4 vas a certainty, whether he was
On,y 10 bring in a sack of -four or take
! mule-load of gold out, it would be
Acme on time. And there isn't much
a anything finer than always keeping
vour word and making good.
lin had been civilian teamster
and packer with the army when
things we're lively along the desert, at
fine In which a man didn't make
apy heavy bets, when he rolled in his
blankets that he would get up in the
~ he
noble red man, as a reward for hay
ing tortured and murdered all he
could. was finally pensioned into fat
and lazy peace, Jim naturally drifted
into packing, and the drifting and the
hacking brought him to Holcomb.
That's all any one knew of him, and
more than anybody cared. But be-
fore long every one was glad he was
there because packing wasn't thing
that most men tackled, particularly
when the trail ran away of into the
high.back hills. through passes, along
shelves by waterfalls, and over places
where the ledge tried to lose itself in
the face of the cliffs. 1t was no pyg-
my's job
q Even for a packer, Jim wasn't hand
some being that kind of man that
the desert makes, or makes the des-
ert-taIl, lean, and leathery, sunburn-
ed to red, and with little wrinkles
around his eyes from much peering
over hot sands. He was more liberal
with everything than talk, of which
he was misery, perhaps through lack
Of practise. But the Lord Almighty's
100 busy to measure men by words
Its what they do. Be sure of that.
So most men believe Jim stood pretty
well with him, and others don't mat
ter.
Badly was wise old chap, who had
lived with Jim long time. In fact,
they must have become acquainted
somewhere out on the desert before
they came to the new camp. Badly
was rather abenevolent-looking burro,
having white face and whiskers and
pair OF philanthropic ears much big
ser around than any of his trim little
legs, which hand could girdle. He
seemed to think he had a right to go
mo any cabin where Jim was welcom-
ed, and, come to think Of it, most
n everybody else thought so. He was
Just Ike a good-natured dog that's al
n ways hanging around a table or a
campfire and looking so longingly for
htte attention or a scrap of some
'alng to eat that no one can refuse
Il Out Of mere politeness. Badly was
real polite, too, because he never
.OOk anything without asking for it in
us way, Jim said Badly got his hon
III .! from preacher who raised him.
ou' the boys thought it was really
'Oin associating with Jim himself.
Lille with them was just about the
oauie one day as another. Break
.anp IN the morning, swing the pack
ives on get the loads up and throw
sue hitches and plod away over the
,, batdys bell calling "Tink-tank;
lNtanK as he led the way. Soft
O'S III me trail would stop the ring
unui Sim came front and fixed it
~ II was the same way with a
,use' Badly would go I'D on it and
~ II with his feet before putting his
s,Sh down until he got clear across,
Suie the whole train would watch
mn. 80 over, feeling sure of his judg-
,,m AND SO every day they did the
NJ NE beginning and ending with
vail Always the trail.
n,o1s about the time when the
uaa settled into an everyday
Nm sn's and was used to Jim and Baldv.
II, rape came into the valley with
soo n'ue girl He wasn't strong
ana 10 work in the hills, so made
eon,t Tue first land entries in that
s,r S 1t was almost the last thing
h., y ny else would have thought of.
n .ue place was pretty enough. be-
sts.... uule valley through which
IN ss ~ rslnoled along until it came to
,sa se where it fell on into a canon
sush sN It's bed out to the sage
bin, , sa's many miles below. Bill
Io,,a 'ln cabin from the big logs
ph las valleys edge, and went
h sort OF farming business. sell
loco.ssSs 'shies to the miners over at
sOt vasu Tor camp prices. He never