Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-07-18

lett. Std DOdQ al pOTL was INC IeIus
as l recollects 'em. It's jest the same
with burros, you takes 'em by the
tiller, that's by the tail. git a good
tight twist on 1t an eff you want him
to head to the right, slew his stern
sheets around to the left, an you got
to be keerful you don't git no kick
back witch eff it lands on you is worse
n the ree-coll of a mule"
Arthur faithfully followed direc-
tons, narrowly escaping the outraged
brute's small but sharp pointed heels
on occasion. His efforts not being
productive of much success, finally tp
his despair he resorted to urure
strength; he would pick the little ami
NAL up bodily, pack and all-he was a
a Of powerful physique-and swing
him around until his head pointed in
the right direction; then with a prayer
that the burro would keep 1t there for
a few rods anyway, he would set him
down and start him all over again.
The process oft repeated became mo-
notonous after awhile. Arthur was q
slow thinking man, deliberate in ac-
ton; he stood 1t as long as he possibly
could. Kirkby, who rode one horse
and led two others, and therefore was
exempt from burro driving, observed
him with great interest. He and Brad
shaw had strayed way behind the rest
Of the party.
At last Arthur's resistance, patience
and piety, strained to the breaking
point, gave way suddenly. Primitive
instincts rose to the surface and over
whelmed him like a food. He de-
ltberately sat down on a fallen tree
by the side Of a trail, the burro halt
ing obediently, turned and faced him
with hanging head, apparently con
scious that he merited the disappro
baton that was being heaped upon
him, for from the desperate tender
foot there burst forth so amazing, sc
fluent, so comprehensive a torrent o.
assorted profanity, that even the ole
past master in objuration was aston
ished and bewildered. Where die
Bradshaw, mild and inoffensive, ge
it, His proficiency would have ap
palled his rector and amazed his fel
low ~vestrymen. Not the Jackdaw o
Rheims himself was SO cursed IS tina
little burro. Kirkby sat OF his hors'
| in fits of silent laughter until tn
tears ran down his cheek, the ont
: outward and visible expression OF hi
mirth.
. Arthur only stopped when he ha
thoroughly emptied himself, possibl
: OF an accumulation Of years OF repre-
: sion.
!. WALL" said Kirkby, you SURE d
!. overmatch any n l ever heard We
, 1t to cursin'; wy, you coul
!, gimme cards an spades an beat me
an I was thought to have some gil
hathaway in the old days"
. II didn't begin to exhaust myself,
answered Bradshaw, shortly, AN
what / did say didn't equal the situ'
ton. I'm going home"
81 wouldn't do that" urged the oil
man. Here, you take the horses al
I'll tackle the burro."
Gladly" said. Arthur. Il woul
rather ride an elephant and drive
herd Of them than waste another mil
ute on this Internal little mule"
! The story was too good to kee
! and around the camp fire that nigl
Kirkby drawled 1t forth. There was
! freedom and easiness Of intercourse
I the camp, which was natural enoug
! Cook. teamster, driver, host, CUES
! men, women, children, and | HAD
most said burros. stood en- the san
\ level. They all ate and lived togethe
\ The higher up the mountain range "
| 20, the deeper into the wilderness "
| plunge, the further away from Il
conventional you draw, the mo
homogeneous becomes society and Il
less obvious are the irrational and u
scientific distinctions Of the lowlanc
The guinea stamp fades and the m
and the woman are pure gold or ba
metal inherently and not by any {
. tilcial standard.
George, the cattle man, who cooke
and Pete, the horse wrangler, who
IN sisted Kirkby in looking after t
lie stock, enjoyed the episode uproario'
y ly, and would fain have had the exa
language repeated to them, but be
Robert Maitland demurred, much
IN Arthur's relief, for he was thorough
Inundated by the whole performan'
n It was very pleasant loungi
%. around the camp fire and n go
Id story easily led to another.
TT was in these very mountain
p said Robert Maitland, at last, when
be turn came, that there happened o
d. of the strangest and most terrible
ID ventures that l ever heard Of. | ha
ed pretty much forgotten the lay OF I
by land, but / think 1t wasn't very
On from here that there is one OF I
Irt most s~tupendous canons through I
ky range; nobody ever goes there; do
suppose anybody has ever been thu
le- since. 1t must have been at lei
70, Ave years ago that It all happened
CHI (To BE coNTINUED.)
vn