The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-21
By "'Pick'' Smith

L read in the newspapers that Charles
his intimates always call him Char
Fitzpatrick has again showed UP
! in this city, having motored in from
| san Diego, Cal, putting in several
weeks, or months, on the road, and, II
you don't know Charley, you will be
wonderfully surprised to learn that he
went through the whole trip without
any serious engine trouble or other
breakdown, and with minimum of
tire indisposition; but If you sabe
Charley quite we'll, you will not tie
surprised to learn of his sidestepping
! trouble along the turnpike, for be 1t
knoNn-at least 1 know it-he is one
of the luckiest individuals that ever
went anywhere. Some folks make as
sert1ons concerning matters and things
In haphazard way, but l know what
L am talking about in this instance,
and out of much evidence 1 hold which
might be used in bolstering up my as
sertion that Charley is indeed Lucky
Ike, 1 will cite one little happening,
and let it go at that; it is as follows,
towit:
In the summer-or rather, early in
the fall-of 1899, a hunting fishing
camping party, composed of w. o. An
derson, ]. c. Elliott, Charley Patrick,
Doc" Goodwin Qater chief of police
here) and the subscriber, spent a cou-
pie of months in the wilds of Idaho,
Montana, Utah and Wyoming just
for the fun of the thing" We travel
ed about that neck O. woods mostly
by wagon and aboard bronchos, cay.
uses, cowponies, pintoes, and what a
certain Kansas writer might denom1-
nate ''palfreys," also we utilized, to
limited-quite limited-eXtent, shank
Mares" We had seven horses, four
hooked up to our big, heavy mountain
wagon, and three saddlers. There were
likewise seven humans along, the other
two being "Bill' Williams, our team
Ster-guide, and a guy named Guy,
whom we engaged as cook. We out
fitted at Market Lake. Idaho, and our
first inquiry was for good teamSter
and guide, and we sent for Williams
solely and entirely upon the recommen-
dalton of a certain Scandinavian gen
tleman who. upon being questioned as
to a guide-teamster named Bill VIII
liams, sal, as he wiped off the COULTER
with a towel, 'Ay tank Bill he bane
dam guide guide, an Bill he bane helva
fine fella too-here yer change" Guy,
the cook, we employed on his own say
SO that he was "a good camp-cook
The Swede's estimate of Bill was cor
rect, both as to being a guide guide
and "helva fine fclla;'' but Guys opin-
ion of himself-if the one he gave US
was his honest one-waS-Well, he was
a colossal liar.
The wagon was loaded with our camp
outfit, tent, bedding, ,eatables,-water
fishlines, rods, fishhooks, matches,
smoking tobacco, safetypins, tooth
picks, Docs other shirt, a bar of soap,
and other impedimenti usually along
on similar occasions. Two spring seats
surmounted the double-box, so that
four could ride the wagon, permitting
the others either to pilot cayuses,
walk, or jolt along on the wagon, on
top of the load.
1t has long been rumored that many
snakes and SPIDERS live, move and have
their being amid the gorges, canyons,
Businesses and shadows of the grand
old Rockies and the forests and deserts
lying adjacent and contiguous there
to, and abutting thereon, and it is
deemed-by some folk-a mark of wis
dom, if you are going to cavort quite
a bit in that locality, to have handy
a bit of some sort of stuff that is sup
posed to serve as an antidote in case
you are so unfortunate as to meet up
with and suffer from, the sudden and
unexpected attack-you never can tell
when it's a-coming-of a poisonous
snake, spider hummingbird, or any
other wild creature indigenous to that
Webbing, possibly, men
of average wisdom-took a small fagon
of anti along. and as a precautionary
measure, and in order that We might
always know where it was 'at," and
could rely on finding it at home if
keep a small portion of it always in the
same place, and as Charley's grip hap
pened to be on top of the wagonload
of our outfit, handy-like for all hands
We decided that his grip should hold
the supply for emergency cases, either
snake. spider or the bite of any other |
poisonous varmint- / never saw mos
quitoes thicker anywhere, with the pos
sible exception of in the woods of
Alaska. In Charley's grip were also |
nearly a full box of cigars, a fishing
reel in a small wooden box, a few hand |
kerchiefs. socks. (clean and otherwise) |
some underwear mot union.) a f1ashy /
necktie or two for grand occasions, |
about 81 900 in real money, his Testa-
ment, and-wen that's all l can now /
recall without losir-. time.
One day, as we We're jolting along, |
the foothills of the Teton |
with Bill Williams and |
the historian on the front seat of the |
gon and Doc and Charley holding