Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-06-05
Professor Iweeg,
Claim Jumper
Nv LAURA COLBY

There are persons who, Scorniug the
great problems of the present that are
constantly thruSting themselves upon
us, must needs be going back not thou
sands hut millions Of years to peri.
Oh when there WAS not u labor union,
Il sutfragctte society or a trust, to die
up the bones of dinosaurs, ichthyo.
sauri and kindred animals. which, in.
stead OF being as we are today. all
brains and No body, were all body and
no brains.
There was Professor Twrcg OF $780,
university, who had no use for hu.
man being who lived ON the banks ot
the Nile 5000 years ago, but consider,
cd Il trilohitc OF the paNcoxoic period
very interesting creature And the
university to which he was attached
seemed willing to send him anywhere
he chose to 80 for the purpose of dig
Sing for bones so old that they are
only 1T for paving purposes
Professor Twccg was riding about
on such quest over the westcro
plains mounted on n horse which
should have been more interesting to
him than those OF n mastodou. from the
fact that his bones were ready for
glue factory. when he met girl
In cowboy costume with rifle slung
to the pommcl OF her saddle and no
end of cartridges hristinE In her belt
"Ilowdy, stranger" she said
Good morning." replied the profes
sor from behind his sprctaclcs
Re YOU the Teller that jumped the
Darby and jones claim2"
No" replied Twceg I'm the man
10 whom II was reported that the bones
of an extinct animal were buried over
there Wointiny,, and I've boon digging
for them I'm going there now 10 con
tiuuc my search "
WAL. reckon you'd better let the
mis'ahlc buried animal alone and light
out The owners of the property nii
after you, aud If they kctch YOU they're
likely to make you dance with your
legs too short to reach the ground
There they come now"
In times OF danger man il expected
to step to the front But what can ho
expected OF Il fellow who Is absorbed
In an age when even stone headed
weapons hadn't been invented2 Tweea
looked so helpless that the girl took
pity on him You come along with
me-" she said. and turning her horses
head toward gulch In the mountain,
she and the professor FASTENED toward
1t. chased by the mounted men When
they arrived ut defcnsible position
the girl gave the order to dismount and
got behind howlders heapcd together
by past floods Tweeg approaching
the danger much more READILY than
could be expected frol We Of his i'm.
practical disposition I'd himself
beside her
"Whnrs yer gum" she asked
"My pistol? haven't amy arms
Lord save us, Was you born with
out any brains in yer headY'
There was no time toercply to this
for the men who were After the mine
jumper had dismounted and were nd
vancIng on foot. each man with n cock
ed rifle In his hand. When they came
within range one of them called out
Come out q that"
You better come and take US out"
replied the girl
"Who are you"
I'm Nan Jones'"
You Nan Jones? What you doin'
with that gnloot that was dtggu' our
gold2"
Reckon he want after dust"
THAT won't wash what else could
he be after
There was II pnrley between Nan and
the professor. and II was agreed that
he should explain Nan eXncted a
promise that the miners should hold
off for awhile, ana the professor raised
his head above the rocks
"Jist look ut him. cried one OF his
opponents Hes got double lights in
his head"
Reckon he's one o them monkeys
they had in the show that come along
n spell ago" said another
"My friends" said the professor. Il
claim or digging IN II mine at MI |
was told that peculiar bone was
found on your property aud. having ex
amined It. ! found II 10 be Of the dl
nosauriun family"
There hain't never been no SIGH
family buried there. the spokesman
shouted Il been here forty year and
know what | say"
mot n human family" the professor
FASTENED to say II refer TO an animal
thirty feet long"
what are you Giyin' us?"
Il don't mean that it exists now but
lived many millions OF years ago"
Expressions Of impotence were
heard coming from the men, aud they
showed signs ~ ending the pnrley.
II