The Banner Weekly: 'The Captain's Enemy' — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AC a ! "ae Yh } ie v4 a r \* _ ae ‘ ~~, S mW 5 >) an (aim Y 1) Se.) oe —_ . >)». 2S_—_— a ee 7 re Ley . = —,9 %* i eae fama a — _—) a — §= 8 PODDLE COMES HOME WITH A CIGAR BY JO KING. Now, Poddle, sure as I’m alive Your sense bas wandered far, And if you haven’t went and gone And come withac gar! Whoever heard of such a thing! [I can’t believe my eyes; And that outdacious, awful smoke You know how I despise. Cost twenty cents? Now, lookey here, Do you know what you are at? And yet you'l! take on when I want A seven-dollar hat! Given to you vy a friend, you say? You rather mean a foe; I’d like to bave him by the hair— I'd settle him, I know! You give me torment till my lif Has got to be no joke; , You’ve tried all things, and now you try To smoke me out with smoke! The first one that you've smoked for years? ’'T will be the last one, too! Don't think that you'll begin in this Abomination new. Now, look; that smoke rolls over here, And I'll rell over there If you don’t throw that out the door And letin some fresh air. Fine flavor? Makes you think of days You smoked before you wed? Now, don’t you throw that up to me; You'll wish you were safe dead! You've got so many habits bad That you've no place for more, Unless you’d fill your pockets with Cigars, sir, by the score. You'd go to smoking every day, And there your money ‘d go, Just when I want ase in cloak Which I am needing sv. You're feeling proud in puffing out That awful, stifling smoke, But then, I guess you’re satisfied Because you know I'Jl choke. I couldn't, hey? well, just keep on; I ll soon b- dead as chalk. Thac’s what you want. leven can’t Get breath enough to talk, It don’t seem so? But it is so; At every breath [ make I swallow moutnfuls, and to talk It makes my both lungs ache. I’m glad you put it in the stove, Ahum, you're looking sick. Glad of it, Poddle, yes, | am. Get you the camfire, quick? I hope that you'll get sicker yet. The room is going round? I wish that you'd stay sick a week; *T would pay you, I'll be bound. Oh, Poddle, get up off the floor. No. I don’t think you'll die. Ah, thank you, Poddle; Idon’t smoke, Avother smoke will you try? In the Big Horn Range; The Game-Trails of the Northwest. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. Ir turned cold during the night and ice form- ed in our drinking-vessels, During our stay we always found the nights cool to chilliness, no matter how hot the day had been. That day we moved further up the valley crossing some ridges and oe a number of canyons. Wesaw plenty of game sign, but no game until along in the afternoon. The guide soon found it necessary to abandon his long-eared steed. The way became so rough and narrow that, owing to its blindness, it was in constant danger of pitching headlong over some precipice. He led it back into the valley, where there was an abundance of grass and wa- ter, and after that rode one of the pack-mules, About noon a coyote broke cover on a hill- side, not far a way and we turned our guns loose on him, We fairly tore up the ground about hin, aud finally killed him at a distance of two hundred yards. Then—oh, sad to relate!— we discovered that it was a ball from Grizzly’s rifle that had done the work. ‘*Don’t b’leeve in wastin’ am’nition on no- *%count critters gin’ally, but a coyote’s jist naterally too ornery to live!” Grizzly explained, in extenuation of the part he had taken. And we agreed with him, This shot gave him an opportunity to expa- tiate on the merits of his large-bored gun and belittle the shooting qualities of Tom’s weapon. ‘Tf I didn’t have stren’th to carry a gun as would throw a ball bigger’n a forty, blast me, if I wouldn’t stay away from the mountains!” Tom’s gun was small and threw only a 40 caliber , but he used explosive cartridges, when necessary, and thus made of it a weapon with which no man need fear to face even a grizzly. I was onthe point of explaining this when Tom gave me a look that closed my mouth like a steel-trap. We had halted for dinner and he walked to a small pine, about fifty yards away, and penned a square of paper to it, ‘* Try your rifle on that, Grizzly!” he said, on his return, ‘*‘Make your best shot and [ll re to beat it with this pop-gun, as you it. ‘* Targets ain’t grizzlies!” the guidegrowled. **'You’re afraid I'll beat your shot!” said Tom, tantalizingly. ‘‘ That paper’s only fifty yards aways and L’ll bet you can’t hit it to save your neck!” “ Fifty yards—can’t hit—what’s that you say, young man? Why I kin hit a tin tobacker- tag that fur an’ pot half try.” e picked up his heavy rifle, threw it to his shoulder, glanced hastily through the sights and fired. The aim was true, the ball cut the center out of the paper and buried itself in the tree. ‘* Pretty hard tu beat a center, but Ill try!” Tom said, smilingly, as he stepped into the tracks of the guide. At the crack of the little rifle the paper disap- peared, and the bark flew from the tree in a shower. He had used an explosive ball and torn a hole in the soft wood, into which one might have thrust his fist. ‘* How’s that for a forty-caliber?” he asked of the astonished guide. ‘* Didn’t have it loaded with dynamite, did ye?” the latter demanded, scratching his head and not at all able to understand it. Then Tom explained the power and effective- ness of the explosive bullet; and nothing fur- ther was ever heard from Grizzly on the subject of pop-guns. That afternoon we were electrified by the sight of a band of elk, twenty in number. They came out of a small ravine, nearly a mile to our right, and proceeded with slow deliberation to- ward the water at a point that was evidently their usual drinking-place, They were strung out in single file, and led by an old bull whose crest was kingly. ‘*T must have those antlers!” I said to Tom, ‘Yes, and I want that pair just behind!” ‘If you fellers don’t keep still you won't git nuthin’!” observed Grizzly, with some disgust. We had scarcely Spoken above a whisper, but we knew the wariness of wapiti and accepted the rebuke, ‘* Now, ef you fellers r’ally want them horns I'll show you how to git ’em!” Then Grizzly unfolded his plan and in carrying it out convinced us that, braggart and liar though he was, he really did know something about hunting. ‘They'll pass within a quarter o’ that p’int yender. We'll hide in them bushes an’ when they’re about opp’site [ll show you somethin’ that ain't done th re A in the week, even by men that calls ’emselves hunters,” We had noidea of what he intended doing, but tied our ponies and pack-mules to some low cottonwoods and followed him carefully to the point indicated. A lot of bushes grew about its base, offering ~~” Le " ~ ~ 4 -— T° aia ; “<a th a secure hiding-place, and ensconced beneath these we peered out at the noble game that was slowly approaching. It was evident that they would pass beyond rifle-range, and we wondered how Grizzly ex- pected to overcome this. When they were almost opposite, he startled us by suddenly crashing about ia the bushes. Then the clear, piercing whistle of abull-elk cut the air from a point almost at our sides, Shades of Nimrod! What a_ bugle-blast! Long-drawn and tremulous it rose and fell on the clear mountain air like the peal of a trum- pet; and before it died away the entire band of elk wheeled about and faced usas if threatening a charge. Again rose the call of the elk, at a little dis- tance from us, this time angry and defiant, a challenge to mortal combat, It was replied to, and the bulls upon the plain advanced with tossing antlers. Grizzly stole back to us, after giving the last call, an ples peak ‘* Wait till they git clost enough an’ then pull on the biggest. Tom kin take the one on the right an’ you the one on the left. If you fail to fetch *em I'll turn Nancy loose, an’ then you- ‘]l see bull-meat take a tumble.” The bulls advanced to within fifty yards of our thicket and, hearing nothing more from the challenging elk, there halted as if undecided what to do. ‘* Now, give it to’em!” prompted Grizzly. Our rifles spoke at almost the same moment. The elk I had fired at reeled, then gathered himself and ran heavily down the slope. The other fell, but arose again and seudded away even faster than the first. Mine fell, however, after a run of a hundred yards, and did not get up, while Tom’s disappeared around a bena in the valley. We did. not care to fire at the others and they dashed back toward the ravine from which they had come, ‘+ You've got’em!” said Grizzly, contidently. ‘‘Tom’s *ll not run fur. He’s broke up bad. We'll find him some’eres tween here and the river.” Tom did not hear this, for he had bounded away. Presently we heard his shout, and on coming up to him found him sitting coolly astride of the dead elk. Wespent the remainder of the afternoon in skinning our prizes and removing the antlers, which were magnificent ones, ‘¢ ’m not a story-teller,” said Tom, when this was finished and while Grizzly was preparing our evening meal, ‘‘ but this business reminds me of an a jars mae with elk in the cen- tral oO om oO years ago. ‘*Was the Telsee of Wales with vou?’ l N The prince is Grizzly’s’ special part- ner, ‘*Nor the Marquis of Lorne?” ‘*See here! Do you want to hear this story or not?’ 1 assured him that I did, and he continued: ‘*T came by rail from Cheyenne to Carbon, and then went out into the country about Elk Mountain, taking with me a Swede named Jan- sen or Johnson, who had been working in the Carbon coal-mines but was then out of a job. ‘*‘ There had been a heavy fall of snow, and we took along wid gots of Norwegian snow-shoes. We were for to use them when we got near Elk Mountain and, easy as it looks, I tell you it’s hard work for an amateur. ‘* While following the bed of a canyon, which had been blown partially bare by the wind, we came upon our first elk-tracks. ‘* We trailed him for an hour and then jump- ed him in a clump of bushes not fifty yar away. I was flushed and heated and my nerves ali aquiver from the unaccustomed exercise and I scored a miss. Then I emptied my magazine about him, but he got away, ‘** Those elk run like a bird!’ said Johnson, attempting to console me, ‘ You can neffer hit those elk v’en he fly dot way.’ . ‘* The afternoon held better luck in store, We were near the same point, when*l saw a small band descend from an elevation into the canyon at our feet. ‘*] ordered Johnson to put out the fire and conceal himself, while I hurried down the can- yon tointercept them. I left my snow-shoes, a piece of folly I soon had cause to regret, for the drifts were deep in places, But I managed to flounder through and soon reached a spur which I judged would put me in range. ‘* | crawled to the top of this and was greeted with a glorious sight. The elk, a bull and three cows, were not more than a hundred yards off, and feeding. The snow hid the grass complete- ly, but they were pawing it away with their broad hoofs and thrusting their noses deep into the drift. ‘*T lay quietly watching them for a little while and then aimed at the side of the nearest cow. The bullet—an explosive one—caught her high up in the side, shattering her spine and causing almost instant death. ‘* The others started, stared about and, catch- ing sight of the drifting smoke, broke into a run. But by that time | had another cartridge in the barrel and sent it through the shoulders of a second cow, tumbling ber over not a dozen yards from where the first onelay. The rest escaped and were soon out of sight and hearing. ‘* | shouted for Johnson and then went down to where the elk lay and found them both dead. When he put in an appearance we proceeded to skin and cut them up. We then moved camp to that point and cached the meat in the snow, confident that it would remain sweet and whole- some for a long time, which it did. “ Getting tired?” Tom asked, at this point, eying me sharply. ‘* No!” I answered. ‘‘ Goon!” ‘Well, I will hurry to the incident of the following day, the event of my hunt and the most singular and thrilling combat I ever wit- n ‘ ‘*T was awakened early by a bull-elk’s whis- tle. It came from a thicket of hazel, high up the sides of a cliff, and a moment later I saw the elk emerge from his cover and plunge across the intervening slope. **Then again came the whistle, ending in a sort of grunt. I judged that Mr, Wapiti was engaged atthat early hour ip calling to his mate, and I determined to follow and witness the meeting. ‘* Johnson was already bustling about, and in a few minutes we had strapped on our spow- moe and set out, guided by that palpitating ‘* Finally we caught sight of him, standing beneath a ledge and ap ntly hesitating as to what course to take. He wasin easy gun-shot and I had unslung my rifle and half-raised it, wher. 1 saw something move on the ledge, ‘* The next instant a mountain lion leaped in- to the air and alighted fairly on the elk’s shoul- ders. As it descended the elk gavea quick, backward toss of its head and it seemed the lion could not escape eat ep? ta ‘* Then there was a wild thrashing, the flying snow filled the air like scud, He slid down from my perch and hurried toward the com- batants. ‘‘] was soon near enough to see that the lion was tearing viciously at the shoulders and neck of the hapless elk, and that the latter was exert- ing its utmost powers to free itself from its ferocious antagonist. ‘ ‘‘My sympathies were for the poor elk, but I saw no way of assisting it. Its struggles were terrific. One instant it would throw itself for- ward on its antlers and the next it would back up against the cliff and endeavor to crush its enemy on the rocks. ‘* Bur the agile lion easily avoided all dangers and with sickening ferocity continued to rend and tear paronay flesh and sinew. Then snd- denly it stiffened and partially relaxed its hold and at the same moment the elk dropped for- ward and fell prone in the snow. Cy pares, - advantage of this momentary lull, [ sent a bullet renin through the lion’s brain, ‘‘] thought the elk was too badly injured to rise, and you may judge of my astonishment when it staggered to its feet and charged me, * — "4a | | his heels in the onl rt) G = — ‘‘The onset was so sudden, the surprise so complete, that I was hurled to the earth almost before I had time for thought, and the madden- ed animal commenced raining blows on my rostrate body with a force that could hardly be excelled by a pile-driver. Had it not been for the soft snow I would have been beaten to death. The points of its horns tore my clothin into shreds, and I was soon so gashed an scratched that I was literally covered with my own blood. ‘‘ Then I wasstunned into partial ins smsibility. With a hazy, indistinct vision, | saw Johnson glide past, a glittering knife in his hand. He attacked the elk with a ferocity equal to that displayed by the mountain lion, but the combat had for me only a languid interest. It seemed the enactment of a drama in which I had no rt. ‘* With a convulsive movement the elk reeled and fell from my body. The Swede’s knife had gone to its heart. Then I was dragged from the snow, more dead than alive, and after a time brought around. ‘* After I had recovered somewhat he half- led, half-carried me to the home of a rancbman, where I remained several days, scarcely able to move. ‘* What caused the lion to relax its hold?” I asked, for Tom had settled back as if the story was ended, © ‘Why, in making its leap it struck too far forward and ran one of the shurp points of the antlers through the side of its neck. It was a ghastly stab and would have caused its death in a short time if I hadn’t interfered.” Grizzly called supper as Tom finished and we turned to with a hearty good will. Jack 0 the Plains. BY COL, J. E. DONOVAN, _ I SHALL never forget my first meeting with this wild, nomadic son of the Southwestern bor- der. He had reined up his dark blood bay, which he rode so many years, upon a low bluff or rocky eminence of land overlooking the val- ley where we were bivouacked so that his pow- erful physique and graceful bearing were dis- a a to good advantage. e was not less than six feet in hight, with a massive frame, broad shoulders, deep chest and countenance of a rare, manly beauty. Perhaps the coai-black eyes were too pierc- ing, the drooping, ebony-hued mustache too heavy, the raven too long and abundant, the countenance too sun-bronzed, either to have stood the test alone, but they were in perfect harmony each with the other. His semi-civi- lized garb, consisting of pantaloons of a dark- gray material flowing at the bottom and frilled along the seams, an easy-fitting jacket made to match girthed at the waist by a wide belt and a broad-rimmed sombrero looped up at one side, lent its part to his pi ue ap ce, Not one whit unworthy of its master was the spirited, clean-limbed gelding he bestrode, said to have been the prettiest horse on the Texan omnd the white steed of the plains alone ex- cepted, was with Ruxton’s Rangers at the time of the unexpected appearance among us of this man whose prowess was the theme of every tongue. Instead of a blustering braggart as I was half-expecting to find him, be was a quiet, unassuming person whose nearest approach to self in conversation was of his loved horse, Wingfoot. Well ry ¥ he prize the noble creature, which had saved his life so many times, Among the stories of hair-breadth adventures I cite the following, aptly illustrating the intrepidity of the man and the sagacity of his steed. Returning from a trip to Taos Valley Jack had halted after a few days’ hard riding near the base of the Pbantom Hills, intending to make ae, Soh bottom his stopping-place for the night. As he spruug from the saddle, however, the sound of distant yells was borne faintly to his ears, Quickly ascendifg one of the cliffs near at hand he saw a body of horsemen crossing the plain to the south at « furious pace. They were a band of Kioway savages on the war-trail, and a second glance showed him the cause of their wild riding. Only a few rods in advance of them was a sin- gle fugitive—a woman—fleeing for life! . Her white, scared face was turned ever and anon toward her pursuing foes while she urged her jaded horse on to his utmost, Confident of their prey, wild, exultant cries rung from her fiendish foes. Jack o’ the Plains took in the situation at a glance. He was the last man to lose time in speculation. Following the course she was then pursuing the fugitive must pass not many rods—perhaps a hundred—to his right. a The intervening space, however, was a broken and well-nigh im ble region covered with huge bowlders and ledges. * Foller me, Wingfoot!” cried Jack, springing down from his perch and disappearing a mo- ag mp among om poasas that threatened to stop progress at ev ‘ Leaving his horse gg aa the winding pas- sage or remain behind, the ranger rushed for- ward as fast as possible, rifle in band. He came out upon the other side, where the plain stretched away to the south and west fur- ther than the eye could reach, in season to see the red horde sweeping past. One of the savages had so neurly overtaken the woman that bis outstretched arm was in the act of grasping her bridle-rein, As the fugitive’s piercing cry rung on the air. Jack’s rifle leaped to his shoulder and its — went crashing through the Kioway’s rain. At the same moment the rocky sbelf beneath his feet gave way and ke was precipitated head- first to the plain below into the midst of the sav- ages. Jack’s descent was but a few feet, however so that he was not in by his fall.’ It would be difficult to tell which was the more surprised, he or the red-men. The latter quickly rallied and before the ran- ger could escape them they rushed upon him with renewed ae Jack instantly discharged the remaining bar- rel of his rifle at the foremost of his assailants, and then clubbing the weapon prepared to sell his life as dearly as possible, ’Gainst half a hundred enemies he could not long hope to hold hisown, At his second b