Show all night long I 1 walked around that chat wagon dreadin dr cadin every minute some dusky form along 7 toward us and a bi ginging tin the old eifle to my shoulder at every ever mound lound I 1 fancied I 1 heard but it was no use for the comi come that night aid we got started again afeie besun sun up next roo inin the next ident we halted hailed in another ol of their desei ted camps and al tei another long and anxious night we hit the road again in the morning and so eo things went on fur weeks nothing serious had ball happe happened nerl to tc us its and we d e rejoiced and thanked god dod for his protecting protect in care on us fur it seemed as though we ire was held in the hollow of his hand as tire sayin is and nothing evil could ha happen apen to us I 1 said to jane that if we got to californi Cali forny alright and struck a lich lead id see as the lord got half of all I 1 made jane said at as far as she was concerned the lord could have it all fur she never wanted richest riches all vi hat she cared to be was to lobe be good and ter die dia happy well sir weld wed begun to think that all was nas well m with ith us m when lien one night we reached them forks as I 1 was a tellin lellin about and camped as usual beelin glad that the journey was about done little jim rode one of the mules ter water and after wed give eni em a pinch of binin I 1 hobbled them and turned thera them loose to bro bronse vi be till mornin I 1 then gets a big pile lille of faggots maggots together and makes kes a fire as cheerful as could be e while jane got the meat and baters ready to fry soon tile the supper was ivas done and little jim said aid grace and we fell bolike to like tile the hungry travelers we was il I 1 allus allua leet how ho W 9 good 0 d th that t su supper p tasted the royal family never enjoyed anat anything better than we did that rel repast ae down on the forks we seem to have no fe fear a r that night and so io i o after the stars be begun g un to come out we all went dent to bed together nothing disturbed our slumbers until the birds down by the creek began to chug their morning songs 8 of praise and gladness then lane jane says gays 8 she lie want to leave that p place lace for a few days for it was s so 0 beautiful and charming it would be good she sa said id to stop liere here and rest up for there was lots of teed for the mules and we wea all needed a rest then I 1 hugged bugged J land and kissed her and said all right and thai that id just take a look at the i ritters and see how they was a doin and so leavin the wagon capri I 1 with h all in the world what was dear to me I 1 set out for the river I 1 soon see that the mules had wandered further off then they generally did when I 1 hobbled bobbled them but aut not suspecting anything wrong I 1 C soon found their tracks and commenced following them it soon became evident that they had bad been seat seal el ed off by a bear or so methin for or I 1 could see by bv their tracks that just jumped it off I 1 followed em down around the bill and must a been at least two hours before I 1 fetched ern em and and started back for the wagon I 1 was feel in very anxious that something might befall my jane an little jim in my absence aud and when I 1 turned the hill again and saw on the other side de of the valley a hand band of them snaky injun just a climbing the mountains there my heart danly stood still and I 1 could hat adly hit bit on the mule I 1 felt it in my bones that them snakes hid had been dom down n to my wagon dagon a working mischief I 1 lost no time in gettin geltin ill up there and 0 coill rod there I 1 found the wife of my bosom and toy my on oin n boy jim alyin cold and stiff in their own III innocent blood bloode here they chev 11 the man inan with the cowhide boots could go no further for the battend bai bal tender interfered ed with here idere ji jim ri youve bouve d d near talked that tha sti tian anger Fer to death come get a choie ahm e on you I 1 wan want t to close up some time to night and after the man with the cowhide boots had bad tossed off another whiskey till abight and m wandered out into tile the black night the bartender said to the weal weak eyed man mail 1 I feel sol rv for that poor old cuss if he has told that story once he be has baa told it five thousand times I 1 dont believe he be thinks of anything else and its bending him crazy as sure as there is such a place as california have something you po go the meak eak eyel eyed man took ft a mild ahns still started for his hotel T Q S |