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=Out With a Load of Preachers.=
As I have promised to tell more about southwest Texas, I will proceed
by saying that Charlie has just returned (Dec. 28th) with a wagon load
of preachers that he carried out hunting two weeks ago. I will relate
their success.
They killed 20 wild turkeys, 4 wild geese, and a number of ducks,
squirrels, armadillo, and a lot of other small game, and one deer.
Charles says that of all the lively crowds he ever saw, it is a wagon
load of preachers. They made it a rule that the first man that entered
camp with a loaded gun should cook a day, and soon they had plenty of
cooks.
Charles says that he and one of the preachers went out one day
together, and they espied a deer off 50 or 75 yards, and the preacher
was to have first shot, then if he missed his aim Charles was to try
it. The preacher's gun snapped, and failed to fire, and then Charles
fired away and missed the deer. The preacher told him that he had
the "buck ague," and so why he missed it. But Charles says that he
was laughing at the hard Sunday-school words the preacher was saying
because his gun failed to fire, so it turned out that neither of them
bagged that deer.
All the preachers got lost, and lay out one night about 15 miles from
camp. They had killed a deer, but could not carry it all. A large
12-spike buck would have weighed 200 pounds. Well, they took off the
hams, and took turns about carrying it, and they got bewildered, and
night overtook them. But about dusk they espied a log-cabin, and went
to it, but found no one at home, and from the best they could make
out, it was the home of one of the "fence-riders," or where one of the
guards lived that looked after the ranch to keep fence cutters and
hunters out. The preachers were so nearly famished and tired that they
remained all night at the cabin, and no owner came that night, but the
preachers found some dried beef and some flour and black molasses, so
they were fixed, and soon filled their empty "bread-baskets," as they
called them.
They would not sleep on the bed, as they found a six shooter under the
pillow, but they laid on the floor, and one kept watch while the others
slept, up until midnight, when all fell asleep. The reason they kept
watch was, that they feared the owner would come home and take them for
robbers, and fire into them without warning. But no owner came, so in
the morning they arose early and ate breakfast, and Charles says the
preachers say they left some money and a note on the table, to show the
owner that they were not robbers, but they longed for a fence-rider to
overtake them, as they had gotten in on forbidden ground, and did not
know how to get out. As there were 170,000 acres in the pasture, you
see they had a hard time of it.
But before night the following day they reached camp O. K., but nearly
worn out, and they said they did not expect to find Charles there, as
none of them would have staid alone at that camp among the wolves,
panthers, wild cats, cougars, bears, etc. But Charles said he made it
all right without any trouble, but the coyote wolves kept him plenty of
company with their howling. However, the preachers made up their minds
that if that 14-year-old boy had remained at the camp ten miles from
anybody all alone, they would each give him a dollar, which they did,
though Charles says he thanked them and offered the money back; but no,
they said that a boy with all that courage justly deserved the money,
and they insisted on his keeping it, which he did.
They then went into conference, and delegated two to go after the
rest of that big fat deer, when lo, and behold, _they_ got lost, and
just barely made it into camp by night, without finding the treasure.
They then called together the "court" and discussed the matter of
adjournment, as most of them had to get home in time to preach the
Christmas sermon at their several churches. Well, they broke camp on
the morning of Dec. 22nd, and Charles started home with his wagon load
of Baptist ministers.
You will remember that I have told you of our bee-wagon being enclosed
with wire-cloth, and resembles a lion's cage. Well, after they got
started on their way home, they concluded to play lion awhile, and one
of them was a little fellow, and Charles says that the larger preachers
tore his clothes nearly all off of him, and when they arrived at the
hotel at Beeville, he wrapped himself up in his overcoat and went in,
and they had to go out and buy some clothes for him. They wanted him
to preach that night in Beeville, but he would not because they had
torn his clothes off.
Charlie says that he has been out with lots of crowds, but the
preachers were the liveliest set he ever saw. He says they had him
promise to haul them out again a year hence, as they were coming if the
Lord was willing, and when they could get as brave a boy as he was they
were sure of success. Charles says they were very prompt, and paid him
$1.00 per day, besides the premium for his bravery, and he will surely
take them out whenever they come.
The preachers killed so many turkeys that they rotted on their hands,
and they agreed to knock the first one down that mentioned turkey in a
month.