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Show 192 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. "A party were prospecting in Buffalo flats, and after digging awhile in one place they concluded there was nothing there, and commenced a hole a short distance away. " One night upon retiring, a member of the party had a presentiment that he would not live through the night, and thereupon disposed of his personal effects to different parties, telling them his wagon and team would pay the funeral expenses. "The boys treated it as a joke, and laughingly requested to be remembered in his will. But the next morning the fellow was as dead as a mackerel. " His wagon and team were seized* upon for debt, and just how to defray funeral expenses they did not know, for they had ' nary red.' "After talking the matter over they concluded to bury him in the abandoned prospect hole, and wrapping a blanket around him they let him gently down. " There was not a Bible, Prayer book or Hymn book in the camp, and feeling it was not the proper thing to do, to bury him in that heathenish way, it was suggested that some one sing/ The boys looked at each other, in a sort of blank wonderment, as if trying to remember some sweet religious tune of their Sunday School days. The silence became oppressive. At last one fellow threw his head back, and keeping time with his foot, sang, " Oh, la, boys, won't you git out de wilderness, git out de wilderness.' " The conversation of this gentleman was a marvel of loquacity, and Mr. Rough, who was familiar with the early incidents of the place, lost no opportunity in jogging his memory. |
