Colorado pony_, they will say to themselves, “_He’s a liar._” The _ways_ of the _people_ and even the _horses_ of Colorado have to be _learned_; and to a fresh eastern man it is a big lesson. A man and wife by the name of Mills, passing here _en route_ for Leadville, being a little short in finance, and finding that employment could be had at the round-house, concluded to put up in a little board shanty that stood near my place, and _work_ a few days. That very night several cow-boys came in, and, as usual, did considerable yelling and shooting. In the morning, finding six bullet-holes through his house, he related his night’s adventure, and told how he and his wife had propped the doors and then lay behind the stove, and said he would not stay in that house and run his chances for the whole d----n round-house. So, taking his outfit, he moved across the railroad a half mile down the river, and there put up a _tent_ for his house. That afternoon a few cow-boys came in, and the sheriff and two deputies from Las Animas happening to be there, a trouble arose and the boys rode out and charged upon the house. _Firing_ commenced, and the sheriff, with a large needle-gun, shot dead one of the _ponies_, leaving its rider dismounted. He ran right down the railroad toward the _tent_; and in firing after him a bullet went through the tent, and several others buzzed by. This was too much for the man in the _tent_, and he started back East that very night by the light of the moon. He said if a man could not even live in a tent out on the _prairie_ without being shot at every day and night, _he_ had enough of the _West_. Well, things went on, and toward spring my brother came out from Ohio for his _health_. When the fur-season was going out, and the Leadville travelers began to drop off, I sold out and began to prepare for a trip into the mountains. My brother enjoyed the light, pure air and western novelties, and decided to go along. Another young man named William Gray, from Sutton, Nebraska, also decided to go. My old camp-outfit was trimmed up, and everything was prepared to make the trip a pleasant as well as an instructive one. Friend Charles had been called home to Ohio by the illness of his father, and Dave and John decided to stay in Colorado, and not go any farther west. It was quite _shocking_ to me to think of going on and leaving behind my old comrades, with whom I had traveled so many days, and eaten so many meals in our little camp up and down through the broad, wild West; and especially _John_, who started with me from Ohio, and sat with me upon the lonely plains in the bleak winds of winter, and sultry breath of summer; whose tongue parched with mine upon the desert, and who fought the same hungry pangs--one who had proved himself a _noble_ and _gallant_ companion, and _brave_ in the hour of _trial_. But it must be done; and after giving each other our best advice, we took a long good-bye--perhaps forever.