IN THE OLD WEST 319 



had picked up a most extraordinary cloth coat 

 amongst the Mormons, which had belonged to 

 some one his equal in stature. This coat, which 

 was of a snuff -brown color, had its waist about 

 a hand's span from the nape of Rube's neck, or 

 about a yard above its proper position, and the 

 skirts reached to his ankles. A slouching felt- 

 hat covered his head, from which long black hair 

 escaped, hanging in flakes over his lantern jaws. 

 His pantaloons of buckskin were shrunk with wet, 

 and reached midway between his knees and ankles, 

 and his huge feet were incased in moccasins of 

 buffalo-cow skin. 



Rube was never without the book of Mormon 

 in his hand, and his sonorous voice might be heard, 

 at all hours of the day and night, reading pas- 

 sages from its wonderful pages. He stood the 

 badgering of the hunters with most perfect good- 

 humor, and said there never was such a book as 

 that ever before printed; that the Mormons were 

 the " biggest kind " of prophets, and theirs the 

 best faith ever man believed in. 



Rube had let out one day that he was to be 

 hired as guide by this party of Mormons to the 

 Great Salt Lake; but their destination being 

 changed, and his services not required, a wonder- 

 ful change came over his mind. He was, as usual, 

 book of Mormon in hand, when brother Brown 

 announced the change in their plans ; at which 

 the book was cast into the Arkansa, and Rube 



