The weekly Butte record., 1862-10-25
The Deacon Promoted.


or seven miles from here, of On the CheSire
road. They had but one gun between them.
and ihey agreed to use it iintly, as Captain
Cutie would say. Well, they got to The place
where the shooting match was TO come of
and had 4 few shots each, without any return
for the money expended; either because the
chickens were too far Of. or the cideg-brandy
they had imbibed. prevented them from getting
good sigh; a, the game. They were deter
mined 10 have some poultry for Thanksgiving,
some way or other, either by fair or foul, even
if they had 10 blaze away at the tenants of
some Of the numerous farm yards they passed ;
though that was dangerous. and might be ex-
pensive business. After once more refreshing
themselves. bright idea presented itself to the
mind Of Old Lines, whereupon he said 70 his
companion Sid, | have il,
Sid was little startled by the abrupt re-
mark but be was courageous enough to ask ::
| Where is it p
a. Where never You mind Sid; you know
old Deacon Holly keeps tavern about two
miles from here. Lets 60 and try some OF his
poultry
Now, the reason old Holly was called 'dea-
con, was because be mixed so many hard
words-sometimes called protaoe-in his every
day speech, that his neighbors and the fre-
quenters Of his tavern, declared him entitled to
the appellation. Sid agreed to the proposal
of his friend, and after arranging who should
carry the gun, and who the ammunition and
provisions, the latter mostly in a wooden bot
tie, common in those days, they started for
deacon's. They were jolly companions at all
times, hut the frequent tipping of the wooden
bottle made them more jolly than usual, and
when they got to the deacons they felt as if
they had been going up hill all the way but
Lines had not disclosed bis project 10 Sid, and
Sid was not disposed to ask any more questions
than was necessary, in their present state of IA
tigue. Finally, just before they reached the
house, Lines says: Sid, load your gun, and
load her well y
1" Sid obeyed orders, and put in q good
charge of powder, and a charge of buckshot
and announced himself all ready
SO Now let me load her. says Lines.
"'What for says Sid. 1 tel you she's
already loaded
Sid handed him the gun, and he put in
about the same quantity of powder and shot.
90 Now, Sid mind yoa, when we get to the
deacons, you ask him how much he will charge
you for a shot at his flock of poultry, and let
you have all you kill. know the old cuss
he thinks more of his chickens and turkeys
than he does of all the rest of The family, and
of course he won't let you shoot. Never You
mind, we han't got no game 10 day, and we
must have some for Thanksgiving If he re-
fuses to let you fire we viii go into the bar
loom, and have a little red-eye and III man
age him. You stand your gun up in the
corner, carelessly. and after we have had our
swig,' You go out into the yard for an obser-
vation.'
"Sid could not appreciate the joke that he
knew was to come, although he felt it was
coming for old Lines seldom failed
"The deacon met them at the door. not
very common occurrence for him at that time
of the day, and cordially greeted them.
\ drink all around made them cougenial,
when Sid commenced his negotiations, as in
structed by his superior, and finally offered the
deacon three shillings for a shot AT his poultry.
The deacon felt gnant-insulted he would
not have bis poultry fred for at twenty five dol
lars, and he would shoot any man that would
DO it. Those chickens, and those turkeys he
was fattening for Christmas, and he would not
have one of them killed before that time for
any amount of money.
During the conversation, Sid stood his gun
up carelessly in one corner, walked TO the bar,
empted his glass, and suddenly walked out at
the door. Lines saw him go, and intimated to
the deacon that the last few drops in that glass
were too much for Sid, and be would play a
trick upon him.
Pointing TO the gun, be said TO his host
Deacon, see here, III draw the charge out Of
that ere gun, and when he comes in you make
bargain with him for a shot, that's all
a. All right, old fellow give US your hand
says the deacon.
"' A joke is joke, says Lines.
"'True, that's so, you're right there replied
the deacon aud Lines went to work and with
drew a heavy charge of buckshot and powder
from Sid's gun, and set it back in the corner
in the same position as be found it, at the same
time giving significant nod to the deacon, as
much as to echo all right. The host treated
Lines on the strength of the joke, and he had
but just emptied his glass as Sid came in, who,
aware that Lines was one ahead of him in
drinks took up his gun, as if about to leave,
when the deacon called out TO him l say,
friend, what did YOU say you would give me
l &,