The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-02-03
MISCELLANEOUS.
CENTREPOLE BILL,
BY +. BRET HART.

II uIlLLleu unInlStdKaDly tnat night
not in straightforward rain, but in sneak
ing gusts that glanced down the neck and
up the sleeve. pulled on my coat and
splashed out To the gate, to see if it were
Fast against wandering cattle. The lights
III the house CLEANED dimly through the
mist, as if the wet had reached them, too.
Even old Don, who followed me gingerly
out from the porch, shook his shaggy coat,
and smiled his disgust at the weather
Satisfied that Ill was right, was about
returning TO shelter, when from around
the corner of the fence came the sound of
horses feet, and a heavy wagon sucking
and grOaning up the incline. A low, pro-
lOnged growl from the dog greeted the
coming team, and waited for moment
to see who could be travelling at such a
time and in such a sorry storm. There
soon came abreast of the gate huge
wagon, drawn by six mules which l could
barely see through the fog. Attracted by
the fire in my pipe, which had succeeded
in keeping alight, and the increased growl-
ing of the dog, it stopped, and after the
brake ratified down, hoarse voice issued :
Whoa there, June, l say, stranger,
how far is it to town."
To Los Angeles? Ten miles"
That's purity outlook for me. Ten
mliPSl Is tnlS q tavern 2
"No."
"Ten miles to town. WAL, stranger, |
guess I'll stake out here tonight. Them
animules is too beat to do that. Where's
yer waters"
It's all around you tonight, but you
can turn your mules into the corral, and
bring your blankets before the fire. It's
too wet to stay out here"
I" Waal I've irlt to II,
and I'm eenmost water proof; but since
you're pressin' I'll turn out these critters
and jine We in shake. Git up, here, you
old cantankcrous guvment mule That
ar Black Bess is the ornarest animule /
ever see"
1t required but little time to unhitch his
team, and l opened the gate, and in the
tagged creatures came-gaunt and worn,
with moth-eaten tails, dripping with wet,
and generally cast down, as mules are
when their kicking days are past. Though
there was prospect for them of fodder
and corn, not the ghost of a trOt appeared,
hut they meandered slowly into the yard,
where our own horses crowded together
under the shed and gazed inhospitably at
the newcomers
"IIave you had any supper" inquired
of the teamster, as he came into the house
with his blankets.
WAL, now you mention it, l rayther
think not, and do feel heap hungry"
| managed to get him cold bite and a
glass of tOddv. and as he whipped out his
short, black pipe, and moved up to the
fire, he began to thaw mentally, as saw
from the gladness in his eye, and physi-
cally, as the steam from his clothes at
tested. l was alone that night, ald glad
To have company. / had good view oi
my guest now; short, thick set man
with a shock OF a beard, bronzed face
where 1t could be seen, and sharp, gray
eyes. A soldiers coat, much too large fol
him, was his upper garment, the only aD-
parent additional YeSture being a pair OF
immense boots.
Il like that liquor o. yours" he said
after time. at ketcAes as it goes down
How long mout you have lived here ?"
Only year" answered.
Between the wreaths of curling smoke
he scanned me closely, and again inquired
Where mOut We hail from ?"
great distance from here-fron
Maine"
"FrOm Name? You don't say so, In
from them parts myself. 1t seems kind ;,
good to meet fellow nationer in flrril
land HOw's all the folks down ia Maine !?
About as usual, | fancy. But how die
you get out here?"
1--WE made a long trip of it, you bet
If you don't want to turn in, I'll tell yO
all about it. 1t kind o drops the tailboar
out of feller's feelins to strike ma
from the same deestrict"
Assuring him that | should enjoy hi
confidence and his story-having mike,
"anOther stiff 'un to take out that las
patch of cold'-he related as follows:
The first Of it was, me and the old maj
had a scrimmage-not a fightin' one, min,
We, fur / wouldn't have hurt a hair of tn
old mans head, not for gold; but
was pesky tired of farmin' and plowin
and hog KILN and such like, and was
bound for to go to sea. It's Gurus, fellow
never knows the right side of his mello
till it's too late but that's the way wit
all on us; and knockin' about in the worl
Just pulls the husks off the cob, and show
We what's what. HowsomdeVer, seein' a
how / was hankerin' to go away, and a
Melia Pritchsrd had married that cit
chap, and as the old man said | shouldn
go, was more determineder than ever
There was circus coming alOn
to our town, and me and the other boy
was kinder handy-helpin' water tn
horses and doin' chores for the nen-an
we got into the show IL was the fust tim
ever see a circus, and the band, and tn
riders and the beautiful woman on Gallo
horse, was too much for me, partickly a
ter I was let in to the Livin' Skeleton an
the Fat Lady. So made up my mind
run off with this show, and | marches u
to the boss and asked him if he woul
take me. What can you do?' says hi
Anythin. says l mostly drive Well
says he, L want boy to drive the WACO
with the centrepole, and I'll try you
And / left the old house and all ten year
ago, and I've never seen 'em sence."
The thinking man paused momen
and then proceeded:
1T was Dan Rice's Circ,ls-and yO
know it was good show-but it wa
hard lines for me, and the beautifr
woman didn't look so beautiful every tim
see her afterward, and we rou ghed it a
the while, and | shouldn't have stuck I
it, if we hadn't been travelin' West.
thought if | went fur enough might q,
to Californy, where the gold was grown
How about that gold?'
A grim, peculiar smile fitted across
quarter section of his face, and ending i
sneer lost itself in his shaggy beard.
Il did leave the business for Will
and was some years in Canaday and Wi