The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-11-09

have q little game or seven up. Anu
he poured out the last drop from the
black bottle which stood on the table,
and drank 1t Off with the remark
that he was sorry there was no more,
but he supposed his companion did
not feel thirsty. A red-headed iao
of ten, with freckled face, tumbled
off n low couch in the corner and
came toward them. Bill passed his
hands through the boys curls, and
with a smio OF fOndness bade him to
roturn to his bed.
The lads rnswer Is omitted on ac-
count of its terscnes, and strength.
lie was allowed to take hand, and
expressed his thirst and his disgust at
the condition Of the bottle.
"Thet boy" said Bill, "is too
KNOWN" Their amt no game he amt
up to, there's somo I can't give him
no points on. Bnt this sort O. life
amt Just the thing for the boy, you
know, Stumpy. It's sharponin' j
know, Jbut there ia some things be-
sides sharpenin." Now, made up
my mind tonight as I sot there be-
tween deals, as how I had money
enough to afford to send him East
and put him in some college, where
he could larn rcadin' and within and
few other things I don't know.
What's your idea Of that, young
'un ?"
The reply is suppressed on &C.
count of its violence. The boy then
inquired what his father was sitting
Vn. r,
"Its POWDER replied Bill
"barstin powder. II don't belong
to me. The expressman left II here,
accidentally like, and thought I'd
keep it. thought 1t might be BRAN
dy, till l bored hole in it." :,
The door was all at once opened
lust then and Judge Lynch entered,
followed by the stranger and seven
citizens of the Corner. Each man
wore long black beard and q rcd
flannel shirt, and carried revolver
in one hand and bowie knife In tho
other. Judge Lynch stepped for
ward to tho table, and taking up the
bottle, held it to the light. 1t was
cmptyl The condition OF that bottle
was destined to have an effect on the
future population of Pcrsimmon''
Corner.
"lt's empty, jcdgo," said Bill.
"I'm sorry, Jcst wait till wind up
this game aud I'll step around to the
Shades and fill it up"
civilian Ruilin," said the Judge,
with rs much stcrnncss MS the asthma
would permit, eve have come for
you, and you can have ten minutes to
prepare"
"Well now that IS jest a little
rough" said Bill. "That isn't 4aifc
ncighborly. No man can't say as
eve: didn't act .Quar' by 'om. Ilcv
you picked out the tree, JedgcP
DWELL, wo thought as how that
old pine, Jest outside the door, would
answer about as well as any" replied
the Judge. "That limb jest over the
door rather took our eye rs we came
along"
The Lao thrcw himself at his faith
er's feet and burst into tears. Bill
put him gently aside. 'Jedgo,' he
said, III Jest trouble you to hand me
that there pipe on the mantle, there.
Ten minutes is time enough to play
this hand out and have one more
smoke
y As the judge turned No. .Noscd Bill
truck a match and stopped over. A
crriblc explosion followed. When
the smoke cleared away, II was re-
marked that the door was split In
two and hung by one hinge and the
window was blown out, whio at
least a third of the roof was gone.
1hc Judge was no more: Stumpy
and tho boy were no more; the
stranger was no more; No-Nosed
Bill was-a little more but not much.
With loud imprecation which
tore of another large piece OF the
roof, the seven men sprang upon Bill
with their knives, but he fccbly
waved them off with an uninjured
hand.
Easy, now, gentleman he said,
faintly. Jest let me play out this
band my own way. I've only got a
few kccrds left and there amt none
on 'pm trumps. just lean what there
is left Of me up against tho wall, there,
will yc, and let Inc pass in my chips
now without no interference. NO
man can't say as ever took no ad-
vantage of 'em, and that is about all
/ have TO say
They complied with his request,
and also gave him his pipe and light.
ed it, when he asked for it, but he
Oopmpd not to enjoy his smoke.
'Ivc got srvpn thousnnd dollars III
that ere trunk there he said pres
emily, 'nnd (puiI) | wish you'd get up
q lponimcnt oyer me and this boy
tpui), ip sOfry for the boy. | was
goin' to make u sClIOlai G,da gen Ic-
man of that boy. And have some
thin writ on the marble, you know,
about how as | never took no nd-
vantage OF no man and allus tried to
do my level best tpuif, pull. And
put IL smalliSh kind of a ohe oyer
that stranger there. There amt
nDthin' mean about me-
The head of No-Soscd Bill drop
nod upon his shoulder, and his pipe
falling from his lips dropped on the
floor and broke into pieces. The
seven men involuntarily. sheathcd
their bowic-knivcs and took of their
hats. And the faint smoke wr1a'hs
!, iioqtc,i gracefully upward through
i. The rent in the root, ANA seen y mo-
mcnt against the deep blue Sky, van-
, ishcd forever.
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