The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-08-29
CAPTAIN BOB.
BY RICHARD FENwfoK.

Oh nhVt tho guns eyes ullSub TO
with satisfaction. He was tall, mu
culaB brown in the face, erect OF cal
riage, had quick, brown eye, as nes
a moustache as any in the State, an
had the name of being as good boA
err fencer and rider as any man b
ever met. He also had the balefu
reputation ofbeing rich; and up to hi
25th year the livery-men, tailors, boot
makers, hotel-keepers, dog-fanciert
harness-makers and the whole host o
tradesmen who had the pluck t.
charge him twice the value of theil
wares, in consideration of payment a
some vague time in the future, indulg
ed and encouraged him in this swee
fancy until one terrible day when hi
friendly uncle's will was opened, anC
it was discovered that all the gooC
tanners property was left, not to Bob
but for the promotion of asystem O
fish culture in the rivers of Maine.
Then did the hungry swarm O
creditors swoop down upon their debt
or and demand their proper dues.-
He was bewildered, and, to tell tho
truth, profoundly sorry for them, but
with his hand upon his heart, he pro
tested that he had in his possession
not the twentieth part of their de.
mands, He told them in good faith
that he would go to work and pay
them off to the last cent that next
month would find him diligently ap
plying himself to some employment
at which he could earn sufficient mon.
ey to satisfy them to the utmost
They pretended to believe him, but
the shrewd men knew the tempera-
ment ef tnelr gracious debtor too
wellI They had been too long init
mate with the young gentleman S
qualities not to laugh to scorn the
picture Of his shapely figure posted
on an otfiee'stool, or his wild head
fixing on any definite plan for practi-
Iy,s.,l cal money y-making., But they could
get nothing but promises, and they
cast about them for some way to put
on the thumb-screws, and to force
him to borrow the aggregate sum
from some of his rich relatives.
Therefore it came about that Capt.
Robert - of the Twentieth N. IL.
Dragons, which corps was encamped
with the State militia at s., was
in very unhappy mood, also.in very
preoarious temper, when the commls-
sary officer one day sent him word
that one Reuben Farnham refused to
sell single pound of hay to the bold
soldiers whose horses had but one
days feed in the military stables.
"By heavensl" exclaimed the indig
nant gentleman, striking a sounding
blow upon his camptable, shat close
listed farmer has made more trouble
and vexation than all my creditors
put together First, be refused to
sell me water, then he refused to sell
me wood for the fires, and now he
declines to let me have his hay at $40
a ton, which is more than it is worth
in market He is down upon us, Mr..
Commissary, and go for making
war upon him."
"With -the dEage0uSf asked the
gentleman addressed.
Capt. Robert laughed grimly. "No,
no, ibt with the dragons. / would
not tIust them to face a drove of COWS.
Tlke1 are beauties on parade, but if |
evenI ordered them to charge-the
deute how l hate that wordl'
Captain Robert instantly forgot the
threatened starvation of his horses,
the perils of his doughty comrades,
and-h anger at Farmer Reuben, and
relapsed into the miserable contem-
plation of his host Of private troubles.
His friend sought to rouse him by
setting forth his knowledge of the
farmer in question.
"Did you ever see him, Bob ?"-
They were intimate friends).
"No," said that gentleman, absent
ly, abut.I think l should like to-"
"He is a curiosity, unmarried,
shrewd, very rich, and is engaged to
be married to the prettiest girl in the
town"
aAh-h-h-ha," groaned the Captain; !"
"and l suppose she loves him."
"Perhaps she does," returned the.
friend; "but he is a red-faced dolt,
with a long, thin body, and | halt be-
lieve her family put her up to it,
They want money"
"Poor wretchesl" returned Capt.
Robert. Suddenly he looked at his
friend with great interest. He gazed
for some seconds. Then he fell into
brown study, and looked at himself
in hand.glass. He was considering
something. Presently he asked,
pointedly:
"Is she pretty%
"Upon my word, Bob, she is. She's
not a grand beauty with towering
figure and flashing orbs you know;--
but she is rather smallish, with a
laughing mouth, pretty hand, bright
glancing eyes, and she's fresh as a
daisy.
aEducatedP''
i"Good heavens She's a Yankee
girllr
rtAnd this cursed farmer. Ia he
rich" l'l7' e'' ~
~Two hundred thousand they tell
me, and Pm told he has a weakness
for this jewel of a girl, but such a
sconndrel can't understand love as
yon and dor .s .s.9
mo, he can't. Decidedly notlp
returned the other, and then be fell TO
laughing. When he was alone he
brought out his account book, which
be always carried with him, Just as
some men lug about their troubles
He calculated, Then he ordered his
unibrm brushed and his accouter.
merits cleaned. II was remarked that
Captain Bob looked the soldier on