The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-11-13
Colonel CrIckIey,s Horse.

Crlckleys and the brakes. They had |
lived within mile of each other for
five years, and from the first of their
acquaintance there had been mutual
feeling of dislike between the two fam
lilies. Then some misunderstanding
about the boundry of their farms re-
vealed the latent flame, and Colonel
Crickley having followed fat buck all
one afternoon, and wounded him, came
up to him and found old Drake and his
sons cutting him up.
This incident added fuel to the flame,
and from that there was nothing the
two families did not do to annoy each
other.
One evening, Mr.. Drake, the elder,
was returning homo with his pocket
full of rocks " from Chicago, whittier
he had been to dispose of load of
grain. Sam Barstow was with him on
the wagon, and as they approached the
grove which intervened between them
and Mr.. Drakes house, he observed to
his companion, What q beautiful
mark Crickley's old roam is over yon-
der p
Hang it |" muttered Drake, $50
it is"
The horse was standing under some
trees about twelve rods from the road.
Involuntarily Drake stopped.his team.
He glanced furtively around, then, with
queer smile, the old hunter took up
his rifle from the bottom of his wagon,
and raising it to his shoulder, drew a
sight on the Colonel's horse.
beautiful p he muttered, with the
air of q man resisting powerful
temptation. 81 could drop old roam
so easy"
"Shoot!" suggested Sam Barstow,
who loved fun in any shape.
=" No, no twouldn't do" said the
old hunter, glancing around him again
"I won't tell," said Sam.
Wal, I don't shoot this any way,
tell or no tell The horse is too nigh.
If he was fifty rods off instead of twelve,
so there'd be a bare possibility of mis-
taking him for deer, I'd let fly. As it
is, I'd give the Colonel five dollars for
O shot"
At that moment the Colonel himself
stepped from behind large oak, not
half dozen PAGES distant, and before
Drake.
"Well, why don't you shoot?"
The old hunter stammered, in some
confusion : "That you, Colonel? L
was tempted to; and as I said, I'll
give w for one pull"
"Say an X and it's bargain"
Drake felt for his rifle and looked at
old roam.
Chow much is the horse worth ?" he
muttered in Sans ear.
about fifty"
"Gad, Colonel, I'll do it. Here's
you *"
The Colonel pocketed the money,
muttering: Hangedif thought you
would take me up !'
With high glee the old hunter put a
fresh cap on his rife, and standing up
in the wagon took close sight at old
| roam.
| Sam Barstow chuckled. The Colonel
! put his hand before his face and chuck
led too. Crack went the rifle. The
hunter tore out terrible oath, which 1
will not repeat. Sam was astonishe6.
The Colonel laughed. Old roam never
stirred. Drake stared at his rifle with
a look as black as Othello's.
whats the matter with you, hey |?
Fus' time you ever sarved me quite
such trick, I swar -
And Drake loaded the piece with
great wrath and indignation.
"People said you'd lost your knack
of shooting" observed the Colonel, in
a cutting tone of satire.
"Who said so? It's liew thunder
ed Drake. 81 can shoot
GA hoss at ten rods! Ha ha!'
Drake was livid.
"Look yere, Colonel, 1 can't stand
that" he began.
"Never mind, the horse can, sneered
the Colonel.
"I'll risk YOU"
Grinding his teeth, Drake produced
another ten dollar bill.
"Here !" he grewled. "I'm bound
to have another shot any way"
"Crack away" cried the Colonel,
pocketing the note.
Drake did crack away-with deadly
aim too-but the horse did not mind
the bullet in the least. To the rage
and unutterable astonishRlent of the
hunter, old roam looked him in the face
as if he rather liked the fun.
Drake, cried Sam, "you are drunk
A horse at dozen rods-oh, my eyes ?
you RHt H9a 9hH,ts 9hs Excited III Drake rake
"The bullets were hollow, I'll swear
The man lies who says I can't shoot.
Last week ] cut off goose's head al
fifty rods, and kin do it agin. By the
Lord Harry, Colonel, you can laugh,
but I'll bet now thirty dollars that
can bring down old roam at one shot.
The wager was readily accepted. The
stakes were placed in Sans hands.
Elated with the idea of winning his two
tens, and making an OK - in the bar.
gain, Mr. Drake carefully selected 6
perfect ball and buckskin patch, and
loaded his rife.
A minute later Drake was driving
through the grove the most enraged
the most desperate of men. His rife
innocent victim of his ire, lay with
broken stock on the bottom of the
wagon. Sam Barstow was too scared tc
laugh.
Meanwhile the Colonel was rolling
convulsed with mirth, and old roam was
standing undisturbed under the tree.
When Drake reached home, his sons,
discovering his ill-humor and the mu-
tilated condition of his rife-stock, has
tened to arouse his spirits with piece
of news which they were sure would
make him dance with Joy.
"Clear out !" growled the angry man,
:" don't want to hear any news gel
away or I'll knock one of you down."
But father, it's such trick p
Hang you and your tricks"
Played off ON the Colonel"