Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25
"LlTYLE RLEvINS."
1IY FRED. w. LORJNG.

land. In all these places he had accumula-
ted gigantic fortunes, which owing to his
too generous disposition, he had squander-
ed upon his friends, and now he was reduc.
cd to the plobeian position of packer.
When Mr.. English made the aforesaid
remark every ono about him knew that a
story was to follow. Mr.. English's neigh
bors in the camp accordingly took these
words as the signal for moving toward him
or away from him, according to their personal
taste and opinion. For about M, English
opinion was divided in the camp That he
told q good story or bad one vitha man.
ner all his own was acknowledged; but
some objected to that manner. For nv
part l did object to Mr.. English. I suspect
ed him OF stealing some trihing articles of
my property, to be sure; and on one occa!
SION, indeed, had slight disagreement
with him about his profanity. Hf..English
was severely simple in his style Of swear.
ing, using only the elementary oath, BY,
Cd" This expression, repeated with in
tervals of few words, as Il it were a sort
OF csesura, becomes unpleasant after a little
while, especially if the unwilling aaditor is
trying to write down his ideas at The time.
30 that, on my requesting Mr.. English to
be quiet, he mutteEed something to himself,
and after ward confided 10 hia companions
his intention Of killing NJ n soma secluded
mountain pass upon the first opportunity.
Mr.. English's fondness for Mapor was
not Objectionable to me, Us in the Wild can
yons Of the Little Muddy, which. our expe.
dition was then exploring, liquor could with
difficulty be obtained. So I frequently be-
came an auditor of Mr.: Eng]ish's campfire
recitals; always u if accidentally, because
feared what the effect Of Familiarity with
him might possibly be. On this occasion, as
Mr.. English began his customary formula.
strolled near, and said carelcssiy:
lish ?"
{" was just going to relate, sir, = trifling
circumstance about Little BleyilsS.' replied
Mr.. English gravely.
$50 ahead" said I, carelessly, throwing
myself ON the ground near him.
1t WIS when first came out, sir" said
Mr.. English, that met little Blevins.
Blevins, sir, was a specimen of class YOU
often sees in these parts as we'll as else
where. They may be a-dwelling in aristo-
cratic mansions, or a camping with q
blanket on the face of Natur' but they are
Blevinses all the same. Little Blevins was
bright'eyed little chap-quite as pretty as
any girl, sir, with blue eyes and red cheeks
and brown hair, sir, which curled lightly
over his head. He was always smiling and
laughing, and almost every one that come
nigh him would put out his hand and nat
him ON the shoulder, or squeeze hold of
him, or something of that sort. Only whom
Blevins had any work to do it was quite
astonishing how many would sec him look
discouraged and offer to help him, aud
how much help he'd get out of them. They
always called him Little Blevins then.
and kind Of regarded him az a baby. Our
shoulders grew bent and STOPPING with lift
ing and toiling: but Blevins' was neat and
soft. Oh he was great chap, that Blevins
was-poor little mean rascal Thew told
mighty queer stories about Blevins when.
ever his back was turned, but the moment
they sec him they become very devoted. I
don't know how it was, sir, but it seems
to me took a sort of satisfaction in hear
ing them say what a liar he was. The great
advantage of Blevins lay in two things
first, the prop0ssessingness of his personal
appearance, and, second, that he never rot
riled. The man who gets riled in camp is
sure to come to an untimcly end if he can't
lay over his adversary. But when you'd
guy to Little Blevins, 'Blevins that's a
lie,' he'd just kind of laugh and soy, well.
l knew it was; but couldn't help it, or
words to that effect, aud the answered seem
80 mighty soft thst whar was our wrath ?
And many and many's tho time I've said to
him. 'Blevins, I'll burst your eye for that,
and he would reply: Burst, if yer want
to, Bill English; but what's the use Of Il.
And, being naturally fond of argument.
them words would set me to thinking, and
Blevins would always get off easy. Well.
You SEQ Blevins done a little too much for his
own good, and the Vigilantes hunted him
out OF Sarah's Fetch. Sarah's Fetch was
quite a town then, though it's busted now.
They cotched Blevins, and all his pretty
ways wouldn't have saved him. Twas theer
and all on 'cm looked up to me, knowing
was bene6cent kind Of person, and, see.
ing Blevins in the midst of the crowd ]
:'What docs tits mean p says /.
1t means hanging says ono Of tho bows
What says I, hang Little Blevins2'
you bot,' says the chairman.
well, now look here, boys, says I, 'let's
look at this question argumentative.' Well
that interested them, for they all knew INV
ability in that line, and proceeded tt
continue:
Blevlns, you say is q raskle and liar
them two propositions will not here con
trovert- But the point which I mostly cal
your attention is this: What are vou
going to hang Blevins for2 To get rid O
him, amt it? OF course it is. But vhy
don't You send him to another town in tina,
case. Because, and the reason is obvious
there amt no settlement near. Well, III
take him along with me, and now how ar,
your
We'll, the long and short of it was tina
they concluded to give him another show
Well, they used to tell mo stories to tn
notwithstanding Of Little Blevins, and
though it always tickled mo wonderful +
hear them, still l was mighty fond Of him
I'd give in to him, and know I was a foo
for doing it, and was sure that he'd 20 bacl
on me eventually, end yet I'd give il
There was one story which Littlo Dlevin
never denied (thoug h of course, it wouldn'
have made no difference to me If he had
abouta New York girl who camo out
!. Frisco years ago, all for love of him, 4gains
the will OF her father, and when eho rot on
there Blevins wouldn't have her. He sai
no didn't go much on disobelient doucl
tors, as they warn't no account as wiye
However it didn't matter much to tha
girl; for several of Blevins' friends, hcarin
how she was disengaged, applied to her ,
: once, and she married fortunate. Well, {
> me and Blcvins had petered out on abo,
7 everything he'd undertook, and my frient
demonstrated to mo good deal; but gene
| osity was always my pervading fault, b
+ sides which knew they'd I'LL on 'oln be
1 their tempery wrath, for he was just
pretty in his ways as any girl you ev
' seo, and that's the truth So me an
2 Blovins was together, with lots of cattl
: and Blevins was protesting his gratitude
me daily, when we come on an emigra1
= train.
: Blcvins was a-saying to me, with tn
# loving expression of countenance, how
q had saved his life,an how ho'd always sti'
4 by mo and was replying, though nov
took much stock in what he said, az how
= WIS welcome to what I'd done for him. a,
~ while had a crust he should share it, VIII,
% we see that emigrant train coming. We
y [ always had an ego to business, and pr
3 posed to Blovins to divide the stock q,
u come upon EN- as two distinct concern
whereby We might make more of our sal,