Omaha daily bee., 1874-04-16
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.
BY BRET HARTE.

nat the C0l0nelS business wa
nobody knew, r did anybody care
particularly. He purchased for cas-
only, and he never grumbled at tn
price of anything that be wanted
who could ask more than that?
Curiously people occasional.
wondered how, when il had beel
fully two years since the Colonel
with every one else, abandOne'
Duck Creek to the Chinese, h.
managed to spend money freely
and to lose considerable at cards ant
horse races In fact, the keeper o
that one of the two Challenge Hill
saloons, which the Colonel did no
patrOniZe, was once heard to alb
sent-mindedly wonder whether the
Colonel hadn't a money-mill some
where where he turned out double
eagles and "slugs," 1.-THE coast name
for fifty-dollar gold pieces.)
When so important a parsonage
as a bar-keeper INDUCED publicly i'm
an idea, heinhabitants of Challenge
Hill, like good Californians every
where, considered themselves i'm
duty bound to give grave considera-
ton, so for a few days certain in
dustrious professional gentlemen,
who won money of the Colonel, care
fully weighed some of the brightest
pieces, and tested them with acids,
and tested them and sawed them in
two, and retired them and melted
them up and had the Jumps assayed.
The result was a complete vindi-
cation of the Colonel, and a loss of
considerable custom to the indis-
Greet bar>keeper.
The Colonel was as good natured
a man as had ever been known at
Challenge Hill, but being mortal,
the Colonel had his occasional
times of dependency, and one of
them occurred after a series of races
in which he had staked his all on his
own bay mare Tipsie, and had lost.
Looking r~eproachfully at his be-
loved animal, he failed to heed the
aching void of his pockets, and
drinking deeply, swearing elo-
quently, and glaring defiantly at all
mankind, were equally u~nproduc-
tive of coin.
The boys at the saloon sympa-
thized most feelingly with the Colo
mel they We're unceasing i'm their
to drink, and they even
exhibited considerable Christian
forbearance when the Colonel saw
agely dissented with every N who
advanced any proposition, no mat
ter how incontrovertible.
But unappreciated sympathy
grows decidedly tiresome to the
and it was with a feeling of
relief that the boys saw the Colonel
out of the saloon, mount
and gallop furiously away.
Riding on horseback has always
been considered an excellent sort of
exercise, and fast riding is univer-
admitted to be one of the most
nealthful and delightful means of
.NhileratiOn in the world.
But when q man is so absorbed i'm
his exercise, that he will not stop to
'peak tOa friend, and when his ex-
alteration is so complete that he
urns his eyes from well-meaning
humbs pointing significantly into
through which a man
las often passed while seeking brac-
ng influences, it is but natural that
people should express some wonder.
The Colonel was well known at
Flat, Lone Hand, Blazers,
durderer's Bar, and several other
through which he passed, |
md as no one had been seen to pre-
EIDE him, betting men were soon
odds that the Colonel was
unning away from somebody.
Strictly speaking, they were
wrong, but they won all the money
hat had been staked against them,
Or within half an hours time there
,assed over the same road an anX-
Gus looking individual, who refined
Up in front of the principal saloon
f each place and asked if the
Jolonel had passed.
Had the gallant Colonel known
hat he was followed, and by whom,
here would have been an extra
lection held at the latter place
'ery shortly after, for the pursuer
vas the Constable of Challenge
Hill, and for constables and all Ofii-
.ers of tho law the Colonel possessed
hatred of unspeakahle intensity.
On gallcped the Colonel, follow
ng the stage road, which threaded
he old mining camp on Duck
but suddenly he turned alb
out of tho road, and urged
his horse through the pines and
which grew thickly by the
Dad, while the constable gallOped
apidly on to the next camp.
There seemed to be nopath through
he thicket into which the Colonel
lad turned, but Tipsie walked be-
.ween the trees and shrubs as if they
we're the familiar objects of her own
'table-yard.
Suddenly voice from the bushes
'houted:
"Wha's up?"
"BuSiness-that's what" replied
he Colonel.
"It's time" replied the voice, and
Is Owner-a bearded siX-footer-
emerged from the bushes and stroked
nose with the freedom of an
Id acquaintance. 1--WE amt had q |