Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-05-16

Grank's sarcastic reference to Tipsie
needed aYenging, and he could not
consistently with business arrange
ments put an end to Cranks, the old
lady would have to suffer.
81 beg your pardon, ma'am,' said
the Colonel raising his hat politely
with one hand while he opened he
coach door with the other" 'but
we're taking up collection fur some
deserving object. We wnz a gOin'
to make the gentleman fork over the
hull 1mouut, but ez they hain't got
enough, we'll hev to bother you.'
The old lady trembled, felt for
her pocketbook, and raised her veil.
The Colonel looked up into her
face. slammed the door, and sitting
down on the hub of one of the weelS
stared vacantly into space.
'Nothing?' queried Perkins, in II
whisper and with face full of gen
uine sympathy.
'No-yes,' said the Colonel dream
lily. That is, unite 'em, and let the
stage 90 head he continued,
Springing to his feet. I'll hurry
hack to the cabin. And the Colonel
Dashed into the bushes and left his
followers so paralyzed with aston
ishment that old Black afterward re-
marked that 'ef ther'd been anybody
to hold the horses he could hev
cleaned the whole crowd with his
whip
The passengers, now relieved of
their weapons, were unbound, al
lowed to enter the stage, and the
back door was slammed, upon which
Old Black picked up his reins as
if he had laid them down at sta
ton while horses were changed, then
he cracked his whip and the stage
rolled af, while the C0lOnels party
hastened back to their hut, fondly
inspecting, as they went, certain
TASKS they had obtained while trans
acting their business with the occu-
pants of the stage.
Great was the surprise of the road
agents as they entered their hut,
for there stood the Colonel in a clean
white shirt and in a suit OF clothing
made up from the limited spare
wardrobe of the other members of
the gang.
But the suspicious Cranks speedi-
Iy subordinated his wonder to
prudence, as, laying ON the table a
watch, two pistols, pocket book
and.a heavy purse, he e4clalmed;
FCnme, Colonel, business before
pleasure; let's divide an scatter. Eff
anybody should hear bout it, 'an
find our trail, an ketch the traps in
our possession, they might
Divide yourseIves!' replied the
colonel, with abruptness and great
oath. Il don't want none of it,
'Colonel,' said Perkins, removing
his own domino and looking anx-
iously into the leaders face, 'be
you sick? Here's some bully brandy
found in one of the passegers pock-
ets.'
/ haip't nothin, replied the Colo
mel, with averted eyes. I'm goin',
and Pm retiring from this business
forever
'Ain't going to turn evidence""
cried Cranks, grasping a pistol on
the table.
pm a goin' to make a lead mine of
you eff you don't tax that backP roar
td the colonel, with bound, which
caused Cranks to drop his pistol and
retired precipitately forward, apollo
gising as he went. T'm gOin' to
tend to my bizness, an that's
enough to keep any man bizzy.-
Somebody lend me $50 till see
him agin.'
Perkins pressed the money in the
Colonel's hand, and within two min
utes the Colonel was on Tipsie's
back, and galloped on iii the di-
rection the stage had taken.
He overlook it, ne passed it, and
SllIl he gallopeu Ou.
The people at Mud Gulch knew
the Colonel well, and made it rule
never to be astopished at anything
he did; but they made an exception
to the rule when the Colonel canvass
ed the principal bar-rooms for men
who wished to purchase horse; and
when a gambler, who was flush, oh
tanned 'ipsie in exchange for twenty
slugs-only a thousand dollars
when the Colonel had always said
that there want gold enough on the
top of the ground to buy her-Mud
Gulch experienced decided sensa=
ton.
One or two enterprising persons
speedily discovered thai the Colonel
was not in a communicative mood;
so every one retired to his favorite
saloon and bet according to his own
opinions of the Colonel's motives and
actions.
But when the Colonel, after re-
naming in barber shop for half an
hour, emerged with his face clean
shaved aud hair neatly trimmed and
parted, betting was SO wild that
;ool headed sporting man speedily
made fortune by betting against
svery theory that was advanced,
Then the Colonel made a tour of
The stores and fitted himself with a
new suit of clothes, carefully eschew-
ng all of the generous patterns and
pronounced colors so dear to the av-
erage miner. He bought new hat,
md put oil pair of boots, and prun-
ed his finger nails, and stranger than
all, he mildly declined all invitations
20 drink.
As the Colonel stood in the door
If the principal saloon, where the
'tage always stopped, the Challenge
Hill constable was seen to approach
he Colonel and tan him on the shoul-
Ter, upon which all men who bet
hat the Colonel was dodging some
,ody claimed the stakes. But those
Who stood near the Colonel heard
he constable sayJ
"Colonel, | take it all back, an |
wn up fair an square. When |
eed you git out of Challenge Hill it