The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-05-21
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.
BY BRET HARTE.


body knew nor did anybody care, par
ticularly. He purchased for cash only
and he never grumbled at the price O.
anything that he wanted; who could
ask more than that?
Curious people occasionally wondered
how, when it had been fully two years
since the Colonel, with every one else
abandoned Duck Greek to the Chinese
he managed to spend money freely, and
to lose considerable at cards and horse
races. In fact, the keeper of that one Of
the two Challenge Hill soloons which the
Colonel did not patronize was once heard
to absent-mindedly wonder whether the
Colonel hadn't a mOney-mill somewhere
where he turned out double eagles and
slugs" (the coast name for fifty-dollal
gold pieces).
When so important parsonage as q
bar-keeper INDUCED publicly in an idea
inhabitants of Challenge Hill, like good
Californians everywhere, considered
themselves in duty bound to give il
certain industrious professional gentle.
men, who won money of the Colonel
carefully weighed some of the brightest
pieces and tested them with acids
and tasted them and sawed them in two,
and retired them and melted them up
and had the Jumps assayed.
The result was complete vindication
of the Colonel, and loss of considerable
custom to the indiscreet barkceper.
The Colonel was as good natured q
man as had ever been known at Chal
lenge Hill, but being mortal, the Colonel
had his occasional times of dependency
and one of them occurred after series
of races in which he had staked his all
on his own bay mare Tipsie, and had
lost.
Looking reproachfully at his beloved
animal he failed to heed the aching void
of his pockets, and drinking deeply,
swearing eloquently and glaring defiant
ly at all mankind, were equally unpro-
ductive of coin.
most feelingly with the Colonel; they
were unceasing in their invitations to
drink, and they even exhibited consider
able Christian forbearance when the
Colonel savagely dissented with every
one who advanced any proposition, no
matter how incontrovertible.
But unappreciated sympathy grows
decidedly tiresOmc to the giver, and it
was with feeling of relief that the boys
saw the Colonel stride out of the saloon,
mount Tipsie and ride furiously away.
Riding on horseback has always been
considered an excellent sort of exercise,
and fast riding is universally admitted
to be one of the most healthful and de-
lightful means of exhileration i'm the
world.
But when man is so absorbed i'm his
exercise that he will not stop to speak to
q friend, and when his exhileratiOn is so
complete that he turns his eyes from
well-meaning thumbs pointing signifi-
cantly into doorways through which a
man has often passed while seeking
bracing influences, it is natural that
people should express some wonder.
The Colonel was well known at Toddy
Flat, Cone Hand, Blazers, Murderer's
Bar, and several other villages through
which he passed, and as no one had been
seen to precede him, betting men were
soon offering odds that the Colonel was
running away from somebody.
Strictly speaking they were wrong,
but they won all the money that had
been staked against them, for within a
half an hours time there passed over the
same road an anxious looking individual,
who reined up in front of the principal
saloon of each place, and asked if the
Colonel had passed.
Had the gallant Colonel known that
he was followed, and by whom, there
would have been an extra election held
at the latter place very shortly after, for
the pursuer was the constable of Chal-
lenge Hill, and for constables and all
other officers of the law the Colonel pos
sessed hatred of unspeakable intensity.
On galloped the Colonel, following the
stage-road, which threaded the old min
ing camps on Duck Creek but suddenly
he turned abruptly out of the road, and
urged his horse through the young pines
and bushes which grew thickly by the
road, while the constable galloped rap
idly on to the next camp.
There seemed to be no path through
the thicket into which the Colonel had
turned, but Tipsie walked between the
trees and shrubs as If they were the
familiar object of her own stable-yard.
Suddenly a voice from the bushes
shouted.
What up?'
" Business--that's what" replied the
Colonel.
It's time," replied the voice, and it,
owner - a bearded six-footer - emerged
from the bushes, and stroked Tipsie's
nose with the freedom of an old acauaint.
ance. "ain't had nip since last night
and thar amt a cracker or handful OF
-four in the shanty. The old gal go back
on yerT,,
eyes" replied the Colonel, ruefully
"lost ev'ry blasted race. 'Twasn't hei
fault, bless her--she done her level best
Everybody to home"
You bet" said the man. "All Der
prayin' for yer TO turn up with tn,
rocks, an somethin' with more color thar
spring water. Come on"