Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-04-10
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.
[BY BRET HARrE.1

AE11AlNU FHOu BUNlNENN.
BY BRET HARTE.1
What the COlOncl's business was III
body knew, nor did any one care, PAL
ticulally. He purchased for cash only
and he never grumbled at the price y
anything that he wanted who coul'
ask more than that3 nj ,
Curious people occasionally wonder
ell how, when it had been fully tw'
years since the Colonel, with every on
else, abandoned Duck Greek to til,
Chinese, le managed to spend asos,e.
freely, and to lose considerable a
cards and horse races. In fact, tn
keeper of that one of the two Chal
lenge Hill saloons which the COlOne
did not patrOnize was once heard Il
absent t-mindc(lly wonder whether thl
Colonel hadn't money mill some
where, where he turned out double
eagles and "slugs" (thc Coast name fol
fifty dollar gold pieces).
When SO important personage as
a bar-keeper indulged publicly in an
idea, the inhabitants of Challenge
Hill, like good Californ;ans every.
where, considered themselves in duty
bound to give it grave consideration,
so for a few days certain industrious
professional gentlemen, who won 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 mp and had the Jumps
assayed.
The result was complete vindica-
ton of the Colonel and q loss of con-
siderable custom to the indiscreet inn
keeper.
The Colonel was as gootl-natured a
man as had ever been known at Chal
Nnge Hill, but, being mortal the Col
Onel had his occasional times of de-
spondency, and one of them occurred
after q series Of races in which he
staked his all ON his own bay mare
Tipsie. and had lost.
Looking reprOachfully at his beloved
animal failed to heal the aching void
Of his pockets, and drinking deeply,
swearing cloquently and glaring deli.
antly at all mankind were equally un-
productive of coin.
The boys of the saloon sympathizCd
most fcelingly with the Colonel: they
were unccasing in their invitations to
drink, and they even exhibited con-
siderable Christian fOrbearance when
the Colonel savagely dissented with
every one who advanced any PROPOSE
sitiO1, no matter how inc0,ltrOvertible.
But unappreciated sympathy grows
decidedly tiresome to the giver, and it
was with a feeling of relief that the
boys saw the Colonel stride out of the
saloon, moant Tipsie, and gallop fari-
Ously away.
Riding on horseback has always
been considered an excellent sort of
exercise, and fast riding is universally
to be one of the most health
full and delightful means of exhilara-
tion in the world.
But when man is so absorbed in
his exercise that he will not stop to |
speak to friend, and when his exhil- |
aration is SO complete that he turns
his eyes from well-meaning thumbs
pointing significantly into the door
ways through which a man has often
passed while seeking bracing infu-
,nces, it is but natural that people
should express some wonder.
The Colonel was we'll known at
rOddy Flat, Lone Hand, Blazers Muir
lerers Bar, and several other villages
through which he passed, and as no
me had been seen to precede him,
,etting men were seen Offering odds
hat the Colonel was running away
rom somebody.
Strictly speaking they were wrong,
mt they had won all the money that
lad been staked against them, for
within half an hours time there pass
d over tho same road an anxious
boxing individual, who refined mp in1
ront Of the principal saloon of each
lace, and asked If the Colonel had
assed. ~
Had the gallant Colonel known that
e was followed, and by whom, there
7ould have been an extra election held !
t the latter place very shortly after,
y the Coloners pursuer was no other
han the constable of Challenge Hill, II
nd lbr the constables and Ill officers 1
thE Law the Colonel posQessed hatred |
unspeakable intensity, sttSss
On gapoped the CdoQe1 following
be stage eload, which threaded the1
Id mining camps on Duck Greek; but i
addenly he turned abruptly ont Of I
he road, aud urged his horse through
Ne young pines ard bushes, which t
rev thickly by tie road, while the \
Unstable galloped quickly on to the '
There seemed to be no path through q
,e thicket into which the Colonel had
lrned, but Tpsie walked between the 4
'ees and bushes as If they were but 9
Il6iliar objects Of her own stable-yard. b
Suddenly . voice from the bushes 8
loated: [e
= What's upl" -4 g 4
" Business-tkat's what, replied the 6
Olouel {
"itS ttmer replied the voice, and its &
sncr-6 bearded six -f00ter- emerged &
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