The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-04-04
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.
BY BRET HARTE.

/ w nat LnC COlOnel DuSluGSS WIS uO
! body knew, nor did any one care par
ticularly. He purchased for cash ofy
/ and he never grumbled at the price o.
/ anything that he wanted who could
| ask more than that ?
Curious people OCCASIONAL Y wondered
| how, when it had been fully two years
since the colonel, with evey one else
abandoned Duck creek 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 saloons
which the colonel did not patronize was
heard to absent-mindedly wonder
whether the colonel hadn't a money
mill somewhere where he turned out
double eagles and "sluRs" (the coast
name for fifty dollar gold pieces.
When so important a parsonage as a
bar keeper INDUCED publicly in an idea,
the inhabitants of Challenge Hill, like
good Californians everywhere, consid-
cred themselves in duty bound to give
it grave consideration, so for few days
certain industrious professional gentle
men, who won money of the colonel,
carefully weighed some of the bright
est 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 a complete vlndica-
ton of the colonel. and a loss of con-
siderable custom to the indiscreet bar
keeper.
The ecolonel was as good natured a man
as had ever been known at Challenge
Hill, but, being mortal. the colonel had
ocsssssAO1asa tiI1aS- - Sa.--E-----a-----s,
and one of them occurred after series
Of races in which he had staked his all
on his own bay mare Tipsle, and Aad
lost.
Looking reproachfully at his beloved
animal failed to heal the aching void OF
his pockets, and drinking deeply, swear
ing eioquently, and glaring defiantly at
all mankind were equally unproductlve
of coin.
The bows at the saloon sympathized
most feelingly with the. colonel they
we're unceasing in their invitations to
drink. aud they even exhibited consld-
erable christian forbearance when the
colonel savagely dissented with every
one who advanced any proposition, no
matter how incontrovertable.
But unappreciated sympathy grows
decidedly tiresome to the given, and 1t
was with a feeling of relief that the
boys saw the colonel stride out of the
saloon. mount Tipsie, and gallop furl-
ously 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
delightful means of exhilaratlon IN the
world.
But when a man is so absorbed in his
| exercise that he will not stop to speak
to q friend, and when his exhllaratlon is
so complete that he turns his eyes from
welI-meaning thumbs pointing signiti-
cantly into doorways through which
man has often passed while seelAng
bracing influences, 1t Is but natural that
people should express some wonder.
The colonel was we'll known at Teddy
Flat, Gone Hand, Blazers, Murderer
Bar, and several other villages through
which he passed, and as no one had
been seen to precede him, betting men
we're seen 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
half an hours time there passed over
| the same road an anxious-looking in
| dividual, 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 oi
! Challenge Hill, and for constables and
| all officers of the law the colonel pos
sessed hatred of unspeakable intensity
On galloped the colonel, following
| II I oh, throo1n6 tho OlC
mininp-camps on Duck creek but sud
denly 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 rapidly on to the next camp
There seemed to be no path through
| the thicket into which the colonel hao
turned, but Tipsie walked between the
trees and bushes as if they were the
familiar objects of her own stable-yard
Suddenly, voice from the bushes
." Business--that's what" replied the
colonel.
"It's time" replied the voice, and it
owner-a bearded six-footer-emergeC
from the bushes, and stroked Tipsie'
nose with the freedom of an oldaac
quaintance. eve amt had nip sine,
| last might, an thar amt cracker or
handful of flour in the shanty. Th
old gal go back on yer q
Yes" replied the colonel, ruefully
"lost ev'ry blasted race. 'Twasn't he
fault, bless her-she done her leve
best. Ev'rybody to home %
You bet, said the man. Cali be-
prayin' for yer ter turn up with tn
rocks, an somethin' with more colo
than spring water. Come on"
The man led the way and Tipsie an
the color Lel followed, and the trio sud
denly found themselves before smal
log hut, in front of which sat three sol
emn, disconsolate looking individual
who looked appealingly at the colonel
MAO IL tell yer how twas, fellers,
said the colonel, meekly, "while pickle
the mare"
The colonel was absent but yer
few moments, but when he returne
each of the four was attired IN pistol
and knife, while Mac was distributin
some dominoes, made from rathe
dirty -four bag. -,
"'Taint so late as all that, IS 1t z IL
| quired the colonel.