The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-09

| short OF water. Somebody II get hurt
/ If there amt no bitters on the old con.
eern--they viii, or my name amt Per
kins."
"Don't count your chickens fore
they're Matched, Perky" said one of
the party, as he adjusted the domino
under the rim of his hat. 'fS'posin'
ther' shud be too many fur us? ?"
''S lddy, stiddy, CranAs 70 remon-
strated the colonel. " Nobody ever 0its
along eff they low 'emselTes to be
skeered."
Fact, chimed in the smallest and
thinest man of the party. "The Bible
says somethin' mighty hot bout that. I
| dlsremember dzackly how. it goes but
I've heerd Parson Buzzy, down in
Maine, preach q rippin' old sermon
form that text meny a time. The old
man never thOrt what a comfort them
sermons wus a goin' to be to a road
agent, though. That time we stopped
Slim Mixes stage, an he didn't hey no
more manners than to draw on me, them
sermons wuz perfect blessin' to me
the thought of 'em cleared my head as
/ quick as a cocktail. An -"
" 1 don't want TO disturb Logroller's
pious strain, interrupted the colonel,
g but as it's Old Black that's a drivin'
to-day instead of Slim Mike, an as Old
Black oilers makes his time, hedn't we
better vamose ?"
The door of the shanty was hastily
| closed and the men filed through the
thicket until near the road, when they
marched rapidly on in parallel lines
with it. After about half an hour,
Perkins, who was leading. halted and
wiped his perspiriDg brow with his
shirt sleeve.
g Fur enough from home now," said
he. ""Taint no use bein' gentleman
eff yer have to work too hard ="
Safe enough, reckon" replied the
colonel. "WeIl do the usual I'll
halt 'em. Logroller. tend to the dri-
yer Cranks takes the boot, an Mack
an Perk takes right and left. AMI
know it's tough-but consid'r rim how
everlastin', eternally hard up we are,
reckon we'l hev to ask contributions
from the ladies too, eff there's any
aboard-eh, boys? ?"
" Reckon so, replied Logroller with
chuekle that seemed to inspire even his
blank domino with a merry wrinkle or
two. What's the use of women's
rights eff they don't ever hev a chance
of exercisin' EN-? Heven' ther purses
borrowed 'ud shown'en the hull doc
taine in bran new light"
"They'er treacherous critters, women
is, remarked Cranks; "some of 'em
might put a knife into feller while he
wuz pologizin'
"Ef you're afeard ov'em," said Per
kins, "you ken go back an clean up
the shanty."
Reminds me ov what the Bible sez,
said LogrOller "' theirs lion on the
trail I'll be chawed up, sez the lazy
galoot, or words to that effect"
Come, come boys" interposed the
colonel, ' don't mix religion an biz
ness. They don't mix no more than
Hello, thar's the crack of Old Blacks
whip! Pick yer bushes-quick | All
jump when whistle "
Each man secreted himself near the
roadside. The stage came swinging
along handsomely; the inside passengers
were laughing heartily about something,
and old Black was just giving delicate
touch to the flank of the off-leader,
when the colonel gave a shIill, quick
whistle, and five men sprang into the
road.
The horses stopped as suddenly as if
it were a matter of common occurrence.
Old Black dropped the reins, crossed
his legs, and stared into the sky, and
the passengers all put out their heads
with a Tapidity equalled only by that
with which they withdrew them as they
saw the dominoes and revolvers of the
road agents.
''Seems to be something the matter,
gentlemen, F" said the colonel blandly, as
he opened the door. Won't you
please get out? Don't trouble your
selves to draw, COS my friend here's got
his weapon cooked an his fingers are
rather nervous. Amt got han n'kerchef,
hev yer 2" asked the colonel of the first
passenger who descended from the
lucky. Just put yer hands behind yer,
please-so-that's it." And the unfor-
tunate man was securely bound in an
instant
The remaining passengers were treated
with similar courtesy, and the colonel
and his friends examined the pockets of
the captives. Old Black remained un-
molested, for who ever heard of a stage
driver having money?
'Boys," said the colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing re-
ceipts, "'taint much of a haul; but
there's only one woman, an she's old
enough to be feller's grandmother.
Better let her alone, eh ?"
"Like enough she'll pan out more'n
all the rest of the stage put together"
growled Cranks, carefully testing the
thickness of the case of a gold watch.
jest like the low-lived deceitfulness
of some folks TO hire an old woman to
kerry their money 80 it'd go safe. Nab
be what she's got haint nothin' to some
folks thet's got hosses thet ken win EN-
money at races, but
The colonel abruptly ended the con-
versation aud approached the stage.
The colonel was very chivalrous, but
Cranks' sarcastic reference to Tipsie
needed avenging, and as he could not
consistently with business arrangements
put an end to Cranks, the old lady would
have to suffer.
Il beg yer parding, ma'am," said the
colonel, raising his hat politely with one
hand while he opened the coach door
with the other, - but we're takin' up
collection fur some deservin' object.
We t1afz a-gein' to make the gentlemen
fork over the hull amount, but ez they
hain't got enough wen hey to bother
you. 4"
The old lady trembled, felt for her
pocket-book, and raised her veil. The
colonel looked into her face, slammed
the stage door, and sitting down on one
Of the wheels, stared vacantly into
+" NothingP" queried Perkins, in a
whisper and with face full Of genuine
sympathy.
ssNo-yes. Z" said the colonel dreamiiy.
% That is. unite 'em, and let the stage
60 ahead, :" he continued, springing to
his feet. {" tn hurry back to the cab
in. And the colonel dashed into the
bushes and left his followers so pa a
lived with astouishment that Old Black
afterwards remarked that "ef ther'd
been anybody to hold the hosses he
could heV cleaned out the hull crowd
with his whip"
The passengers, now relieved OF their
weapons, we're unbound, allowed to en-
ter the stage, and the door was slam
med, upon which Old Black picked mp
his reins as coolly as if he had laid them
down at q station while horses were be-
ing changed; th he cracked his whip
and the stage rolled of, while the col
onel's party hastened back TO their hut,
oldly inspecting as they went certain
TASKS they had obtained while transact
inc their business with the occupants Of