Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-05-16
KETIR.NG sROm BUSINESS.
BY BRET HARTE.

What the Colonel's business was
no body knew nor did anybody care,
particularly. lie purchased for
cash only, and he never grunbled at
the price vi anything he wanted;who
couId ask more than that?
curious people occasionally won
dered how, when it had been fully
Two years since the Colonel, with
every one else, abandoned Duck
creek to the Chinese, managed to
spend money freely, and To lUse con-
siderable AZ cards aud horse RACES.
III fact, the keeper OF that one OF the
TWO ChaIIenge IIIlI saloons which the
colon, uIu not patrOnIze was once
neard to absenG-mIndedly wonder
whether the Colonel hadn't money
mil somewhere where he turned out
double eagles and ''slugs (Ihe coast
name for nIty dollar gold pieces
W hen 50 important a persOnage as
bar-keeper Indulged publicly In
an idea the inhabitants oI Challenge
ill, like good CahIOrnians every
where, considered themselves IL duty
oound to give grave cOnsideratlOn,so
iur few days certain industrious
professional gentlemen, who won
,Iouey of the Colonel, carefully
weighed some of the brightest pieces
ana tested them with acIds, ana tast-
ed them, and sawed them N two, and
fetrled them, aud melted them up
and. had the Jumps aSSayed.
The result was a complete vlndl-
cation of the Colonel, and loss OF
considerable custom to the mdlScreet
oar-keeper.
The colonel was as good natured
4 man as had ever been known at
Challenge Hill, but being mOrtal,the
Colonel had his occasional times OF
desuondency, and one of them occur
red after series of races III which ne
mad staked his all ON his own bay
mare Tfpsie, and had lost.
Looking reproachfully at his be-
loved animal, he failed TO heed the
arching void of his pockets, and
drinking deeply, swearing eloquently
and glaring detiantly at all mankind
we're equally unproauetive of com.
The boys at the saloon sympathiE-
ed most feelingly with the Colonel;
they were unceasing in their invita-
tions to drink, and they even exhibi-
ted considerable Christian forbesr-
ance when the Colonel savagely dis
seuted with every man who advanced
any proposition, no matter how IN
contrOvertible.
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, mount Tipsie, and
gallop furiouSly away. 5fr
Riding OH horseback has always
been considered an excellent sort Of
exercise, and fast riding is universal
ly admitted to be one of the most
and delightful means Of
exhillratioR in the world.
But when a man is so absorbed in
his exercise that he will not stop to
speak to friend, and when his ex5
hilaration is so complete that he turns
his ewes from well-mesning thumbs
pointing significantly into deOrways
which man has often pass
ed while seeking bracing influences
it is but natural that people should
express some wonder.
The Colonel was well known at
Toddy Flat, Cone Hand, Blazers,
Bar, aud several other
VILLAGES through which he passed, ,and
as NO one had been seen TO Precede
him betting men were soon seen Of
for;ng odds that the Colonel was run
ming away from somebody. tsr.
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
who reined up in front OF
the principal saloon OF each place and
asked if the Colonel had passed.
Had the Colonel known that be
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 oonsta-
BILE of Challenge Hill, and for oonsta
bles and all officers of the law the
Colonel possessed hatred Of unsPeak'
able intensity.
On gllloped the Colonel, following
the stage road, which threaded the
old mining camp ON DUCK creek; bat
suddenly he turned abruptly out Of
the road, and urged his horse through
the pines aud bushes, which grew
thickly by the road, while the c0n'
stable galloped rapidly on % the
next camp. -
There seemed to be no pata telo'
Conserved a. JaFA ~