Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-29

b1 bhEI hAhIE.
What the Colonel's business was no.
body knew, nor did any one care par
ticularly. He purchased for cash only.
and he never grumbled at the price of
anything that he wanted; who could
ask more than that?
Curious people occasionally wonder
ed 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
saloons which the Colonel did not pa
tronize was once heard to absent-mind-
edly wonder whether the Colonel hadn't
a money mill somewhere where heturn-
ed out double eagles and ''slugs," 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 Hi, like
good Cahfornians everywhere, consid-
cred themselves in duty bound to give
it grave consideration. so for afew 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 vindica-
ton of the Colonel, and a loss of CON-
siderable custom to the indiscreet bar
keeper.
The Colonel was as good natured a
man as had ever been known at Chal-
lenge Hill, but, being mortal, the Col
onel had his occasional times of des-
p~ondency, and n of them occurred
after a series of races in which be had
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 eloquently, and glaring def
antly at all mankind, were equally un-
productive of coin.
The boys of the saloon sympathized
most feelIngly with the Colonel; they
were unceasing in their invitations to
drink, and they even exhibited consid-
cradle Christian forbearance when the
Colonel savagely dissented with every
one who advanced any proposition, no
matter how incOntrovertible.
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 Tpsie, and gallop furi-
ously away.
Riding OF horseback has always been
cOnsided an excellent sort of exercise.
and fast riding is universally admitted
TO be one of the most healtful and de-
hghtful means of exhilaration in the
world.
But when a man is so absorbed in his
exercise that he viii not stop to speak
to a friend, and when his ~exhilaration
Is 50 complete that he turns his ewes
from well meaning thumbs pointing
significantly into doOr-ways through
which a man has often passed, while
seeking bracing influences, it is but
natural that people should express some
wonder.
The Colonel was well known at Teddy
Fiat, 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 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 I'M road an anxious-looking indi-
vidual, who refined 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
Challenge Hill, and for constables and
all officers of the law, the Colonel pos
sessed hatred of u~nspeakable intensity.
On galloped the Colonel, following
the stage road, which threaded the old
mIning-camps IN Duck Greek; 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 thlcket into which the Colonel had
turned, but Tipsie walked between the
trees and bushes as if they were IA
miliar objects of her own stable-yard.
Suddenly a voice from the bushes
shouted What's up %"
Busrness-that's what, replied the
Colonel.
Its time, replied the voice. and its
owner-a bearded six-footer-emerced
from the bushes, and stroked Tipsie's
nose with the freedom of an old ac-
quaintance. We amt had a nip since
last night, an thar amt a cracker or a
handful of -four in the shanty. The old
gal go back on yer ?"
Yes" replied the Colonel, ruefullv,
/" lost ev'ry blasted race. 'Twasn't her
fault, bless her-she done her level best.
Evry body to homer"
You bet" said the man. "An ben
a prayin' for yer turn up with the rocks, |
an somethin' with more color than
spring water. Come on"
The man led the way and Tipsie and
the Colonel followed, and the trio sud-
denly found themselves before a small
log hut, In front of which sat three
solemn, MISUNDERSTANDING individ-
uals, who looked appealingly at the
Colonel.
"MacH tell yer how 'twuz, fellers,"
said the Colonel, meekly, while 1
picket the mare
The Colonel was absent but a very
few moments, but when he returned
each of the four was attired in pistols
and knife, while Mac was distributing
some dominoes, made from a rather
dirty flour bag.
"'Taint SO late as all that, is it," in
quired the Colonel.
Better be an hour ahead than miss
in this ere night, said one of the four.
Il amt been so thirsty since l come
round the Horn, in so, an VT run
short Of water. Somebodyll git hurt
if the amt no bitters on the old con-
cern-they will, or my name amt Per-
kIns.'
Don't count your chickens fore
they're Matched Perky said one of