The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-07-06

StN NsSF' NsVLAS VI ulS thoughts were
almost too deep for utterance. But
finally he stood by the dusty road along
which the great freighting wagons were
hauling supplies TO the mining camps
up the Sacramento. One of these wae.
ons drawn by SIX yoke Of oxen, was
Just passing. Snap, snap, snap, in
slow, irregular succession, came the
keen, stinging reports Of the long Mis-.
souri, ox.whip. "G'lang ! glangl wo.
haw p shouted the tall, dust.begrimed
driver, as he swung his whip and cast
sidelong glance at tho broken firm,
wondering "what in thundnr all them
store clothes was doin' thar" Now,
when Armstrong saw the long column
Of white dust rising behind that wag-
on, he was taken with an idea. So lie
shouted to the driver TO know II he
might be allowed to walk in the road
behind the wagon.
"Get in and ride, said the driver.
mo- said Armstrong, II wish
to walk"
"Then walk, you crazy fool" was
The accommodating response, as the
driver swung his whip.
Then came the tug OF war. Greek
never met Greek more fiercely than did
the two contending SPIRITS composing
the firm oil Armstrong & Self az that
particular moment. Nov Armstrong;
said the imperious head OF the firm,
lyon get right into the middle OF that
road, sir, and walk in that dust. behind
that wagon, all the WY 10 the packers'
Roost, on the Yuba River" "What I
with these clothes on ?" eyes, with
those clothes on" "Why, it Is fifteen
miles, and dusty all tho way" "No
matter, sir (; take the road. You squan-
der your money at three.card monte |;
I'LL teach you lesson"
"G'lane g'lansip drawled the
driver, as he looked over his shoulder
witha curious mingling Of pity, con-
tempt and wonder on his dusty face.
More and more spitefully snapped the
swinging whip as the slow.paced oxen
toiled mile after mile under the heat Of
o September sun. And there, in the
road, trudged Armstrong behind the
wagon slowly, wearily, thoughtiully,
but not silently. He.was q man who
always spoke his thoughts.
"This serves you right, Armstrong,
Any man who will fool his money
away at three-card monte deserves 10
walk in tile dust" at will spoil these
Clothes" "Well, don't you deserve
it?" 1.-THE dust fills my eyes" ayes;
any man who CANDLES all his dust
away at three.card monte deserves to
have dust in his cyes-and alltali dust
at that" "The dust chokes me. "All
right; any man who will buck OF monte
deserves to be choked. Keep the road,
sir-the middle Of the road-close up
to the wagon. Do You think you will
ever buck at monte again, Armstrong;"
And so the poor culprit, self arrest.
ed, self condemned, coughed and
sneezed and choked and walked and
talked, mile after mile, hour after hour;
while the great wagon groaned and
creaked, the driver bawled and swung
his whip, the patient cxen gave their
shoulders to the yoke, aud the golden
sun OF September sank YEARLY toward
the west. The shadows Of evening
were beginning 10 fall when the wagon
halted at tho place called Packers
Roost, on the Yuba.
"Here we rest" sighed Armstrong,
Just above his breath, as he looked at
the stream. "No, you DON'T" an
swered the head OF the firm. aYou
buck your money away at monte, aud
talk about restingl Now, Armstrong,
| go right down the bank, sir, into that
river" As the command was peremp.
tory, and o spirit Of obedience was
thought the safest, Armstrong obeyed
without parley: and down he went,
over head and ears, store.clothes and
all, into the cold mountain stream. II
was long time that he rem aimed in
the water and under the water. He
would come to the surface every little
while 10 talk, you understand. It was
impossible for Armstrong 10 forbear
talking. 20, yes" he would say, as
he came up and snuffed the water from
his nose, you'll buck your money
away ut three.card monte, will you2
How do you like water.cure p His
words were, OF course, duly punctuated
by irregular plunges and catchings Of
tie breath.
II SO happened that the man who
kept the shanty hotel at the Packers
Roost had q woman for wife. She,
being o tind.hearted creature, besought
her lord TO go down and "help thepoor
crazy man out Of the water"
aPshawln said the ox.driver, "he
amt crazy man; he's q fool. He
walked behind my wagon and talked TO
himself oil the way from Scrabble.
town"
Thereupon arose lengthy discussion
about the difference between crazy
man and fool But, after o while, the
landlord and ox.driyer went down TO
the bank and agreed 10 60 Armstrong;
security against bucking at monte in
the future, II he would come out Of the
water. S. he went out and came up to
thelhouse. .
fWill you have cup of tea or cof.
fee ~ said the woman, kindly.
Yes, madam, said Armstrong, II
will take both'n
/" he is crazy, sure as can be, . said
the woman. But she brought the two
cups, as ordered. "Milk and sugars"
abe inquired, kindly as before.
"No, madam mustard and red pep
per" answered Armstrong.
81 do believe he 10 o fool, =" said the
woman, as she went for the pepper and
mustard.
Armstrong, with deliberate GOODNESS,
put spoonful OF red pepper into the
tea and o spoonful Of mustard into the
oofr,o Than he t,onred tho two In.