Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-04-04

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who locked appealingly at the colonel
" Mac II tell yer how twas, fellers,
said the colonel, meekly, "while picket
the mare"
The colonel was absent but a very
few moments, but when he returned
each of the four was altirel in pistols
and knife, while Mac was distributing
some dominoes, made from a rather
dirty -four 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 on of the four.
:" amt been so thirsty since I come
round the Horn, in 80, an we run
short Of water. Somebody IL get hurt
if there amt no bitters on the old con
eern-they will, Or my name amt Per-
kins."
"Dont count your chickens fore
they're hatcbel, Perky" said one of
the party, as he adjusted the domino
under the rim of his hat. "S'posin'
ther' shud be too many fur us?"
rs lddy, stiddy, Cranks |" remon-
strated the colonel. "Nobody ever gifts
along ef they low 'emselyes to be
skeered."
"Fac5," chimed in the smallest and
thinest man of the party. "The Bible
says somethin' mighty hot bout that I
disremember dzackly how it goes but
I've heerd Parson Buzzy, down in
Maine, preach a rippin' old sermon
form that text meny time. The old
man never thort what a comfort them
sermons WIS a goin' to be to road
agcut, though. That time we stopped
Slim Mikes stage, an he didn't hev no
more manners than to draw on me, them
sermons wuz a perfect blessin to me-
the thought Of 'em cleared my head as
quick as a cocktail. An -"
81 don't want to disturb Logroller's
pious strain" interrupted the colonel,
"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 perspiring brow with his
shirt sleeve.
"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. oven do the usual I'll
halt EN-. 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'rin' how
eyerlastin', eternally hard up we are, l
reckon we'll hey to ask contributions
from the ladies too, ef there's any
aboard-eh, boys?"
Reckonso, replied Logroller with
chuckle that seemed to inspire even his
blank domino with a merry wrinkle or
two. "What'8 the use of women's
rights Of 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 treacheIous critters, women
is" remarked Cranks ; "some of 'em
might put knife into feller while he
wuz pologizin'."
"Ef you're afeard ov'em," said Per-
llins, you ken so back an clean up
the shanty"
"Reminds me ov what the Bible sez,
said Logroller "' theirs a lion on the
trail I'll be chawed up, sez the lazy
galoot, or words to that effect.
" Come, come boys" intcrposed the
colonel, "don't mix religion an biz
ness. They don't mix no more than
Hello, thar's the crack of Old Racks
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
we're laughing heartily about something,
and old Black was just giving a delicate
touch to the flank of the off-leader,
when the colonel gave shrill, quick
whistle, and five men sprang into the
road.
The horses stopped as suddenly as if
il 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 head
with a rapidity equalled only by that
with which they withdrew them as they
saw the dominoes and reyolyers OF the
road agents.
"Seems to be something the matter,
gentlemen" said the colonel blandly, as
he opened the door. "Wont 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 a han kerchef,
hev yer?" asked the colonel of the first
passenger who descended from the
stage. "Hev? Well, now that's
lucky. Juot put yer hands behind yer,
please-so-thats it," Aud the untor-
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 stage
driver having money?
"Boys," said the colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing re-
ceipts, "'taint much of haul; but
there's only one woman, an she's old
enough to be a feller's grandmother.
Better let her alone, ell ?"
"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 gold watch.
"Jest like tho low-lived deceitfulness
of some folks to hire au old woman to
kerry their money so itd go safe. Nab
be what she's got haint nothin' to some
folks thets got hosses thet ken win 'em
money at races, but"
The colonel abruptly ended the con-
versation and 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.
81 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 a
collection fur some deservin' object.
We tUus a-gOin' to make the gentlemen
fork over the hull amount, but ez they