The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-04-03

''No-yes," said the colonel dreamily
''That is. unite 'em, and let the stag
60 ahead,' he continued springing
his feet. ' III hurry back to the cat
in." Aud the colonel dashed into th
bushes and left his followers so pa g
| lived with astonishment that Old Blac
1 afterwards remarked that "ef ther'
been anybody to hold the hosses h
could heV cleaned out the hull crow,
with his whip"
| The passengers, now relieved of the1
weapons. were unbound, allowed to en-
! ter the stage, and the door was slam
med, upon which Old Black picked u
his reins as coolly as if he had laid then
| down at station while horses were be
| ing changed tn n he cracked his whil
! and the stage rolled off, while the col
onel's party hastened back to their hut
| fondIy inspecting as they went certain
| TASKS they had obtained while transact
ING their business with the occupants o
the stage.
Great was the surprise of the roac
| agents as they entered their hut, 10
there stood the colonel in clean whit
shirt and in a suit of clothing made u
from the limited spare wardrobes OF th'
other members of the gang.
But the suspicious Cranks speedil!
subordinated his wonder to his pru
dence, as laying on the table watch
two pistols, a pocket-book and heavy
parse he exclaimed
"Come, colonel, bizness before pleas
ure let's divide an scatter. Eff any
body should hear about it, an find Oul
trail, an ketch us with the traps in Oul
possession they might"
divide yerseIves P' saidsthe colonel
with abruptness and a great oath. '' !
don't want none of it."
"Colonel," said Perkins, removing
his own domino and looking .anxiously
into the leaders face, Z" be you sick
Here's some bully brandy 1 found IL
one of the passengers pockets"
ST hain't nothin'," replied the col
onek with averted eyes. ''Im goin'
and Tn a retirin' from this bizness for
ever"
"Ain't a-goin' to turn evidence p
cried Cranks, g asping the pistol on the
table.
"I'm again to make lead mine o
you eff you don't take that back
roared the colonel, with bound, which
caused Cranks to drop the pistol and re
tire precipitately forward, apologizine
as he went. "I'm going to tend to m!
own bizuess, an that's enough to keeI
any man bizzy. Somebody lend m'
fifty till 1 see him agin.
Perkins pressed the money into TIA,
coIonel's hand, and within two minute
the colonel was on Tipsies back anC
galloping on in the direction the stag
had taken.
He overlook it, he passed it, and still
he galloped on.
colonel we'll, and made it a rule neve
| to be astonished at anything he did, bu
| they made an exception to the rul
when the colonel canvassed the princi
pal bar-rOoms for men who wished t
purchase a horse and when a gamble
who was flush obtained Tipsie in ex
change for twenty slugs-onIy thou
sand dollars, when the colonel had al
ways said that there wasn't gold enough
on top of the ground to buy her-MuC
Gulch experienced decided sensation
One or two enterprising persons
speedily discovered that the colone
was not In a communicative mood 81
every one retired to his faYorite salool
and bet according to his own opinion O
the coIoneI's motives and actions.
But when the colonel, after remain
ing in a barber shop for half an hour
emerged with his face clean shaven anC
his hair neatly trimmed and parted
betting was so wild that a coOl-headeC
sporting man speedily made a fortune
by betting against every theory tina
was advanced.
Then the colonel made tour of the
stores and fitted himself with a new
suit of clothes, carefully eschewing al
of the generous patterns and pronoun
ced colors so dear to the average miner
He bought new hat and put on pal,
of boots, Pruned his finger nails, and
stranger than all, he mildly declined al
invitations to drink.
As the colonel stood in the door o
the principal saloon, where the stage al
ways stopped, the Challenge Hill con
stable was seen to approach the colone
and tap him on the shoulder, upo1
which all men who bet that tne colone
was dodging somebody claimed the
stakes. But those who stood near th,
colonel heard the constable say
Colonel, take it all back, an I owl
up fair an square. When / seed yoT
git out of Challenge Hill it came to me
all of sudden that you might be IL
the road agent business, so I follereo
yoH-duty you know. But when 1 seed
you sell Tipsie I knowed I was on the
wrong trail. I wouldn't suspect you
now if all the stages In the state wuz
robbed and I'll give you satisfaction
any way you want it. A"
"It's all right, said the colonel with
a smile. The constable afterward said
that nobody had any idea of how Curl
ously the colonel smiled when his beard
was off. FGive this fifty to Jim Per
kins fust time yer see him. I'm leavin'
the state"
Suddenly the stage pulled up at the
door with a crash, and the male passen-
gers hurried into the saloon in state
of utter indignation and impecuniosity.
The story of the robbery attracted
everybody, and during the excitement
the colonel slipped out quietly and
opened the door of the stage, The old
lady started and cried
"GeUrge -
And the colonel, jumping into the
stage and putting his arm tenderly
about the trembling form of the old
lady, exclaimed:
Mother !"
Old Hickory"