The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-17
FUN ON THE HIGHWAY.
How n Drover Danced to the Music of a
Revolver.

| How a Drover Danced to the Music of a
| Revolver.
The setting snn on Thursday after
noon threw halo upon vast drove oi
hogs, sedately marching down the Olive
street rock road, attended by two gen.
tlemen, one garnished with stick and
| the other embellished with n black
whip. 1t was rather chilly-in fact
| cold-and as the gentlemen walked
| along in pleasant conversation, some
| times addressed to each other and some
times to the hogs, they began to feel
the influence of the raw atmosphere,
the effects of which they tried to over.
| come at the bar of every tavern they
fell in with. Encouraged with their sue
cess they became hilarious, and in their
good humor poked each other and the
pigs in the ribs in that familiar manner
which charaotcrizes good fellows charm
ed with each others society. He of the
black-snake cracked his lash until the
air was full of snaps, and shouted and
yelled in the fine exuberance of his
spirits. As his enthusiasm arose he
pined for loftier deeds, and told him of
the stick that the next traveller would
make some fun for the party that even
O4AO ASSoo ~ONAA OhJOys
But few more drinks had been con-
cealed when they met man in buggy,
a man who had been hunting, and who
had some dangerous implements in his
buggy. With a spring of the whip he
grasped the reins and brought the horse,
man and buggy to a sudden halt.
stranger" said the man in the bug
gy, leaning forward with his elbows on
his knees, " stranger, I wish you would
let that horse 60"
Partner" said he of the whip, 81
can't. can't let the horse go. I want
to know, partner, where you've been
and where you're going" -
Stranger" quoth the man in the
buggy, "I don't think that's any of
your business. Really, don't"
81 don't want to hurry you, partner,
but yeu must answer my question or
you must slide outen that yer buggy,
and dance a fling for us, right here"
and he snapped his whip uncomfortably
close to the buggy mans countenance
"You see, stranger, said the man in
the buggy, Il don't think can dance.
My boots are too heavy"
"You can take your boots off if you
want to, partner. I amt modest, and
won't mind your bare feet; but l say,
partner, you want to be quick, cause
these hogs and this yer friend O mine is
getting mighty impatient.
"Well, if you want to see a dance
mighty bad, stranger, reckon must
accommodate you. I've got some light
boots in here, and when get 'em on I'll
show you how it's DONE" and he fum-
bled under the buggy seat. Ia mo-
ment he rose up with huge revolver in
his paw, saying: "How will that do
for dancing, stranger?"
The next instant he was on the ground,
his left hand comprehending the throat
of Blacksnake and the pistol pressed
tight to his forehead. The hogs looked
at each other with raised eyebrows, and
were all the more astonished when they
saw him of the stick hoisting himself
over a fence and sliding for peace on
earth and coed will among men behind
a neighboring barn.
stranger, would you be so polite as
to drop that whip?"
He dropped it.
"Now, stranger, we'll have that
dance"
"well, partner, L don't know but
what it's time that dance began"
Just then Sam Ecker drove up, and |
the situation was explained to him. |
Samuel. being devotee of Terpischore
himself, gravely considered that the
dance should go on.
you'll find it more comfortable,
stranger, to dance without those boots,
and I think you'd better take 'em off. "
81 estimate you're right about that,
partner" and down squatted Blacksnake
and disrobed his feet and took off his
,oat.
1t is said by those who saw him that
is an excellent dancer. He
las keen appreciation of the fine
points, and has way of singing his
eet that many masters of the art have
lot acquired.
"Warm, amt it, stranger ?"
Blacksnake conceded it was a little
oppressive, and he resumed his habili-
nents after five minutes hard work.
"Good-by, stranger, said the buggy
nan.
"Good-by, partner say, partner,
lon't mention this little thing in Lucas
Market, will you?"
But somehow it was mentioned in
SANS house, and at Billy Beck's, and
or day or two Blacksnake found no
,eace save in the society of his hogs
St. Louis Globe.