The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-05-21

tnt SOlOucl iOlioWCu, uuu tHc tTlO SUI
denly found themselves before small
log hut, in front of which sat three dis
consulate individuals, who looked ap
pealingly at the Colonel,
Mac'll tell you how twas, fellers,
said the Colonel, meekly, while picket
the mare"
The Colonel was absent but a few mo-
ments, but when he returned each of the
four were attired i'm pistol and knife
while Mac was distributing some domi
noes, made from rather dirty -four bag
"Tain't so late ez all that, is it?' in.
quired the Colonel
Better be an hour ahead than miss in
this ERE night said one of the four.
amt been so thirsty since come round
the Horn, in 500 an run short of water
Somebody'll git hurt if the amt any
bitters on the old concern. They will,
or my name amt Perkins"
"Don't count on your chickens fore
they're hatched, Perky" said one of the
party, as he adjusted the domino under
the rim of his hat. "S'posin' ther' shud
be too many for us?'
"Stiddy, stiddy, Cranksw remonstra.
ted the Colonel. "Nobody ever gifts
along eff they low 'emselves to be skeered.' u
Fact" chimed in the smallest and
thinnest man of the party. "The Bible
says somethin' mighty hot bout that. ]
disremember dzackly how it goes, but Pve
heerd Parson Buzzy, down in Maine,
preach rippin good sermon many a
time. The old man never thOrt what a
comfort them sermons was a gOin' to be
to road agent, though. That time we
| cfa o,a he 1,tt
have no more manners than to draw on
me, them sermons wuz a perfect blessin'
to me-the thought of them cleared my
head as quick as cocktail. An"
I" don't want to dispute Logroller's
pious strain" interrupted the Colonel /;
but ez it's Old Black that's drivin' to-
day instid of Slim Mike, an ez Old Black
oilers makes his time, hedn't we better
vamose 2"
The door of the shanty was hastily
closed, and the men filed thr ough the
thicket until near the road, hen 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.
eur enough from home now," said
he. "'Tain't no use bein' a gentleman
eff you have to work too hard"
Safe enough, l reckon" replied the
Colonel. "We'll do the usual; I'll halt
'em, Logroller tend to the driver, Cranks
takes the boot, an Mac an Perk takes
right an left. AMI know it's tough
but considerin' how everlastin', eternally
hard up we are, | reckon we'll hev to ask
contributions from the ladies' too, eff ther
is any abOard--eh, boysY
Reckon So" replied Logroller, with
a chuckle that seemed to inspire even his
black domino with a merry wrinkle or
two. What's the use Ov wOmen's rights
eff they don't ever hev chance ov exer-
cisin' 'em? Hevin' ther purses borrowed
'on the hull, puts the doctrine in bran
new light"
"They're treacherous critters, women
is" remarked Cranks; "some of 'em
might put knife into feller while he
wuz 'pOlOgizin'."
"Ef you're afeard Ov 'em," said Perk-
ins, "you ken 60 back an clear up the
shanty."
Reminds me Ov what the Bible sez,"
said LOgroller; ther's lion on the trail
I'll be chawed up, sez the lazy galoot, or
words to that effect"
SOine, COHlc, DOys, iHSfpOStu tne
Colonel, "dOn't mix religion an business.
They don't mix no more than---hello,
thar's the crack Ov Old Blacks whip.
Pick yer bushes--quick! All jump when
| whistler
Each man secreted himself near the
roadside. The stage came swinging along
handsomely; the inside passengers were
laughing heartily about something, and
Old Black was just giving delicate touch
to the flank of the off leader, when the
Colonel gave a shrill, quick whistle, and
five men sprang into the road.
The horses stopped as suddenly as if it
were a matter of common occurrence.
Old Black dropped the rcins, crossed his
legs and stared into the sky, and the pas
sengers all put out their heads with
rapidity equaled only by that with which
they withdrew them as they saw the dom
inoes and revOlvers of the road agents.
"Seems to be something the matter,
gentlemen" said the Colonel blandly, as
he opened the door. "Won't you please
get out COS my friend here has got his
weapon cooked, and his fingers is rather
nervous. Amt got handkerchief hev
yer?' asked he of the first person who
descended from the stage. "Hev? Well
now, that's lucky. Just put your hands
behind you please--so--that's it," And
the unfortunate 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
is only one woman, an she's old enough
to be a feller's grandmother. Better let
her alone, eh?
"Like enough she'll pan out more'n all
the rest of the stage put together" said
Cranks, carefully testing the thickness of
the case of a gold watch. "Jest like the
low-lived deceitfulness of some folks, to
hire an old woman to carry their money,
so it'd go safer. Mabbe what she's got
amt nothin' to some folks thets got HOSES
thet kin win 'em money at races, but"
The Colonel abruptly ended the con-
versation, and approached the stage. He
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.
"I beg your 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 taking up a
collection fur some deserving object. We
wuz agoin' to make the gentlemen fork
over the whole amount, but ez they
hain't got enough, we will hev to bother
you"
The old lady trembled, felt for her
pocket-book, and raised her veil. The
Colonel looked into her face, slammed the
stage door, and sitting down on the hub
of the wheel, stared vacantly into space.
"Nothin' ?" queried Perkins in whis-
per and with face full of genuine SYM
natby