The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-02-11

formed one OF the Scant score OF 1alth-
full souls who on Wednesday evenings
used to hold a prayer-meeting in a o r
ner of Kingsboro Church.
There was not at Kingsboro any club,
that institution so industriously hated
by all good women, but there was a
gathering-place which fulfilled all the
requirements of a club, and that was
.he p%ost-ofice. The mail stage was
rominally due at seven in the even
ing, so half the male inhabitants con-
gregated in Bill Burth's saddle-shop,
which formed the ante-room of the
p~ost-ofice, Immediately after sup
per, and they usually enjoyed a two
nour season of conversation before the
arrival and Distribute n of the mail gave
them a hint to go home. Subjects for
conversation were n G very numerous
at Kingsboro, and as the few native
characters with any salient points had
been very thorough ly discussed during
the many sessions of the men who wait
ed for the mail, the arrival of 10 Malli-
son was a perfect godsend. 1t is hard
ly necessary to say that 10 found but
few companions among the Kingsboro
men. The young men hated him for
estranging their ~sweethearts, and each
of the older men was afraid that 10
might marry his daughter and come
under the parental roof for support.
Theories about 10 were plenty among
the men who talked about him, but
none Of them were flattering to the
young mans character: ~counterfeiter,
burglars accomplish, confidence man,
horse thief, fugitive from justice there
was some n to prove that 10 deserved
each of these unpopular appellations,
while the only theory in the least de-
gree tolerable was that of a scatter
Drained youth who consumed quarts of
hair-oil and read the New York Ro-
mancer-he believed 10 was an exiled
prince in disguise; but even princes
were unpopular among the hard-work-
ing population of Kingsbo.o.
One cool night, several weeks after
JOS appearance at Kingsboro, the OPP
posing theorists as to JOS character in
dulged in a many-cornered and very
lively duel. 1t was during a season
when sudden atmospheric changes
made most of the Kingsboro people
bilious; otherwise the bitterness with
which the conversation finally came to
be characterized would have been mex
plicable. Squire Ripson so far forgot
his years and dignity of character rs t.
call Bill Burth, his temporary host, a
fool for holding that 10 could be moth
ing worse than q well-to-do young man
enjoying himself, while the aggrieved
Bill, Notwithstanding the kindliness of
spirit which was proper to a man who
was a Methodist class leader, called the
Squire a liar. Both men we're upon
their feet, inclining slightly forward to-
wards each other, and looking words
which should never be spoken, when
suddenly the mail stage drew up with a
crash at the door. The postmaster
threw a last parting glare at the Squire,
and hurried out for his mail bags, while
the whole party followed to see who
might be in the stage. The light
streamed through the open door into
the stage, and the villagers saw inside
a single passenger, whom they recog-
nized as a Cincinnati salesman, through
whom some of the Kingsboro merchants
occasionally purchased goods. They
were about to turn away in mingled
disappointment and resignation when
suddenly 10 Madison, who had just ar
rived at the Office, sprang into the stage
and threw himself upon the passenger,
while the stage turned quickly, the
driver whipped up ~furiously and started
for the hotel.
The stares which passed around the
party of spectators were simply ap-
palling in their darkness. At last
Squire Ripson recovered breath enough
to gasp,
"Detective!"
"No such thing!" shouted Bill Burth
through the delivery window. "It's
probably the poor little fellows brother,
and he's been waiting for him weeks
longer than he expected to-"
A derisive smile played over the hills
and valleys of the Squirrels face, and he
was about to say something savage,
when the reader of the New York Ro-
mancer abandoned his theory of the
disguised prince and suggested that 10