The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-05-25

thinnest man of the party The Bible
says somethin mighty hot bout that
disremember ezackly how it goes but I've
heerd Parson Buzzy, down in Maine,
preach rirpin old sermon from that text
many time The old mau never thort
what a comfort them sermons wuz a-goin
to be to a road-agent. though. That time
we stopped Slim Mikes stage. an he didn't
hev no more manners than to draw on me.
them sermons wuz perfect blessin to me
the thought of 'em cleared my head es
quick es cocktail AM"
Il cont want to disturb Logroller's
pous yarn, interrupted the colonel "out
ez it's Old Black that's a-driyin' to-day in
stid of Slim Mike, an ez Old Black oilers
makes his time, hedn't we better vamose?N
The door of the shante was hastily
closed aud the men filed through the
thicket near the road, when they march
ed rapidly on parelel lines with it. At
ter about half IN hour Perkins, who was
| leading halted, and wiped his perspiging
| brow with his shirt sleeve,
Fur enough from home now" said he.
faint no use bein a gentleman ct Yer
! hey to work too hard"
Safe enough, / reckon" replied the
colonel We'll do the usual; III halt
'em, Logroller 'tend to the driver, Cranks
takes the boot, an Mac an Perk takes
right an left AM know its tough
but ronsid'rin' how cyerlastin, eternally
! hard up we are, | rekon We'll hev to ask
| contributions from the ladies. too, ef thers
any aboard-eh, boys"
Reckon So replied Logroller with q
chuckle that seemed to inspire his blank
! domino with u merry wrinkle or two.
whats the use ov women's rights eff they
don't ever hev a chance ov exercisin' 'em?
| Hevin ther purses borrowed 'ud show
EN- the hull doctrine in a bran-new light"
They're treacherous critters, women
| is" remarked Cranks; "some Of 'em
might put a knife into a teller while he
wuz 'pologlzin
EFF YOU re afeard ov EN- said Perkins
.'you ken 80 back an clean up the shan
"Remnds me oy what the Bible sez, "
said Logroier; TIERS lion on the trail
III be chawed up, SEE the lazy galoot,' on
words to that effect"
Come come, boys" nterposed the
colonel, don't mix religion an bizness
| They don't mix no more than Hello,
| thar's the crack of Old Blacks 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 were
laughing heartily about something, and
| Old Black was Just giving delicate touch
to the flank OF the OFT leader, when the
colonel gave a shrill, quick whistle, and
the five men sprang into the road
if
were a matter Of common occurrence, Old
Black dropped the reins, crossed his legs,
and stared into the sky, and the passen
gers all put out their heads with rapldlty
| equaled only by that with which they with
| drew them as they saw the dominoes and
revolvers Of the rOadagentS
"Seems to be something the matter
gentlemen" said the colonel blandly. as
he opened the door. won't you please
git out Don't trouble yourselves to draw
'cos my friend here's got his weepon cock
ed an his fingers is rather nervous Amt
got a han'kercher, hev yer?' asked the
colonel OF the first passenger who descend
ed from the stage. ''Hev Well, now
that's lucky, just put yer hands behind
yer please-so-that's it, And the un
fortunate man was securely bound in an
instant
The remaining passengers were treated
with similar courtesy, aud the colonel
and his friends examined the pockets of
the captiyes Old Black remained unmo-
Tested, Tor whoever heard ct 4 stage-drlv
er having money
BOYS" saws the colonel, calling his
brother agents aside, and comparing re-
ceipts, "taint' much of a haul; but theirs
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 ov the stage put together, growl-
eb Cranks, carefully testing the thickness
Of case of gold watch ''Jest like the
low-lved deceittulness ov some folks, to
kerry their money so it'd 90 safe. Mebbe
what she's got haint nothin' to some folks
thet's got hosses thet ken win en- money
ct races, but -"
The colonel abruptly ended the CONVEX
sation. and approached the stage. The
colonel was very chiyalrous, but Cranks
sarcastic reference to Iipsie needed
avenging, and as he could not consistently
with business arrangements put an end to
Cranks, the old lady would have to SUIT
| er.
Il 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 q collec-
ton fur some deservin' object. We wuz
| a-goin to make the gentlemen fork over
| the hull amount, but ez they haint got
enough, Well hev to bother YOU
| The old lady trembled, felt for her poch-
etbook, and raised her veil. The colonel
looked into her face, slammed the stage
door, and, sitting down on the hub of one
Of the wheels, stared vacautly into space.
"Nothin'?' queried Perkins in whis-
| per, and with face full OF genuine sym
pathy
"No-yes," said the colonel dreamily
That is unite EN-, an let the stage 90
| ahead" he continued, springing to his
feet. 'Ill hurry back to the cabin" And
the colonel dashed into the bushes. and
! left his followers SO paralyzed with aston
| ishment that Old Black afterward remark
ed that ''ef ther'd ben anybody to hold
the hosses he could hev cleaned out the
hull crowd with his whip
The passengers, now relieved of their
weapons, were unbound and allowed to
re-enter the stage, and the door was slam
med upon which Old Black picked up his
reins as coolly as if he had lain them down
at the station while horses were being
changed; then he cracked his whip, and
the stage rolled Oft, while the colonel's
party FASTENED back to their hut, fondly
inspecting as they went certain TASKS
they had obtained while transactng their
business with the occupants of the stage
Great was the surprise of the road-ag-
ents as they entered their hut for there
stood the colonel in clean white shirt,
and in suit of clothing made up from
the limited spare wardrobes Of the other
members of the gang
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordinated his wonder to his prudence,
as,laying on the table watch, two pistols,
a pocket book and heavy purse, he ex-
claimed:
"Come, colonel, bizness before pleas