The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-04-05
Miscellaneous.
THE
SAR PI N T
BY DELTA CALAVERAS.
CHATTER I.
THE sTAGE-DRtvRRs STORY

Now you've got me!'
Nutmeg Sol took an extra turn of the rens
around his wrist as he made this assertion, and
with q cut Of the whip admonished his "ofF'
leader that any "cutting up shines on his part
at that peculiar moment, was irrelevant to the
subject under consideration, and would be
promptly checked.
The fair young girl at his side raised pair of
large blue eyes in surprise.
How? You do not know who this man is
this Diamond Dick?''
''No more don't, miss an | reckon no
one else does, answered Sol, doggedly.
"Well, but what sort of man is he? De-
scribe him to me ?"
'Wal, if you'll excuse my rough tork an
ways, I'll do my level best, miss. 'Tan't often
hey such pooty lis'ner to spout to, ye
know
Alice Reardon blushed at the broad compl-
ment, and busted herself arranging the various
robes and shaws about her in such manner
as to secure the most comfortable position.
"The fnst time | ever seed this Dining
Dick" commenced Nutmeg Sol, ''war bout
two pilgrims that day. Parson Moses and Big
Joe Healy, an war just agon' to start when
some one yels out to hold on. Then q feler
jumped on the stage an squatted down by me
as peart as you please, an without as much
a-sayin' by yer leave.
Style Wal, | should remark Store-close,
billed shirt, an boots that war shining so bright
,l.. e..
But didn't notice them details then what
took me war the orneyments he had on i'm.
don't 'spect you'll believe me, nissan I
don't blame ye-I wouldn't a believed it my.
selff l hadn't seed it, but every blessed but
ton on his coat he'd dining sot in it, likewise
his ve-est, an his hans was blazin' with
'em.
''Mornin.' Nutmeg Sol says he, reckon
I'll take ride with ye, # ye hev no objeck-
shuns'
"'Sartinly. Mornin, stranger, mornin F"
said l. an with thet hit Danny leader thar
"a lick that made him jimp clear of7n the
groun war so mazed like. An it would a
done yer eyes good to see them other pilgrims
cape at the stranger.
"The stranger didn't pear to notice nothn'
tho,' but kept on a torkin' in his easy, soft
vice, so like female woman that l took a
liking to him at oncet, an torked back all |
know'd how you bet.
"Wal things kept on in this way ontil we
most nigh got by thst hill thar ye can see
blazes
Thar was bend in the road here which we
he'd jest turned, an thar at the other end, bout
thirty feet away, stood q man on hossback, with
a six-shootsr in each hand, an which war pint
ed dead center at US on the stage.
Halt thar yelled this 6gger, halt, or I'll
make fust.class funeral round these dig
gin's
Il amt no coward, miss, 4 / do say it, but
you kin bet yer bottom dollar it didn't take me
moren million seconds to pull up.
up with yer fsh-hooks, pilgrims says the
fgser agin. Pm Moonshine Mike; you hear
meT
couldn't a-drawed f i he'd wanted to, an
didn't keer much, an Joe n tie parson elevated
their fists mighty quick, but the stranger
scratched match on the seat Lit his segar, an
puffed away as coolly an onconcerned like as
tho thar warn't no bloody. handed robber with
in miles L looked fur Moonshine Mike to
plug him instunter; but he didn't; stead he
says kind o icy like:
Stranger, my arms gittin' tired, / heven't
time to count more'n five; up with yer hans
'Eh, well 'fyou're in hurry won't detain
you says the stranger, an with thet, quicker n
a flash, he jumped oH"r'n the stage.
Il don't know how he hid it, I'm only teiiia'
you ] hedn't seed no weepons bout him, but
when the strangers feet teched the groun' he
had pistol in each hand, like Moonshine; am
thar they stood, the stranger and Mike, lookin
like two owdacious bull pups awaitin' the word
to pitch in an chaw thunder out Of each
other.
'Wal, Mr. Mike Moonshine,' says he who's
got the drop now My names Dining Dick
ever heer' tell 'me?
Dining Dick, hey p says Moonshine. wal,
now, sonny, drop them shootin'-irons; 1 don't
want to hurt you T l kin help it,
But the stranger laughed right out, as tho
he war unused.
why, Looner Mike, ye amt bit perlite,
says he. 4 did think ye war goin' to raise sum
fun, but / reckon you're nothin' but sardine
arter ALL
'Thet war loo much fur Mike, you bet; he
gritted out a cuss an let drive twice. l spect
to see the stranger drap, but he didn't, he only
went back like step an then he let drive
at Mike. saw the shot, saw the fire cum outr
the pistol, an then heard yell like an
Apaches death squawk. Then l saw Moon
shine fall from his hoss, thet galloped away
like mad. The black thing thet he'd kivered
the face of the road-agent he'd fallen off, an
thar plumb centre in his forehead, was roun'
red hole.
81 couldn't make it out ct first. But when
Big Joe jumped out O. the stage an give hip,
hip roar, it kind O. woke me up; re'lized
then ihet Moonshine Mike, the terror of til,
kentry, war dead.
Wal, not to bother you too much with par
tielars, I'll cut it short. We took the bod,
into Greaser Gulch, an | teel you it made
noise. Dining Dick war the pet Of the tow
ins.unter, an when he took the reward as th
company he'd put up fur the KILN Of the road
agent, an give the boys lay out, that settle
il.
Since then Dick hes located in the gulcl
He Gums an goes as he likes I; people don't AZ
him whar:: he goes--it wouldn't be healthy, an
val, that's all, guess"
Alice has listened with keen attention 10 Il
story told by the driver in his quaint, roul
style. Gifted with vivid imagination, 81
had pictured the scene to herself as il had ha
pened, and while she shuddered at the fatal te
minatisn Of the thrilling tabeau, she admir-,
the brave daring Of the man who was know
only by the fancifu name of Diamond Dick.
DO you know, miss said SOL breaking
on her thoughts, they say Moonshine Mi
can't rest easy an ha nls the gorpe in viii