The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-07-31
Retiring From Buiness.

What the cOlOnel's business was no.
body knew, nor did anybody care partic
ularly. He purchased for cash only. an6
never grumbled at the price of anythino
he wanted; who could ask more thar
that?
Curious people occasionly wondered
how, when it had been fully two wears
since the colonel, with everyone else
abandoned Dutch Creek to the Chinese
he managed to spend money freely and
to lose considerable at cards and horse
races. In fact, the keeper of that one of
the two Challenge Hill saloons which the
colonel did not patronize, was once heard
to absent-mindedly wonde. whether the
colonel hadn't money mill somewhere.
where he turned out double eagles, and
"slugs' (the coast name for fifty-dollar
gold pieces)
When 50 important a parsonage as a
ar-keeper INDUCES publicly in an idea,
the inhabitances Of Challenge Hill, like
good Californians everywhere, considered
themselves in duty bound to give it grave
consideration, so for few DAYS certain
industrious professional gentlemen. who
won money of the colonel, carefully weigh
ed some of the brightest pieces and tested
them with acids, and tasted them, and
sawed them in two, and retired them. and
melted them up and had the lumps .as-
sayed.
The result was complete vindication
OF the colonel, and loss of considerable
custom to the indiscreet bar-keeper.
The colonel was as good natured a man
as had ever been known at CHALLENGE Hill
but being mortal, the colonel had his &C.
caslonal times of dependency, and one
OF item occurred after series OF races
in which he had stakea his all on his own
bay mare Hpsie, and had lost.
Looking reproachfully at his beloved
animal he failed to feel the aching void
OF his pockets, and drinking deeply,
swearing eloquently and glaring defiant
~ at all man kind, we're equally unpro.
ductivesof coin.
The boys at the saloon sympathized
most fee-ngly with the colonel; thev were
unceasing in their invitations to drink.
and they even exhibited considerable
Christian forbearance, when the colonel
savagely dissented with every one who adj
vanced any proposition, go matter how
incontrover5ible.
But unappreciated sympathy grows de-
cldedly tiresome Of the giver, and it was
with feeling of relief that the bows saw
the colonel stride out of the saloon.
mount Tipsie, sind gallop furiously away.
fld1ng on horseback has always been
considered an excellent sort Of exercise.
and fast riding is universally admitted to
be- one OF the most healthful and delight
tul means OF exhilaration in the world.
But when man is so absorbed i'm HIS
exercise that ne will not stop to speak to
a friend and when his exhilarat;on is ~
complete that he turns his ewes from
we'll meaning thumbs pointing sienif-
cantly Into doorways through which a
man has often passed while seeking brac.
ing influences,it is but natural that peonlc
should express some wonder.
The colonel was we'll known at Toddv
Flat, Come Hand, Blazers, Murd orers
Bar: and several other villages through
which he passed. As no one had been
seen to precede him, betting men were
soon Offering odds that the colonel was
away fresn somebody.
j., Strictly speaking, they were wrong, b ut
they won all the 1;oney that had been
staked against them, for within half an
hours time there passed over tho same !