Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-05-15
The Four Guardians Of
Lagrange.
By BRET HARTE.
Part 1.-The Trust.


ed the four most experienced ant
self.cOntained citizens Of Lagrange
For nearly half an hour they had
been sitting in the private room o
Rikers grocery without exchanging
word. Even the silent commun
ion of libation was wanting; thcil
liquor stood untasted before them
"A fact that aroused the serious
concern of the barkeeper and the
free comment of the outside bar
"Mebbee its some new skim game
imported from Frisco, and they want
to keep their heads level" was
suggested by cautious gossipper
The barkeeper shook his head.
"Nary deck o keerds thar-onless
they plays 'em under the table, and
tibet amt their STYLE"
aye didn't notiss no Jumps O. su.
gar, sorter lynn round, keerless like,
before each man." insinuated anoth
er, "and them chaps lynn low and
qniet, waitin' for some ID fly to
light, and rake down the pile. I've
herd" speaker continued, cautious.
ly, shat heaps O. good money hcz
been lost in tibet On.christian like
way"
eyes, interpoiated a third, "and
trained flies, ez knew jest when to
to light, hez been rung in OH green
horns. Thar was a man down at
French Camp ez, they say, picked
up about - 900 outer tibet camp
with a innocent lookin' boss fly, and
ct wuzent ontil one o the boys acct.
IDENTIFY sot his glass down on tibet
harmless inseck tibet the boys smelt q
mice.n
"Tain't no game, l tell yc,' reitcr.
atcd the barkeeper stoutly, "thar's
suthin' more'n flies and sugar on
their minds. My belief is they're
reck'nin' to revive the old vigilantes
of '52. Thar's a lot O. dead beats in
this yer camp he continued darby,
with an aggressive recollection Ger.
tain unsettled scores, "ez mebbee
will find out soon enough wot's
up"
Unfortunately, none of these sur.
misses, however ingenious or reason.
able, were correct. The simple Exct
was that a lately deceased miner
had on his deathbed called to his
side the aforementioned four citi.
zens of Lagrange, and solemnly
confided to them the care of his on.
ly child in the "States,' with the
little property he possessed in trust
for her maintenance. This trust
was further burdcncd with the fact
that the dying man had withheld
from the child the news of the death
Of her mother, year previous, and
it now devolved upon the guardians
to inform the orphan of her double
bereavement. This was the first
meeting of the guardians since they
had last looked upon the face of their
dead comrade. Hence their grave
silence and perplexity.
At last the spell was broken.
One of the party, a tall, thin, rickety
man, who had been softly pacing
the room with certain deprecatory
manner and a smile Of imbecilc &C.
quiescence in everything and any.
thing that shone out at the slightest
expression, even of vexation or anx.
iety on the part Of his companions,
gradually neared the door, and laid
a large, bony, good.humored hand
on the lock. The act was instantly
detected by one of the party, who
coolly locked the door and put the
key on the table. aye can't slip
outer this, Rats he said; aye must
sit down here with the rest of us,
J and see what's to be DONE"
Capt. Rats weakly succumbed,
land began to apologize. 81 warn't
'goin' back on We, Horton he began,
ri only reckOned ez We all seemed
TO be Citing along famous, a.think-
ling, I'd jest slip out and tend to
rsome business, and allow ye to make
up yer mind without me -countin'
nme ont, and yourselves as my prox-
'es. Fer wot's agreeable to you is
agreeable to me. Pm no sharp at
this game"
n "You're a guardian" responded
nHorton, decisively.
"In course. Thet's so. But al.
i low it amt no valid appointment
The very fact tibet the OF man ap.
rpinted id fool like me, shows
ae warn't in his right mind"
= "That's so, boys" calculated the
,ldest of the four, with a sudden
ylealn of hopefulness. "The old
,,hpan was sOrter Eighty just afore hi
anTent of, and we can slip our heads