The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-07-31
to be feller's grandmother. Better let
her alnna ah2n -

TIC reference to Ilpsie needed avenginp.
and as he could not consistently with
business arrangements put an end to
Cranks, the old lady would have to suffer.
II beg your pardin, ma'am," said the
colonel, raising his hat politely with one
hand while he opened the coach door
with the other, 'but we're taking IN 4
collection fur some deserving object. We
wuz agoin' to make tho gentlemen fork
over the hull amount, but ez they hain't
got enough, we Will hev to bother YOU"
The old lady trembled, felt for her
pocket-book raised her veil. The col
onel looked into her face slammed the
stage door, and sitting on the hub Of one
of the wheels, stared vacantly into space.
"Nothin?" queried Perkins in whis
per, and with face full of genuine SYM
pathy.
"No-yes, said the colonel, dreamily.
,lnat is, unite 'em and let the stage 60
ahead" he continued, springing to his
feet. "1'll hurry back to the cabin
And the colonel dashed into the bushes
and left his followers so paralyzed with
establishment that Old Black afterwards
remarked that "'ef ther'd been ANYBODY
to the bosses he could hev cleaned the
hull crowd with his whip
The passengers, now relieved of their
weapons, were unbound, allowed to enter
the stage, and the door was slammed:
upon which Old Black picked upon his
reins as coolly as if he had lain them
down al a station while the horses were
being changed; then he cracked his whip
and the stage rolled of, while the colonel:s
party fastened back to their hut, fondly
inspecting as they went certain TASKS thew
had obtained while transacting their
business with the occupants of the stage.
Great was the surprise Of the road
agents as they entered their hut, for there
stood the colonel in clean white shirt.
and in a suit of clothing made from the
limited spare wardrobes OF the other
members of the gang.
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordinated his wonder 70 his prudence
as, laying on the table watch, two
pistols, a pocket-book and a heavy purse.
he exclaimed:- 80
'Come, Colonel, business before pleas
ure; let's divide an scatter. Eff ANYBODY
should hear about it an find our trial, an
ketch the traps IN our possession, they
might---.-"
divide yourselves:!" said the col ,nel.
with abruptness and great oath. 81
don't want none of it,
Colonel" said Perkins, renewing his
own domino, and looking axiously into
the leaders face, "be you sick? Here's
some bully brand y which I found in one
OF the passengers pockets.''
IL haint nothin'," replied the colonel
with averted eyes. "I'm goin', ana I'm
retirin' from this business forever"
"Aln't a.agoin' to turn evidence?"
cried Cranks, grasping the pistol on the
table.
"I'm a-goin' to make a lead mine Of
you if you don't take that back p roared
the colonel, with bound Which caused
Cranks to drop the pistol and retire pre-
cip9itately, apologizing as he went. .:I'm
go1n' 10 tend to my own business. an
that's enough to keep any man bizzy.
Somebody Lend me fifty dollars till 1 see
them again."
Perkins pressed the money into the
colonel's land, and within two minutes
the colonel was on Tpsie's back land gall
loped on in the direction the stage had
taken.
He overlook it, he passed it, and still
he galloped on.
The people at Mud Gulch knew the
colonel we'll, and made rule never to
be astonished at anything he did; but |
they made an exception to the rule when
the colonel canvassed the principal bar
rooms for men who wished to purchase q
morse; and when gambler who was
flush obtained Tipsis for twenty slugs-
only thousand dollars. when the col
onel had always said that there wasn't
golo enough on top OF ground to buy
her-Mud Gulch experienced a decided
One or two enterprising persons speed
lily discovered that the colonel was not in
= communicative mood; 10 every one re-
tired to his favorite saloon to bet accord
ing to his own opinion of the colonel,s
motives and actions.
But when the colonel, after remaining
IN the barber shop for half an hour.
with his face clean shaved and
hair neatly trimmed and parted, betting
was so wild that cooi-hcaded sporting
ASH oP0CAAAy AAduc u 1OTCuQ6 DY betting |
against every theory that was advanced.
Then the colonel made tour Of the
stores, and fitted himself with a new suit
IT clothes, carefully eschewing all of the
generous patterns and pronounced colors
70 dear to the average miner. He bought
new hat and put on new pair Of boots
md pruned his finger nails, and stranger
han all, he mildly declined all Invita-
ons to drink.
AS the colonel stood in the door of the
saloon, where the stage ALWAYS
topped, the Challenge Hill constable
vas seen to approach the colonel, ana
ap him on the shoulder, upon which all
nen, who bet that the colonel was dodg-
ng somebody, claimed the stakes. But
hose who stood near the colonel heard
he constable say:
Colonel, take it all back. When / :
cen you get out of Challenge Hill it :
ONE to me that you might be in The j
oad-agent business, so l followed YOU II
uty you know. But when seed YOU
I'll Tipsie knew I was OIL the wrong
all. wouldn't suspect you now if ali /
1e stages in the state wuz robbed; and t
II give you satisfaction any way you t
ant it's
4 It's all right said the colonel. with I
smile. The constable afterwards cold | /;