The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-12-05
lHisfeMang.
THE LANDLORDS STORY.
BY MARY GRACE HALPINE.

| BY MARY GRACE HALPINE-
Il tell you what it Is, boys" sand the
landlord of the Apottomax house. hang
in is a rayther unpleasant operation, I've
tried it, and think ought to know"
The boys" all strong. stalwart men.
had gathered in a circle upon the broad.
cool piazza, which opened out upon the
river.
"You don't mean 10 say that you've ev-
er been hung, capn?, responded one of
the group, removing his pipe from his
mouth and giving the speaker broad
stare
"Wal, come as nigh it once as ever
| want to. shan't never forget that night
no. not If live thousand years,
Tell Us about IT, cap n. cried all the
rest in a chorus.
wal" responded the Landlord, tipping
his chair back against the wall, lit hap
pened twenty years ago, mayhap more.
| | was comm down this very river. | must
| have come by this very spot, but II don I
| look much now as II did then.
my business leadin' me into the inter-
or. left the boat about twenty miles be-
low, intendin' TO go the rest of the way
on horseback.
The place was called Carney's Land
n: it's got bigger name now. and has
grown out of all recollection. Ii had one
| tavern. The first thing in order was a
good meal: the next. 10 buy the horse with
which TO complete the journey.
ION inguirin of the landlord. he told
me that man was stoppin' there with
two horses. oLe of which was for sale.
| He p inted the man out TO me, who was
leanin' against the posts of the porch,
lookin' as if he hadn't a friend in the
| world. heard afterwards that his name
| was Baners. and that he owned a place
back in the country. He had come there
TO do some tradin', but havin' fell in with
gamblers. had been cleaned out OF every
| cent. This is what made him look so
| blue.
He frightened up bit when told
him my errand, calling out TO the negro
| boy. who was sittin under the tree TO
| which the horses were hitched, and who
brought them up TO the door.
II took fancy TO one Of them AT the
first glance dark bay mare. with light
name and tail, and a queerly shaped
| white mark on one Of the TANKS. But
could see, in a minute, that he'd rather
Id take the other one. that was older an
not nigh so good Howsomeyer, when he
| see il was that or none, an that ] was
willin' TO pay a good price, he give in.
''He was a big. pussy man. having ON a
coat that he had outgrown, so that II
| didn meet in front by two or three inch
es. The nights and mornin's was gettin
| ooOlish, an after some dickerin' we made
a sway; he takin' my thin coat an FIVE
dollars TO boot, an takin' his. which wa
warmer, an fitted me sight better than
it did him.
PLEASED with my bargain. especially
| the horse part of IL, commenced nv Jour
ney. II was nigh the close of the second
day. | had gone fifty miles, p'r'aps
! more. an was beginnin 10 wish | could
see some place where could get a good
nights rest and supper. Hadn't seen a
house or human bein' fur ten miles or
more. an began 10 think ] never would
| again, when saw man just ahead oi
me. As soon as be spied me he sung
out:
Hello, colonel
As soon as he got cluss 10 me he stop
ped. lookin' at me an then at my hor-e
with an air of surprise. didn't pay no
attention TO II then, but ] minded j, after
wards.
"'Why, 'taint the colonel,' says he.
mo, says |, i haunt no such handle
10 my name. Can You tell me where
can find house or tavern. where ! can
put up for the night
There's a tavern bout mile ahead
of you. Where mou, you got your horse,
| strangerr
Bought her, said. pushin' on. IN
tent upon fndin' shelter.
sf q J.. 4
logs. low bot roomy and surrounded by
about a dozen other houses. Just a. rudsly
constructed. not standin IN rows. but
helterskelter. lookin for all the world as
If they ! dropped from the skies
AS rode up. saw a group of men
standin out on the porch. They stared
EN- lay:
II thought twas the colonel
- II looks Ike his horse, though. said
another.
''''Ti. his horse. aid the fr,. speaker.
walkin around If and surveying m. with
no very friendly air There ain :, bu, one
horse with sech mark on If a. that.
Fanny.
Here the mare yricked up her ear.
,unin her bright, intelligent eyes upon
hun
a. 4 thought So said the man. steppin
back upon the porch. an g1vin me an
other dark look.
s,,.as;,. ,ts 49,. .ho,,id J.. -, =,
ny.bins, sb,,,Id bs.r..n 4, him.
= rs his coat. too, # m any Judge.
n.s,Iv do,,IJsI
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- 81 ,,,-,d.,,,.. ~, - ,-.b,,,' s,;i,,,sI
nav b6r.s 20 tbe ru1gh shed vh,eh va.