The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-08-14
our sT06y TELLER.
CHEERFUL HARRY.
And How "e I"sss.sa Upon . Very Had

MAN.
~. ". Clough, In tho Argonaut.1
Whenever Eel River Dan went on
"tear" CONSERVATION reigned in Pilot
City. As soon as his strident whoop
began TO resound through the redwoods
surrounding the village the citizens
hushed their murmurings at lesser evils
and silently skulked to their cabins,
there to listen, with bated breath for the
first sounds Of warfare sure to follow
Dams arrival in the town. Oftentimes
the guileless stranger, unacquainted
with the truculent ruffian's record"
was the victim; but as a general rule it
was some obstinate lumberman, who
sacrificed himself for more timid men.
II was a singular fact, that no matter
how peaceably inclined Pilot City might
be, at the moment Eel River Dan came
down from his mountain home, "on a
time" somebody had to suffer. He was
"bad" in the most literal sense of the
word, and there were but few who dared
to approach him after he had "declared"
himself and turned himself loose"
But on this particular occasion-this
bleak, windy day in February, when the
principal inhabitants of Pilot City had
gathered around the glowing stove that
warmed the somewhat contracted limits
OF the Raftsman's Home-the gayly
chattering congregation had received no
intimation of the approach Of the noun
tain desperado. Not a single whoop
had he uttered as he strobe through the
signing pines, not yell announcing his
coming had been heard by the graceful
residents of Pilot City, and when the
gigantic frame of the "terror" darkened
the door of the Home, a thunderbolt
would not have produced as much
genuine surprise, not to call it astonished
apprehension, in the breasts of those
present as did the appearance of Eel
River Dan. For an instant the assem-
blage sat petrifed. Then there was \
fluttering movement, and Big Mike, the
boom hand, made break for the rear
door The others only waited to satisfy
themselves that Dan was "on it." This
important doubt having been dissipated,
and the conclusion. arrived at that the
mountaineer was in an unusually dis
agreeable frame of mind, the remainder
of the company withdrew-rather pre-
cipitately it must be confessed, but with
sufficient order and regularity to escape
injury in the crush at the side door.
passed over the threshold Dan smiled
il was not very seraphic smile, to be
sure, but not withstanding its sardonic
character there could be no mistaking il
for a frown or scowl of displeasure.
With the grimace still irradiating his
bloated features the desperate passed
behind the bar, and with a freedom
peculiar to his loose habits, grasped the
demijohn containing an unusually ar.
dent article of lumberman's solace
Throwing the jug deftly into the hollow
of his right arm, he poured the yellow
distillment into glass which he HEX
in his left hand, allowing the iquit
to mark four fingers before he threw
the muzzle up and returned the demi
john to its shelf beneath the bar. HI
contemplated the contents of the glas
for moment, held it up to the light
smacked his lips in anticipation of tn
Joy IL was about to confer upon him
and then placed the edge of the tumble
gingerly to his mouth as if he woul,
prolong the delight of feeling it trickl
down his cooper-plated throat into hi
sheet-iron stomach. Inch by inch hi
ruby nose went upward, drop by drol
the whisky flowed downward. The Las
globule had just passed between hi
teeth, when his fiery red eyes, glancin,
through the bottom of the glass, fei
upon an object, the sight of whicl
seemed to paralyze him. He could no
believe his senses He imagined tha
some defect in the glass through whicl
he was taking his observations mus
have produced the vision that greete,
his gaze. 1t could not possibly be tn
form of a man standing there besid
the stovel What an ideal Wha
mortal individual would have tn
hardihood TO remain when he, Eel Rive
Dan, the terror of the entire lumber n
gion from Mendocino to Trinity, sa,
it to enter a place of resort! Ali NJ
il certainly could not be a real, livin,
flesh and blood, human being; it wa
probably n straw dummy set up b
those d-d hulks that had Just left, an
the insult thus offered would afford a
excuse for general cleaning out of tn
whole d-d town. So he placed th
glass on the bar, and, leaning upon h
elbows, leveled his gaze still more il
tently upon that dummy" Grei
Caesars ghostl it moved. Was it IL
wind swaying bundle of clothes stuffe
with straw? Or was it-by the gre,
boom that swings over the river Jordan
1t rubs its hands. 1t is man! New,
before, during a career checkered by a
most daily surprises, had Eel River Da
ever expected such a sudden shock
astonishment. For ten seconds by Il
bar-room clock he was powerless, speec
less, well nigh lifeless Then he rails
his hands to his face, and leaned h
cheeks upon them while he studied Il
apparition beside the stove.
1t was little man, hollow-cheste
cavern-cheeked, mild-eyed, meek lookil
man. Pity had never been distinguis
ing trait in the composition of DaI
nature, but as he gazed upon this ragge
forlorn looking being, feeling akin
sympathy began TO usurp the place
surprise in his breast, and it was in
tone almost tinged with kindness th
he addressed the sickly vagrant.
Bin var longr
"Ehg'
The reply sounded like the gurgli
ri blood through the sink pipes of
citing room.
"Aain't bin loafin' round that y
love more'n minute or two, hev yei
Dams tone was so insinuating, a
NJ, intention to avoid hurting the pc
,.low's feelings 80 evident, that a m
with perceptive faculties developed
any degree whatever would have und
4,ood the kindly motive. But the rs
man at the stove must have be