Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-12-04

think you will ever buck at monte AGAIN
Armstrong;
And so the poor culprit, self.arrested. self.
condemned, coughed, and sneezed. and
choked, and walked, and talked, mile after
mile, and hour after hour; while the great
wagon groaned and creaked, the driver
baWled and swung his whip, the patient
oxen gave their shoulders to the yoke, and
the golden sun OF September sum- YEARLY
toward the west. The shadows of evening
were beginning to fall when the wagon
halted at the place called Packers Roost.
on the Yuba.
Here we rest" sighed Armstrong, just
ABOVE his breath, as he looked at the stream.
"No you DON'T" answered the head OF the
firm. "You buck your money at monte,
and talk about resting! Now, Armstrong,
go right down the bank, sir, into that riyer.n
AS the command was peremptory. and a
spirit of obedience was thought the safest,
Armstrong obeyed without parley: and
down he Went, over head and ears. store
clothes and all, into the cold mountain
stream. 1t was a long time that he remain
ed In the water and under the water. He
would come to the surface every little while
10 Talk, you understand. 1t was impossible
TOR Armstrong to forbear talking. 80.
yes" he would say, as he came up and
snuffed the water from his nose, "you,u
buck your money away at three-card monte.
Will you? How do you like the water cure?'
His words were, of course, duly p~unctuated
by irregular plunges and catclings Of
breath.
1t so happened that the man who kent
the shanty hotel at the Packers Roost had
a woman for a wife. She, being Il kind
hearted creature, besought her lord to 90
down and help the poor crazy man out Of
the water"
PsliaW!!" said the OK driver, she amt
a crazy man; he's a fool. He walked be-
hind my wagon and talked to himself all
the way from bcrabbletown.n
Ihereupon rose a lengthy discussion
about the difference between a crazy man
and a tool. But after a while, the landlord
and the oX-driver went down to the bank
and agreed to 60 Armstrong's security
against bueking at monte in the future if he
would come out OF the water. So he came
out and went up to the house.
Twill you have a cup OF tea or COTE p,
inquired the WON an kindly.
Yes. madam" said Armstrong. II will
take both.'
tie IS as crazy as he can be, sure,, said
the woman. But she brought the two Guns
--ZZZ &Mf rv.. & -
as ordered. Milk and sugar p, she inouir-
ed, kindly, as before.
mo, madam mustard and red PEPPER
answered Armstrong.
~ do believe he Is a fool,' said the wo-
man, as she went for the pepper and mus
tard.
Armstrong, with deliberate GOODNESS, put
a spoonful OF red pepper into the tea and a
spoonful OF mustard into the coffe. Then
ne poured the two together into a large
tin cup. Then the old conflict ragged again.
and high above the din of rafting tin cups
ana pewter spoons, sounded the stern COM
mand, Armstrong, drink it, sir-drink it
down." A monlentary hesitation, and a
lew desperate gulps, and it was down. 90.
Gear" proaned our nero, as his throat burn
ed and the tears ran from his eyes, lyon
Duck your money away at three-card monte.
do you?"
Now, the Thomsonian dose above de-
scrlbed very nearly ended the battle with
poor Armstrong. He was silent for quite a
time, aad everybody else was silent. After
a While the landlord ventured to suggest
that a bed could be provided if it was de-
sired. No. said Armstrong, I'm sleep
on the floor. You see, stranger said he,
cycling the landlord with a peculiar express
sion, this tool has been squandering gold