The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-08-12

Whenever Eel River Dan went on a
.tear," CONSERVATION reigned in Pilot
City. AS soon as his strident whoops
began to resound through the redwoods
surrounding the village the citizens hush
ed their murmurings at lesser evils and
silently skuIked TO their cabins there 10
listen, with bated breath, for the first
sounds of warfare sure to follow Dams
arrival in the town. Oftentimes the
guileless stranger, unacqualnted with the
truculent ruftian's "record," was the VIC
tim; but as general rule it was some
obstinate lumberman who sacrificed him.
self for more timid men. 1t was a sim
gular fact that, no matter how peaceably
inclined Pilot City might be, at the mo-
ment Eel River Dan came down from
his mountain home, "on time" some
body had to suffer. He was .sbad" in
the most literal sense of the word, and
there were but few who dared to APP
proach him after he had "declared" him.
self and 'sturned himself loose" But on
this particular occasion-this bleak, win
dy 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 gaily chattering
congregation had received no intimation
of the approach OF the mountain despe-
RADIO. Not single whoop had he utter
ed as he strobe through the sighing
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 thunderholt 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 assemblage sat petrifed.-
Then there was fluttering movement,
and Big Mike, the boom hand, made q
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 conclu-
sion arrived at that the mountaineer was
in an unusually disagreeable frame Of
mind, the remainder Of the company
precipitately it must
be confessed, but with sufficient order
and regularity to escape injury in the
crush at the side door.
!. As soon as the last bootheel had pass
ed over the thresnoId DaH smHch-rr
was not a very seraphic smile,to be sure,
but Notwithstanding its sardonic charac-
yer, sH~-~-anld be no mistaking it for
irown or scowl of displeasure. With
the grimace still irradiating his bloated
features the desperate passed behind the
bar, and with freedom peculiar to his
loose habits, grasped the demijohn con-
tanning an unusually ardent article of
lumberman's solace. Throwing the jug
deity into the hollow of his right arm,
he poured the yellow distillment into
glass which he held in his left hand, al
lowing the liquid to mark four fingers
before he turned the muzzle up and re-
turned the deInijohn to it's shelf beneath
the bar. He contemplated the contents
of the glass for moment, held 1t up to
the light, smacked his lips in anticipa-
tion Of the joy 1t was about to confer
upon him, and then placed the edge of
the tumbler gingerly to his mouth as IT.
be would prolong the delight of feeling
It trickle down his copper-plated throat
into his sbeet-iron stomach. Inch by
inch his ruby nose went upward, drop by
drop the whisky flowed downward. The
last globule had just passed between his
teeth, when his fiery red eyes, glacing
through the bottom Of the glass, fell up
IN an object the sight of which seemed
70 paralyze him. He could not. believe
,is senses. He imagined that some de-
ect in the glass through which he was
aklng his observations must have pro-
iuced the vision that greeted his gaze.-I
t could not possibly be the form of
nan standing there beside the stove
What an idea! What mortal individual
would have the hardihood to remain
Vhen he, Eel River Dan, the terror of