The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-07

IN ietters OF about a quarter OF an inch long.
Next day he was in again to ask how that
affair was getting along, and to show shawl
he'd bought for his old woman. Married
her twenty-three years ago down to Wiscon-
sin, SQUIRE he said; 'and she can hitch up
\ a span of horses quick'rn any Woman and
most men around the place. He had to tell
me, too, that a neighbor OF his had sold a
steer to this same buyer, and had been paid
in cash, and he wanted to know whether I
didn't think this suspicious. g L told him 1t
was not, but rather the contrary, as sup
posed the amount being small, the Chicago
buyer preferred settling forcash.l NJ doubt,
l said, his own check would be paid in a few
days by return mail. He said that was all
right; he worn't in no hurry. Then he Of
fered to introduce me to his friend who had
sold the steer, but promptly declined. One
| OF that crowd was enough for ma ,7u1I .
,"SoOn after the bank opened on Saturday
he was in again to tell me that he had met
another neghbor from Kandiyehiiat the ho-
tel, who had sold to another Chicago man for
check, and that he had advised its being
brought to me to be fixed. o | thanked him,
and again declined an invitation TO come
right along and see them steers. He left,
Lsaying he had to get few things for the old
woman right away, as he calculated upon
getting up the line home that evening. just
he was back again.
I H~.He had bought span of horses from a
man who was exhibiting in the fair, and had
agreed to give $3.50 for them. The man
wanted his money down, because he had to
take his animals out of the fair ground; and
my granger, also, wished to get home for
Sunday, the fair being over. Had got the
money from Chicago yet? No; there wasn't
time. I couldn't receive it until Monday
"Weif, he'd heard at the hotel, he said, that
the Chicago buyer was square man, and did
regular business around the State, but his
fear was that the Chicago bank might horn
sweggle me about the money. L told him
there was no danger of that and he then
asked whether couldn't pay the man for
the horses and deduct it out Of the amount Of
his check. This was not usual, of course
and there was no time to make inquiries
about him, as the bank was Just going to
close for the day, it being Saturday, but
there seemed to be. no danger about doing
so. He was evidently one Of the granger
crowd that filled the town; he had pressed
me on several occasions to accompany him
down to his stalls at the fair, and his story
generally hung SO well together that, after
little hesitation, 1 said would do so.
81 knew Chicago men were in town buy
ing, and i had old hay-seed's Endorsement;
so | handed him a check and told him to
make it out for $3.50. 1t ended in my having
to fill up the body of the check, and he signed
it. He counted his money, held out his hand
to shake hands, and, inviting me to call in
whenever came down to Ksndiyohi, de-
parted. never saw him again. The check
was returned from Chicago marked, mot
w. r.. Chitty's usual signature;' and as l
read it l knew that confidence man had
gone through me for, $3.50" ''"'' 1""
some of that crowd was enough for you,
then, evidently" said one of the English
men. t'''N
"Good enough" said the manager, smil-
ing. "The worst Of it was that thinking over
fhn ftnr.f hofo xra, 1i,rr ri =
! flashed across me that the hand had shaken
was not that OF a regular granger. 1t wasn't
rough enough. That shaking hands was the
only weak part of the cuss's whole game.
1t was too late, however, then, to do any
| thing, even if had been sure" (" tW
| "Pretty tough on you, SIR" said the car
conductor, who had stood by to hear the end
| of the story. '' "u' f-
"Yes," said the manager, 81 used to get
mad about it for long time; but I've got
over that now" 1901 '' VIZ
Couldn't playiit on you again, sir?"
"No, not worth cent"
"There's some fellow playing the conf
dence game along the line, now" the con-
ductor said; "scooped a granger out of
hundred dollars yesterday, and went through
a Canadian emigrant, on his way to Garry,
for all he was worth. l guess he'll get away,
though, before we strike him. He'll have
rough time of it if any of the boys about
Glyndon lay hands on him, Pm told there's
an old prairie crusher along here some
where's, that he went through last fall, that
swears he'll raise his hair if he catches
him."
1 had noticed that both the fellow travellers
near us had listened attentively to the story,
the long man smiling as the manager related
the way he had been taken in, and the old
frontiersman leaning further and further
over the arm OF his seat, till his head almost
reached across the passage Of the car. When
ofn Ioad sod =
broke into the conversation with burst that
was almost yell, ''and by the Eternal, I'll
do itp'. We all turned to look at the old fell
low, who had worked himself into great
state Of excitement, though we had not paid
much attention to him. jumping Judasw
he continued, "if ever / sot eyes on that all
fired skunk agin-see here, mister" he said,
pointing at the bank manager and getting off
his seat the better to ask the question, "did
you take note of that white-liYered hounds
eyesp' '''t' '''
-" Not particularly" said the manager.
Gle wore spectacles, but noticed a scar
running back from one eye almost to his
ear.'' '.dt tf ,fH PUn 1t yi7t
81 It's him !" said the old man, and forth
with he delivered himself of string of in
geniousy blasphemous invectives. Indeed,
it struck me at the time that in this particu-
lar he was quite equal to any Western stage
driver had ever met. lH r, afHf. if49
"Went through you too, did he~ .f
,"Did he! See here, I'll tell YOU" ''''
"Wire in, old man." said the manager;
''but look here, there's a parson and lady
at the other end of the car, so let up little
on those ornaments OF speech of yours"
b 81 amt going to say nothing to hurt the
minister nor yet the lady, but I'll raise that
slab faced galoot's hair, sure as you're born,
il ever strike his trail agin. You can bet
your bottom dollar on that, Colonel. I'd
been out for couple of year on the Yellow
Stone, tradin' along with falf-breed from
Pembina, and I'd made a matter Of six hum
bred dollar or Whereabouts. / come in last
fall, making for Chicago. I'd put a-one side
few dollars for bit Of a bend at St. Paul,
me and that half-breed Joe Bourinet, and
the rest was a-going to my gal at Chicago.
She was to school there along of convent
and a-going to be married to young chap.
They was agoing to move West a piece and
set up store and the old man was a-going to
do it for them. Ihankered after this all the
time was out tradin'' with them Sioux, for
han't seen herHbetter'n six year, and l was
almighty fixed on this here idee of mine. / |
was agoing to whoop it up lively for them,
you'd better bet, and the old man was to be
the big toad in the puddle, too. Well, Icome
along up the river with Joe, and crossed at
the Forks up here, and come on down till |
struck this here railroad. Joe, he gotinto a.
muss, with a fellow at the Forks and got
hurt, SO had to leave him to be looked a.
ter by the man as runs the ahanty at the |