The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-10
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.
BY BRET HARTE.


chased for cash only, and never
grumbled at the price of anything
he wanted; who could ask more
than that
Curious people occasionally won
dered how. when il had been fully
two years since the Colonel. with
every one else, abandoned Dutch
Creek to the Chinese, he managed
10 spend money freely and to lose
considerably at cards and horse
races In fact, the keeper of that
one of the Challenge Hill saloons
which the Colonel did not patronize
was once heard to wonder, absent
mindedly, whether the Colonel
hadn't a money mill somewhere
where he turned out eagles and
sslugs' (the coast name for hity
dollar gold pieces.
When so important parsonage
as a barkeeper INDUCED publicly in
: the idea. the inhabitants of Chal-
lenge Hill, like good Californians
everywhere, consider themselves in
duty bound to give it grave consld-
Grafton; so, for q few days, certain
industrious professional gentlemen,
who won money of the Colonel,
carefully weighed some Of the bright
est pieces, and tested them with
acids. and sawed them in two, and
retired them, and melted them
up. and had the Jumps assayed.
The result was a complete vlndi-
cation off the Colonel, and loss OF
considerable custom to the indis-
Greet barkeeper.
The Colonel was as good-natured
man as had ever been known on
Challenge Hill, but, being mortal,
the Colonel had his occasional times
of dependency, and one of them oc-
CURED after series Of races in
which he had staked his all on his
bav mare Tipsie and had lost.
Looking reproachfully at his be
loved animal, he failed to heed the
aching void Of his pockets, and
drinking deeply and swearing elo-
quently and glaring deiiantly at all
mankind were equally unproduc-
tive Of coin.
The boys at the saloon sympa
thized most ieelingly with the Col
onel. They were unceasing in their
invitation TO drink, and they exhib-
tied considerable Christian forbear-
ance when the Colonel savagely dis
sented with everyone who advanced
any proposition, no matter how IN
controvertible. But unappreciated
sympathy grows decidedly tiresome
to the giver, and it was with feel
ing of relief that the boys saw the
Colonel stride out of the saloon,
mount Tipsie and gallop furiosly
away.
Riding on horseback has always
been considered an excellent sort of
exercise, and riding is universally
admitted to be one of the most
healthful means of exhilaration in
the world; but when a man is so
absorbed in his exercise that he will
not stop to speak to his friend, and
when his exhilaration is so COM
plete that lie turns his eyes from
well-meaning thumbs pointing in
significantly into doorways through
which man has often passed while
seeking bracing influences, it is only
natural that people should express
some wonder.
The Colonel was well known at
Toddy Flat, Come Hand, Blazers
Murderer's Bar and several other
villages through which he passed.
As no one had been seen to precede
him, betting men were soon offering
odds that the Colonel was running
away frcm somebody.
Strictly speaking they were
wrong, but they won all the money
that had been staked against him,
for within half an hour there passed
over the same road an anxious
looking individual who reined up
in front of the principal saloon Of
each place, and inquired if the Col
onel had passed.
Had the gallant Colonel known
that he was followed. and by whom,
there certainly would have been an
extra election held Of the latter
place very shortly after, for the pur-
suer was the constable, and for all
officers of the law the Colonel pos
sessed hatred.
On galloped the Colonel, follow
ing the stage road, which threaded
the old mining camps on Dutch
Greek, but suddenly he turned out
of the road and urged his horse
through the young pines and bushes
which grew thickly by the road,
while the constable galloped to the
next camp.
There seemed to be no path
through the thicket into which the |
Colonel had turned, but Tipsie
walked between the trees and
shrubs as if they were familiar OBJ
jects of his stable yard.
Suddenly voice from the bushes
shouted:
What's up?"
"Business-that's what"
"It's time" replied the voice, and
its owner-a bearded six-footer-
emerged from the bushes and strok-
ed Tipsie's nose with the freedom OF
an old acquaintance. We amt /
had a nip since last night, and there
anita cracker or handful Of -four in |
the shanty. The old gal 90 back on |
yer?"
YES" replied the Colonel rueful-
ly, ''lost every blasted race. 'Twasn'
her fault-bless her-she done her
level best. Ey'rybody to home?7
"You bet" said the man. "All 4
been prayin' for yer to turn up
with the rocks an something with |
more than spring water Come on"
The man led the way, and Tipsie 4
and the Colonel followed, and the |
trio suddenly found themselves be-
fore log hut, in front of which sat
three solemn, disconsolaIe individ- |
uals, who looked appealingly to the
Colonel.
"Mackll tel yer how twas, fel-
lers," said the Colonel meeklv. |
while i pocket the mare"