The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-10-12
RETIRING FROM BUSINESS.


who could do more than that ?
Curious people occasionally won
dered how, when it had been iuiiy
two wears since the colonel, with
every one else, abandoned Dutch
creek to the Chinese, he managed to
spend money freely and to lose con-
siderable 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'ta money
mill somewhere, where he turned
out eagles and "slugs gs"-the coast
name for $50 gold pieces.
When SO important a person as q
bartender INDUCED publicly in the
idea. the inhabitants of Challenge
hill. like all good Californians eve
rywhere. considered themselves IN
duty bound to give it grave consid-
Grafton so, for few days, certain
industrious professional gentlemen
who won money of the colonel care
fully weighed some of the brightest
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 complete vindi-
cation of the colonel and loss OF
considerable custom by the indls-
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
despondency, and one of them oc-
Cured after a series ofraces IN which
he had staked his all on his bay
mare Tipsie and had lost.
Looking reproachfully at his be-
loved animal, he failed to heed the
aching void of his pockets, aud
drinking deeply, swearing eloquent
ly and glaring defiantly said that all
mankind were equally unproducuve
of coin.
The bows at the saloon symp@
thized most feelingly with the col
onel. They were unceasing IN their
invitations to drink, and they ex-
hibited considerable christian for
bearance when the colonel savagely
dissented with everyone who ad-
vanced any proposition, no matter
how incontrovertible. Butunappre-
ciated sympathy grows decidedly
tiresome to the giyer. and it was
with a feeling OF relief that the boys
saw the colonel stride out of the sa-
loon, mount Tipsie and gallop turi-
ously 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 exhileration in
the world. When a man is so alb
sorbed in his exercise that he will
not stop to speak to friend, and
when his exhileration is so ocomplete
that he turns his eyes from well
meaning thumbs pointing signifi-
cantly into doorways through which
man has often passed while seek
ing bracing influences, it is but nat
ural that people should express
some wonder.
The colonel was well known at
Toddy Flat, Come Hand, Blazar's,
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 from somebody.
Strictly speaking they were wrong,
but they won all the money that
had been staked against them, for
within half an hour there passed
over the same road an anxious-look-
ing individual who reined up in
front of the principal saloon of each
place and asked if the colonel had
passed.
Had the gallant colonel known
that he was followed, and by whom,
there would have been an extra
election held at the latter place very
shortly after, for the pursuer was
the constable, and for all officers of
the law the colonel possessed ha-
tired.
On galloped the colonel, following
the stage road, which threaded the
old mining camps on Dutch creek,
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 on to the next
camp.
There seemed to be no path into
the thicket into which the colonel
had turned, but Tipsie walked be-
tween the trees and shrubs as if they
were familiar objects of her stable
ward.
Suddenly voice from the bush
es shouted:
whats up ?"
''Business-that's what"
Its 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. 1--WE amt
had nip since last night, and there
amt a cracker or handful OF -four
in the shantv. The old cal 90 back
on yer ?"
"Yes," replied the colonel, rueful-
ly; lost every blasted race.
'Twasn't her fault-bless her-she
done her level best. Ev'rybody to
home ?"
"You bet," said the man. "All
been prayin' for yer to turn up
with the rocks an somethin' with
more color than spring water. Come
on"
The man led the way and Tipsie
and the colonel followed. and the
trio suddenly found themselves be-
fore log hut, in front of which sat
three solemn, disconsolate locking
individuals, who looked appealingly
at the colonel.
Mack II tell yer how twas, fell
iers," said the colonel, meekly,
while | pocket the mare"
The colonel was absent but a very
few moments. but when he returned