Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-04-01
"'Taint no use bein' % gentleman If
rnr hnun to work too hard

| yer have to work too hard.
"Safe enough, I reckon" replied the
Colonel. Gwen DO the usual I'll halt
'em; Logroller, tend to the driver;
Cranks, take the boot, and Mack and
Perk take right and left. An I know
it's tough-but considerin' how everlast-
in eternal hard up we are, reckon
we'll have to ask contribution from the
ladies, too, ef theirs any aboard-eh,
boys?"
"Reckon So" replied Logroller, with
chuchle that seemed to inspire even
his black domino with o merry wrinkle
or two. What's the use of womens
rights, eff they don't ever have a chance
OF exercis'n 'em? Hevin' ther purses
borrowed 'ud show EN- the full doctrine
in bran-new light"
"Come, come, boys" intorposed the
Colonel, "thar's the crack of Ola Blacks
whip; pick yer bush-quick All jump
when whistle"
Each man secreted himself near the
roadside. The stage came swinging
along handsomely; those inside were
laughing heartily at something, and Old
Black was ju,t giving q delicate touch
to the fink of the off leader, when tho
Colonel gave a shrill, quick whistle,
and five men spraDg into the road.
The horses stopped rs suddenly rs if
it were q matter Of common occurrence.
Old Black dropped the reins, crossed his
legs and stared into the sky, and the pass
engers ell put ont their heads with a
rapidity equa!ed only by that with which
they withdrew them as they saw the dom
mos and revolvers Of the road agents
10 l,, n, a.
gentlemen" said the Colonel blandly,
as he opened the door, Won't you
please get ont? Don't trouble yourself
to draw, eos my friend here's got his
weapon cooked an his fingers rather
nervous. Amt got n handkerchief, hev
you ?" he asked Of the first passenger
who descended from the stage. "Hev?
Well, now, that's lucky. just put yer
bands behind yer-so-that's it." And
the unfortunate mans hands were So
cnrelY tied behind in an instant
The remaining passengers were
treated with similar courtesy, and the
Colonel and his friends examined the
pockets of the captives. Old Black
remained unmolested, for who ever
heard Of stGge-driver having money?
Boys" said the Colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing re-
ceipts, - ttin't much of u haul, but
there's only one woman, and she's
old enough to be a fellcr's grand
mother"
"Like enough she'll pan out more
than all the rest OF the stage put to-
gether," growled Cronks, carefully
testing the thickness of the case of
gold watch. "Just like the low lived
deceitfuIness Of some folks to hire an
old woman to carry their money, so it'd
go safer. Mebbe what she's got
amt nothin' TO some folks that's got
hosses that kin win money at races,
but"
The Colonel abruptly ended the con-
versation, and approached the stage.
He was very chivalrous, but Cranks'
sarcastic reference to Tipsie needed
avenging, and, as he could not consist
emily with business arrangements put
an end to Cranks, the only lady would
have to suffer. /.
"I beg your pardon, ma'am," said the
Colonel. raising his hat politely with
one hand, while he drew open the coach
door with the other, but we are taking
up collection for some deserving OBJ
ject. We was goin' to make the gentle
men fork over the hull amount, but ez
they amt got enough We viii have to
bother you."
The old lady tremblcd, felt for her
pocket-booll and raised her veil. The
Colonel looked into her face, slammed the
stage door, and, sitting on the hub Of
one of the wheels, stared vacantly into
space.
"Nothin?" queried Perkins, in a
whisper, and with face full OF genuine
sympathy.
"No-yes," said the Colonel, dreami-
ly. "That is, unite 'em, and let the
stage go ahead" he continued, spring.
ing to his feet. "i'll hurry back TO the
cabin" And the Colonel dashed into
alyzed with astonishment that Old
Black afterward remarked that If ther'd
been anybody to mind the horses he
could have cleaned out the hull crowd
with his whip.
The passengers, now relieved of their
weapons, were unbound, allowed to en-
ter the stage and the door was slammed,
upon which Old Black picked up his
reins as if he laid them down at the sta
tion while thehorses were being changed,
then he cracked his whip and the stage
rolled off, while the Colonels party hur-
ried back to the hut, fondly inspecting,
as they went, certain TASKS they had
obtained while transacting their busi-
ness with the occupants of the stage.
Great was the surprise of the road
agents as they entered their hut, for
there stood the Colonel in clean white
shirt, and in suit of clothing made up