St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-01-06

| TODcs Oi tnt OtneF HltthDcTS oi Cue
band.
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordinated his wonder to his pru
dence as, laying on the table heavy
purse, he exclaimed:
"Come, Colonel, business before
pleasure, let's divide and scatter. Eff
anybody should hear about it, and find
our trail, an sketch the brads in our
possession they might"
"Divide yourselves |" said the Colo
mel with abruptness and great oath,
81 don't want none of it"
Colonel" said Perkins, removing
his ewn domino and looking anxiously
into the leaders face, "be you sick
Here's some bully brandy which l
found in the passengers pockets"
at hain't nothin'," replied the Colo
mel, with averted eyes. "I'm goin',
and Pm retirin' from business forever"
'Ain't agoin' to turn evidence 7"
cried Cranks, grasping pistol on the
table.
'I'm agoin' to make lead mine of
you eff you don't take that back ~
rOared the Colonel with bound that
caused Cranks to drop the pistol and
retire precipitately, apologizing as he
went. ''T'm agoin' to attend to my
own business, and that's enough to
keep anybody bizzy. Somebody lend
me $50 till | see him again"
Perkins pressed the money into the
Colonels hand, and within two min
utes the Colonel was on Tipsie's back
and gallOping off in the direction the
stage had taken.
He overlook it, passed it, and still
he galloped on.
The people at Mud Gulch knew the
| Colonel well and made it rule never
to be astonished at anything he did,
but they made an exception to the
rule when the Colonel canvassed the
principal bar rooms for men who
wished to buy horse, and when a
gambler who was flush obtained Tip
sic for twenty slugs, only thousand
dollars, when the Colonel had always
said there was not money enough on
top ground to buy her, Mud Gulch ex-
perienced a decided sensation.
But when the Colonel, after remain
ing in the barber shop for half an hour,
emerged with his face clean shaved
and his hair nicely parted, betting was
so wild that cOOl-headed sporting
man speedily made fortune by bet
ting against every theory that had
been advanced.
Then the Colonel made tour of the
store and fitted himself with new
suit of clothes, carefully eschewing all
of the gorgeous patterns and pro
nOunced colors so dear to the heart OF
the average miner. He bought a new
hat and put on a pair of boots, and
pruned his finger nails, and stranger
than all he mildly declined all invita-
tiOns to drink.
As the Colonel stood at the door OF
the principal saloon, where the stage
always stopped, the Challenge Hill
constable was seen to approach the
Colonel and tap him on the shoulder
when all the men who bet that the
Colonel was dodging somebody, claim
ed the stakes. But those who stood
near the Colonel heard the constable
say:
"Colonel, take it all back. When
seed you go out to Challenge Hill il
come to me that you might be in the
road business. But when | seed you
sell Tipsie knew | was on the wrong
, trail. | wouldn't suspect you now II
/ all the st. .ges in the world was robbed
and I'1l give you satisfaction any way
, you want it."
"It's all right" said the Colonel
with a smile. The constable said af.
terward that nobody had any id~a how
curiously the Colonel smiled when hit
beard was off.
Suddenly the stage pulled up to thu
door with a crash, and the male pas
sengers hurried into the saloon i'll {
t state of utter Indignation and impecun
} iosity.
] The story of the robbery attracted
| everybody, and during the excitemen
: the Colonel slipped out quietly ant
| opened the door of the stage. The OLE
lady started and cried:
. "GeOrgew
e And the Colonel jumped in the stag
9 and, putting his arm tenderly arOunt
the trembling form of the old lady, ex
claimed
"MOther ~