The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-12-20

BY y. G. FARLEY.


For months We had been following Up
what seemed bot trail.
The Government had got wind of an
illicit distillery hidden snugly away in
the wooded fa,tnesscs of certain To-
cality in Kansas that shall be namcless
nj present-and / had been detailed,
with several others, to run it down and
bring The Offenders to Justice. But so
far they had eludod our grasp.
During the Last three or four weeks,
however, we had lowered pretty close
upon its discovery. Several times late
~ | had received such accurate infor-
nation as to tie locality of the still
that each time We had moved upon the
works fully expecting to capture the
moonshiners actually engaged at their
unlawful business. But disappoint-
ment only crowned our efforts In every
instance we found where they had been
working, but nothing more. 1t almost
seemed rs though they we're gifted with
supernatural powers, for they not only
successfully e.Uded capture, but they
showed by varioUS manueverS At differ
CEt times that a knowledge OF the plans
made l.y the Government was familiar
to them. There was certainly treacherY
somewhere, though | could not decide
where.
The long day was fast drawing to q
close, and having been IN the saddle
since carly morning l was thoroughly
tired oat, and drawing rein before
cabin hard by, asked for nights
lodging, with supper and breakfast.
a Il
hou,c--if house It could bc called,
aftcr gIancing sharply at myself and
horse, gruiliy bade me ride on, adding
that lie had neither room nor food for
stranger. Being in anything but
good humor in the first place his rough
dismissal served to completely DESTROY
the little stock Of good nature that re-
manned 20 me at the end of my days
travel.
THIS is specimen Of the famous
Kansas hospitality, is il ?" asked angri-
~. This makes the fourth time in the
last three hours that | have been re-
fused food and lodging. And yet YOU
follows boast that your latch-strinGs
are always out TO the traveller
1T must be that there's n sort of
difference in tray'lers, was his laconic
reply, as he glanced meditativcly ut my
waistcoat. A sudden suspicion of the
truth flashed across my mental vision,
and following his eve my suspicious
were verified, for there, only partially
concealed by my top coat, which was un-
fastened on account of the heat, shone
my badge.
IuwGrdly cursing M stupidity and
T., 4. /. L.,
we started on, though the poor beast
was too badly spent to take any gait
faster than walk.
Jogging on, tired TO death, and still
bordering over what was q mystery to
me, saw far on ahead in the fast gath
ering gloom of the approaching night,
a bright light, shining like a star in the
distance.
The horse gave joyful whinny and
quickcncd his pace. 1t was not long
before We drew up before n small stone
house.
Taking care to hide my badge before
going in, l once more applied FOR food
and shelter
A youngish woman answered my
knock on the door, but my request was
mt with the usual demurllr.
Ny horse has given out, and ] am
exhausted and starving | insisted,
pushing n Y way into the room. You
shall he W. paid for your trouble
But my husband is not at home and
won't hc until tomorrow she oh.
jectcd.
"Forty husbands, for that matter,
madam, couldn't improve my comfort
any il they were all at home. just give
me corn-pone and a cup of Kansas
coffee, with blanket TO sleep on, and
room in your Darn for my horse. Ill
be of bright and early in the morn
ing"
Better let him stop, ma'am," spoke
up big hulkine fellow by the side of
the fireplace. Its good bit to any
house, and there'll be a storm before
mornin' Of / don't miss my guess"
Tie woman put her head out Of doors
and glanced anxiously at the sky.
A great black cloud that had been
slowly crawling over the hill tops was
now hanging lowering overhead.
Knowing how quickly storms gather
in that locality, and having had evidence
on several occasions of the awful de.
structon of life and property caused by
them, j too glanced uneasily at the
heavens.
Jonas cried the woman quickly,
as il she had at last made up her mind
to accept the inevitable, take this