Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-19


The seat Of honor and pleasure in a journey
overland is by the driver, and there is always q
scramble for it, and the one who succeeds in Sc
curing it is regarded as lucky fellow. I got
left in my contest for a seat on the top, and
found myself recently inside of the stage, with a
clergyman and man whom took for miner,
during trip to Silver City. N. M. Thepreacher
and / sat on the back seat and the native sat
facing us. He was dressed in the regulation
costume of the country: Dark pants stuck in his
boots and held up by six-shooter buckled
around the waist, blue flannel shirt, flaming red
necktie and a great sombrero. knife was
stuck in his boot, and he carried Winchester
rifle on the seat beside him. Taking him all in
ALL he was about as ugly looking specimen of
humanity as l have met. AS the stage rolled
along the miner looked out of the window as If
in deep thought. The preacher and entered
into conversation. during which he asked my
business. told him, when he asked:
"Do the great papers buy literary artcles?"
eyes, sir, when they are good"
"DO they pay for them liberally?"
''They do. when they accept the articles"
"Weil, have got some very interesting SUBJ
jects could write about he continued, as the
stage iolted along over the rough road. making
it q little hard to distinguish what he was say
ing. For five years l was a missionary at
Siam and saw many strange and even startling
things"
"What were these scenes you refer too"
asked,
"Well. the punishment of criminals was ex-
ceedingly strange and is worthy OF description.
When person is convicted of crime there he is
taken out upon the public square for execution,
His neck is barred we'll down upon the shoulders,
and the executioner dips his finger in mud and
with it makes mark upon the neck of the
doomed man."
''What kind of mud?" shouted the miner in
voice like thunder-clap while he gared at the
parsOn savagely. Noticed that. although he kept
peerng out of the window, he had followed our
conversation for some time.
"a sort Ofyelowish mud, replied the preacher,
evidently disturbed by the miners look and man
ner. But he continued:
''The executioner then takes his heavy sword
and with one quick and decisive blow sewers the
victims head from his BODY
'It's ID lie," yelled the MINER in tones
that might have been heard four miles. 'The
boys do occasionally hang hOrse-thief there,
and the town has pretty bad name but they
never cut peoples heads Off. There amt only
to a military captain and wouldn't cut the head
off of a turnip."
But was a missionary there for five years"
meekly interposed the minister.
"And l was barber there for seven years,
and never shaved you, neither"
"My friend, that cannot be; for the people
never shave there"
'That's another one Of your Internal lies;
they're as clean shaver set of people as thar is
in the west You're nice man to be giving the
town bad name after you have left it. If it
weren't kind of agin the fashion to hit parsonIl
I'd knock your head off of you for your lies. "
cried the miner, getting madier every minute.
my dear friend" said the minister implor-
ingly, and evidently much disturbed for his
safety, there certainly must be some mistake.
You do not mean to say that you We're barber
in the kingdom of Siam, where the people never
shave?'
ooh! thought you were talking about Chey-
enne," said the miner, as he tell back into his
chair disguised.
/ was the only man who seemed to enjoy this
amusing incident. and even / found it good
policy to show as little disposition to laugh as
possible The stage rolled on for miles after it
occurred, and not a word was spoken by any
one The miner looked more intently than ever
out Of the window. and yet there was not an ex-
preston on his stolid face to indicate what his
thoughts were. The preacher looked as intently
out from the opposite side of the stage and 1
spent my time watching the miner. looking at
the strange region through which we were pass
ing.