Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-24


cloth.
swell, Dock, old pard, he's a. comm :.
Yes, he is, a-coming' to buy our mine.
And II don't sell out to that old duffer
this time and see Maine and Maria
again, and with bootleg full o. gold
dust, too, I'm Dutchman!'
"You seed him, Colonel Billp Seed
the old English lordp"
"No, no, no; / didn't see him, Dock.
l never seed a real live English lord in
my hull life. No, but Snagly went into
the hotel up thar, and seed him for me.
Snagly, the Injun Agent; Ginger, you
know him; pard of yours, ehp Well,
he's smart. Gosh, all over. But can't
he talk! You can't get word in edge
ways where Snagly Is. And can't he
lie, though; been a member of Con-
gress oh, can't he lie, thought"
Hereupon "Rocky Mountain Kit"
creaked out:
"And how do you know the old En-
glish lord has come to Colorado to buy
minep"
"How do know he's come to Colo
RADIO to buy miner What else do these
big bugs come to Colorado forp You
don't s'pose Teller comes to Colorado
for fun, do youP"
"Come to Colorado to buy a mine, or
else to be doctored. Every human
bein' that comes TO Colorado comes TO
buy mine or comes to be doctored FOX
his health, don't hep" spoke up the little
doctor, sharply.
There was pause here, and the grea,
leader looked first at the steady stream
of men pouring up and down the shaft
with the regularity of little meal buckets
in great mill, and then at the doorway
in the wall of rocks, as if expecting
some one. At length Ginger said:
SCOT her sailed, Colonel Bill?".
Gayly lifting his glass and waltzing
forward, and looking down into the
shaft, and then prancing back, the Colo
mel answered:
"Saltedp-I sailed her-and then,
for fear I'd forgot it, / sailed her
ag'in!"
Here low chuckle of delight came
from the region of the great black beard,
and the admiring miners nudged each
other with their elbows. The Colonel
continued "Why, I've put in more
honest labor a-saltin of this mine than
| ever done in my life afore. Saltedp
Well, l should illuminated" The honest
miner grew thoughtful for moment !;
and then, setting down his glass, said,
slowly: ~ tried first, you know, boys,
lambs from New York. Well, they sent
out an expert. You all remember him,
boys. An expert! And an expert from
a college,! Never seed mine in his life
afore. Well, this expert, he wanted
half to report favor'bly. Half! Think
of It, boysl Wanted half of an honest
miners money. l wouldn't give it..
I've got principle, have. You all
know me-"
Yes, oh, yes! We all know YOU"
There was chorus of vociferous an
swers and another drink; then the Col
onel continued:
Yes, I've got principle. That was
the trouble. wouldn't give him half,
on pint of principle, pint of honor.
1t was too much. Ioffered him a third. p"
"And he wouldn't take it'll" ejacu-
lated the Doctor, as the honest miner
mournfully shook his head.
"No! no! Then them fellers up the
canyon yonder offered him two thirds
of all they got, and he took it. No
principle in them miners up thar at all "
"Ah, principle don't pay in Colora-
do, Colonel Bill" sighed the Doctor.
"Pay! I lost fortune right thar,
gentlemen, on pint of principle, a
pint OF honor. But I'll catch 'em this
time, boys. Come up and drink again,
every one of YOU" Again the great
swooping arm brought the boys togeth-
or in knot at the rickety bar. "And
you'll all stand by mep" cried the Colo
mel, as he shot his glass in the air. They
all nodded assent. "I'll tell thing,
and you swear to it. Oh, I'm all here!"
he added, In q vociferous tone.
Again all assented boisterously as the
Colonel struck his broad breast and
ended his speech. Setting down his
glass and unloosening his back from the
bar, with the eye of brave, battle
loving captain, he looked to see that
everything was ready for action. He
glanced at the creaking derrick, at the
perpetual stream of men passing up
and down the shaft, pushed his hat lit
tie further back from his brow, turned
the quid of tobacco in his cheek, and
then TRANQUILITY waited, certain of VIC
tory, certain that at last he was to sell
his mine, pocket the money, and again
see old Maine, Maria, and the little ones.
"Shoo! l thought heard some one
a-comin', i" said the doctor, as he lifted q
finger and leaned forward, looking to-
ward the doorway. For a moment the
miners all craned their necks and
looked; but, as the expected visitor did
not appear, Old Kit creakcd out:
"And how will you know him,
Colonel Bill, when he comesP A live
lord! A real live English lord He
all gold lace down here, ohP Jist that
way in picter-books, Colonel Bill. But
will you know him without q introduce
ton, Colonel Billp"
"Know himp Why, I'd know a
lord as far as could see him. Don't l
know the 'stocracyp Hain't BEN to
Bostonp o, I'll know him. Why, 1
could tell a lord by the noble look OF his
browi"
The riekety, drunken old trapper
seemed satisfied, and tottered away,
chuckling to himself as he jostled
through the crowd.
real, live English lord! All lace
and gold, gold and lace all up and
down before"
"Yes, and he'll be here in a minute,
tool" cried the Colonel. "Listen |
There he comes! Pose, boys, posel Look
dignified! Look your best! Look your
level best!"
The miners all struck imposing atti-
tudes, and the Colonel shouted out to
old Kit, in voice of thunder; "Pose, /
tell you'll"
But the old trapper only paused o
moment in his meanderings, and then,
tottering helplessly back to the Colonel.
fell laughing, maudlin like, in his arms.
It looked as II he was going to be
troublesome. The Colonel spun him
about, and again shouted as no
pushed, wrestled and dragged him to
the other side of the shaft:
snow you stand in your place, you
old Juniper stump, and posel" lie
planted him hard, and again started, as