Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-12-19

AN immense furniture truck, with
high slated sides, heavy wheels, and
canvas top, stood at the entrance to
Harlem Bridge Sunday afternoon. A
preoccupied looking mule and an
ancient horse with perpetual atf Of
discouragemcnta about him, were hitched
70 it>with nondescript harness.
On the side of the wagon was board
on which was scrawled with charcoal
iOke Pint"
'.Step right up, gents and ladies'"
yelled the eproprietor cheerfully, settling
his battered white plug hat comforta.
bly, over his right eye. and waving his
arms hospitality. "Step right up an
patronize ther opposition line fer ther
Pint This ant no monopoly line.
We're plain, but luxarious. Young
feller with ther gal! carry yer over fer
five cents head. Cost yer ten cents
by the regler rattle traps"
The "young fellcr with ther gall sur
rendered to the brilliant inducements
offered and mounted the wagon via a
soap-box placed on the ground. Three
tough young men followed; a rotund
German, with his stout wife, seven
fe5lthy children and two huge baskets,
were hoisted aboard; more tough young
men followed, and the cheerful pro-
prietor proceeded to hustle them about
and jam them down as if he were de-
posting furniture.
''Step right up," he yelled. This
here lightning 'spress's bound to be on
time"
go, say!'' put in a passenger, "are
you ever going to start? We're full
already"
"Yes, there's thirty one aboard al
ready" grunted fat man.
Mr.. Crowley surveyed the strikers
calmly and contemptuously, and re-
marked: "What do yer want fer q
nickel? Want reserved seats? This
ant no swell taller-ho, this ant. May
be yer thought yer were charterin'
'partment 10 er Palace car"
''Never seen sich lot q kickers,"
muttered the proprietor as he admins
tered kick to his slumbering team.
eyer can bet. this is the last time this
ere train starts with only thirty-one pas,
sengers. II yer want to ride in limited
'spress, with half load, yer have to
pay for it."
The mule took toe hold, strained,
and pulled the wagon and the old horse
along.
Half way to the Point one of the hind
wheels broke short off at the axle, let
ting the corner of the cart down with
a crash that demolished the rear end
and dumped half the passengers in the
dust! The tough young. men picked
themselves up and moved to- institute a
riot. Mr.. Crowley sat impassively up
on the box and surveyed the wreck.
The mule resumed his Illuminating atti-
tude, and the old horse seized upon the
opportunity tn go to sleep.
A shade of sadness stole over the pro.
| prietOr's wooden face and ne uncon-
sciously sighed: "This knocks the op-
pysitfon. =
.'What are you going to do about
this?' inquired the fat man dolefully,
sitting up in the road and endeavorina
to take the kinks out of his derby.
''Durned if 1 know how kin fix
her, answered MIR. Crowley, referring
to his wagon.
"Hang your wagonw chorused tho
tough young men. "How are we going
to get to Oak Point?"
Mr.. Crowley shifted his hat uneasily,
looked puzzled and. hazarded: .sWalk,
in's good, gents"
''We paid you for a ride" said the
young feller," whose coat was now
slit up the back. '.Give us our money
back or transfer u.s."
MIR. Crowley .jammed his hat onto the
back of his head and replied with some
energy: "Give back nuthin'; yer gettin'
off cheap. Most any other feller' d make
yer pay for the damage. Yer hadn't
no call ter crowd on so. Any fool'd
know wagon couldn't stand thirty
ons passengers. Yer can transfer yer.
selves aboard the monopoly stages"
''lt don'd gost Something's morep''
hesitatcd the German, glancing with
a calculating eye over his numerous
| flock.
"Well, you has cheek! It'll only
cost yer ten cents. Yer don't expect
the opposition ter pay it, do yer?"
The tough young men concluded to
walk. The fat German encompass ,ed
economy by picnicing on the grass un-
der tree. The ''feller" reluctantly
hailed one of the monopoly stages.
handed his gal in and paid twenty
| cents.
The last words the fat passenger
heard as he started in a rage to walk
back were: ''Durned ef this ere don't
knock ther opposition. IN Y. Com.
merctdL Advertiser.