Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-25

blame thing. Jaka IS tnag mean that
he'd never sQuander q dollar for fool
toys, and IL Jest natchelly makes me
tired TO think Of our brats rolling in
goodies and that little yeller haired gal
without even molasses.
81 saw her bluff and raised it. Gimme
that there doll. old lady, SEE, and q
tin horse and about two pounds Of that
confectionery, and wei see if she don't
have Christmas yet, all the same.
ST put 'em in q sack and waltzed
along the road tell KEN to the place
jest above Pearson's ranch, which lies at
the foot of the mountain, and after
stumbling down fur about q hundred
yards could almost look down Pear
sons chimbly, directly underneath me,
and all at once heard the little gal
scream.
tPearson hadn't lived in them dig
gins more n six months, and we neigh
bors didn't know a great deal about
him; but our wimmen folks they'd a
spied out the land a little, as wimmen
will, and they lowed that Pearson was
a-living in the shanty all alone, 'cept-
ing fur this little seven year-old gal, and
they swore up and down that he didn't
treat her right. They knew he was q
rascal the first time they seed him, and
once or twice he was seen whippin'
her with luther strap. We men didn't
take much stock in their talk; but we
laid low and lowed that the first time
we ketched linn red -haAded a-whippin'
airy gal with luther strap nd be q
mighty unhealthy time for Pearson.
''Well, sir, boys, he wus doing that
very thing when lit down on him
with the buckle end, too, mind you:
and if hadn't beer law and-order-abid
ing citizen, swan I'd a shot him then. But
/ lowed it wuz best to have witnesses,
and eff I'd killed him 'thout no one by
to see fair play, it might have caused
talk So jest TUX the strap frum him.
and kinder scared him into decency with
touch or two on his own shoulders.
and then tux him to one side and guy
him the knickknacks.
80 You put them in the kids stocking
tonight so she will find em when she
wakes up in the morning. seq /. It's
Christmas morning. and we are all
Christians up yer in these diggins, SEE l,
and if you don't swear III smash your
head.
He snarled and showed his teeth,
like bull dog that wants to bite but is
afraid to, and | swan to man, gentlemen,
/ wuz downright put out that we'd a let
that little gal live all alone so long with
sech human hyena. But, as said be-
fore, didn't like to take the law into
my own hands all alone, so waltzed off
and hunted up some Of the neighbours,
and told them jest how the land lay, and
asked their advice They all said the
same thing.
90 Well go down and talk to him,
right off, SEE they.
Bring the little gallup to our ranch,
after you get through with him, seq my
old lady; she kin have home with US
so long as she pleases.'
Tibet druv the nail home and clinched
her on the other side. The wimmen wuz
with us. So we TUX along stout luther
lariat, with running moose in one end,
kinder handy fur talking to seech car
rion ez Pearson, and jest as night wuz
beginning to sot in we got under way
toward his ranch. They wuz six of u.s.
Hank Fletcher, Gale Bledsoe, Stumpy
Bluebaker, old man Bassett, Injun Pete
and me-jest enough to be judge, jury
and executioner."
Cap. paused here to light q fresh cigar
but before the flame of the match had
taken hold on the tobacco he tossed the
burning match aside.
'tJest excuse me fur about two Sec
onds, gentlemen, whilst waltz in and
see eff my little gal is a-hankerin' for any,
thing that | kin get her.
The girl was contentedly cuddled up
in corner of the green plush-cOvered
seat, fast asleep, with her head resting
on soft black and white plaid shawl.
With her delicate features and beautiful
yellow hair, she would have been consid-
cred lovely anywhere, aud after seeing
her il was easy to understand the look of
tenderness which lighted up the old
ranchman's face whenever he mentioned
his little gal. =
ssWell, sirs, y he continued upon gain
ing his seat in the smoker-and by this
time every man in the car was q listener,
.swell, sirs, we didn't say much, becuz
our heads had powerful sight Of think
ing In 'em and our feet wuz busy climb
ing over the rock toward Pearson's. It
wnz long time sense we'd a ben engaged
il SIGH business; but we knowed Pear
son deserved 1t, and we meant to give
him SIGH talking TO as he wouldn't have
no chance to forgit.
s.But the cards wuz packed agin Us.
In the centre Of the road, jest where we
meant to leave it. to climb down toward
Pearson's, an old greasy bar wuz camped
as COO. as you please, diggin' among the
rocks fur worms. ! hadn't seen no bar
a n