The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-01-05
THE aDISTRICT" PET.
Chrissy, the Christmas Gift Of
Champion Camp.
'fWhose deal nexts"
''Shepleigh's

'Shepielgh s."
''Come, man, wake up! I reckon
sour pardner won't relish your drop
pin to sleep over the game"
"Well, what night to be shutting
cards, anyhow" said Shepleigh. in q
tone of dependency. "Rain and sleet
outside, the glummest kind of blues
inside; no reading in particular, no
company expected
ooh, so it's company you're a-pinin'
fCr, is it?" said q rough-bearded man.
'Eo," reioined Shepleigh iercely;
land yet If 1 YVES, 'twould be no con-
Germ Of yours"
'NOh, come, Shep, don't get Zero
eious," said an easy-looking man oppo.
site him at the plain deal table;
you're too fair a fellow in the main to
fare up at nothin'. Let's keep the
peace, any way"
'AOh, we're dainty set, we are, no
mistake, sneered Shepleigh. There's
Argos, looks as If he was shaved in
infancy and never tried il again Wor-
stpA has .mercifully preserved peep
holes for his nose and eyes. As for
Smithson, his beard has such natural
wave TO it, I think he does look just a
ehsde less like grizzly than the rest
of ,ns.'' =.
~Rail on. old man. said Smithson,
with slowering brow. What in times
gptinso you. Shepf Do you want 20
getup an out-and-out battle. or what
are you driving !atr"i u
al suppose" began Shepleigh, with
q sweeping glance at his companions,
tI suppose it hasn't occurred to any OF
Jon gentlemen that this HAPPENS TO b
Christmas eve." e.:
''Oh. hor' cried Argos, chats whats
the distress with Shep; he wants to
hang up his little stockin', and have
bis NANNY come and fill it with sugar
plums against the morning, / guess {"
But Shepleigh turned sharply on the
speaker with fiery eyes. .'See here,
Argos" he began, in a voice SO quiet
and controlled that the others looked
on in expectant amusement. 1--WE no
business to taunt you fellows about
your looks or anything else, but faint
safe TO turn on me for all that. If /
didn't own the richest lode i'm the whole
district I'd clear out and let you have
1t all your own way; but fact is, COM
rades. the heathenish desolation of the
place nearly distracts me at times, but
I'm bound to live down my hankerings
after civilization and work till / get
full pay for the dumps I've suffered.
But come a holiday-hark, what's
Ehat?''
'sIt's wind and rain and sleet, man.
Z should think twas plain enough to
discover there's a storm outside said
SmithsoR.
"Well, if it's company you're want
ing" began Argos, there's prob'ly
plenty of it over to Floxson's."
Eyes, very likely" said Shepleiph,
dryly; .'but not the kind of company /
crave. 1 say, what's that noiseF'
"Noise be blowed!" exclaimed Wors-
ton. ''Come, mates, let's turn in; it's
nigh onto eleven, an if Shep keeps on
we'n be: havin' some ghosts for com.
pany unless"
Just then a dull bounce of some kind
outside the building caused the intrepid
nen in the rough room to glance at
zach other significantly. Shepleigh
Said nothing, but Selling 8 lantern,
lighted it, then went at once to the
door and out into the inky blackness Of
che stormy night
"Guess I'll bide bit till Shep comes
back" said Worston, which decision
caased general settling back Of the
dozen or more men In the room.
''Snep's q, queer dog" remarked
Arros.