Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-03

'sThen ICE don { CGRt no id trdrrGnG'
The grocery business Of Mr.. Roscommon,
although adequate and sufficient for the vii
lsge, was not exhausting or O~yertaxinS to the
proprietor. The refIling Of the pork and flour
barrel Of the average miner was the work OF
brief hour on Saturday nights, but the daily
REIMBURSEMENT of the average miner with whS-
XIV was arduOus and ineeSSant. Roscommon
spent moro time behind his bar h bis gro
GERS counter. Add TO this the fact that u long
shedlike extension or wing bore the legend,
Cosmopolitan Hotel, Board or Lodging by
the Day or Week. N. ROscOmmon,' and you
got an idea Of the variety Of the proPrietors
functions. The "hOtel,' however, was moro
directly under the charge Of Mrs RoScom-
mon, a lady Of thirty years, strong, truculent
and good-hearted.
Mr.. Roscommon had early adopted the
theory that most Of his customers wero in
sane. and were TO DO alternately bulled or
placated, as the case might be. Nothing that
occurred, no extravaganza Of speech nor act,
ever rufled his equilibrium, which was as
dogged and stubborn as it was outwardly
calm When not serving liquor, or in the in
teryal while it was being drank, be was al
WAYS wiping his counter with an exceedingly
dirty towel-or indeed anything that came
handy. Miners, noticing this purely perfume
tory habit, occasionally supplied him silly
with articles inconsistent with their service
fragments Of their shirts and underclothinG,
aour sacking, tow, and once with a flannel
petticoat Of his wife's stolen from the
line in the back yard RoScommon would
continue his wiping without looking up, but
yet conscious Of hopreSence Of each customer.
gAnd it's not another dhrop yell git, Jack
Brown, until ye'ye wiped out the black score
that stands agin ye" &And its there 70 are,
darlint, and it's here's the bottle that's been
lukin' for ye sins Saturday. And fwhot
hev you done with the last l sent ye, ye divil
Of a McCorkle, and heres mo back that's bruk
entiorely wild dipping Until the pork bari to
Civ ye the best sides, and ye spending yur last
cint on a tare into Gilroy. Whist! and If it's
fer foighting We are, boys, there's an ILL
CANT bit Of sod beyant the corral, and it may
be meself II como out with a Shtick and be
sociable."
On this particular day, however, Mr.. Ros-
common was not in his usual spirits, and when
the CHATTER Of horses hoofs before the door
announced the approach Of strangers, he alb
solutely ceased wiping his counter and looked
up as DR.. Guild, the president and secretary
Of tho new company strobe into the shop.
ave are looking said the president, flor
a man by tho name Of Wiles, and three
Mexicans known as Pedro, Manuel and
Miguel"
aye areF
ave are!7
sFaix, and 1 hope yen fond EN- And il
yen git from 'em the score I've got agin EN-,
darlint, III add a blessing to it."
There was q laugh at this from the by
ISLANDERS, who, somehow, resented the intru-
sion Of these strangers.
II fear you viii find it no laughing matter,
gentlemen" said DR.. Guild, a little stifly,
Rwhen / tell you that a murder has been com.
mitted, and the men I am seeking within an
hour Of that murder put up that notice signed
by Their names and DR.. Guild displayed the
paper.
There was a breathleSs silence among the
crowd as they eagerly pressed around the
doctor. Only RoscOmmon kept on wiping his
counter.
@You will observe, gentlemen, that the
name Of Roscommon also appears on this
paper as one of the original locaters.'
@And sure, darlint," said R~oScommon, with.
out looking up, "f ye'vo no better Evidence
agin thin boys than you have forninSt me, its
home ye'd batther be riding TO wanst. For
it's meself as hasn't stirred futOut Of the store
the day and noiGht-more betoken as the boys
I've sarved kin testify"
that's so; Ross right" choruSed the
crowd. We've been running the old man all
night
"Then how comes your name on this
paperF
20 murdherI viii 20 listen to him, boysi
As il every felly that owed me a whisky bill
didn't come to me and say: An, MiSther
Roscommon,' or Moike,' as the case
might be, sure it's an illighant sthrike pye
made this day, and it's meSelf that has put
down your name as an original locator, and
YER fortunes made Mr.. Roscommon, and will
yer Gu me up another quart for the good
luck betune you anil me. All, but ask Jack
Brown over yan if it isn't sisS that I I'm OF
his original locations"
The laugh that followed this speech, and its
practical duplication, convinced the party that
they had blundercd, that they could obtain
no clew 10 the real CulpriS here, andthat any
attempt by threat; wOII meet violent Oppc-
sition. Nevertheless The dOctOr was persistent;
@Whcn did you SIC thcso men laSt!'
GWhen did l see then, Is il: Gelad, what
with Sarvin up the liquor and keeping ne
counters dry and swate, l never see them at
an."
SThqt's so, Ross" choruSsd the crowd again,
to whom tho whole proceeding was delight
fully fnTcical
"Then lean ten you, gentlemen said the
doctor, Stifiy, that they were in Monterey
last night, that they did not return on that
trail this morning, and that they must have
passed here at daybrsak"
With these words, which the doctor TO
GREETED as soon as delivered, the party rode
away.
Mr.. Roscommon resumed his service and
counter wiping. But late that night, when
the bar was closed and the last loiterer was
summarfy elected, Mr.. ROscoumon, in the
conjugal Privacy Of his chamber produced
alegal looking paper. @Read il, Maggie
darhnt. for it's meseH never had the farming
nor the parts"
Mistress ROscommon took the paper:
HSbure, it's Law papers, making over some
property to yS o Moikel 70 haynS been
s~pekilatingP