The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-16
THE TROUGH CUSTOMERS.
CHAPTER l.

ansaw, and is noted on account of its fine cedar timber. The finest timber lands are owned by the government, and the principal business of the inhabitants is the unlawful cutting and stealthy ship meat of logs. United States timber agents have had much ble with those trough customers" and. on more than one occasion, patriots who labored long and earnestly for timber agencies, have, unwillingly though of course, laid down their lives in defense of graceful evergreens.
 One afternoon half-circle of Trough customers" sat by a log fire in the only siorehouse in which the |" Range" could boast. There was Dan Goostree, "the merchant" who year before last, crip- pied one of the Nelson boys; Dave Cline, whose mouth was drawn down in contin- ual illustration of the fact that he had once failed to get out of the way of knife which old Homer Mathews threw at him there was Oscar Kinchloe, whom vague hint insinuated was once engaged in the robbery of a Missouri railway train and among several others was es- pecially an old fellow with long gray whiskers, an old man whose gray hairs yers not honorable, Bluke Murray, who had served term in the Kentucky peni- tentiary.
 "You, Alfl' yelled Goostree.
 Comin', sah," replied large negro as he entered the room.
 "When did you say that feller got here ?"
 "is' now"
 "You are black liar You said he got here yesterday"
 He mout uv got heah yistidy, boss, but said so jes' now. Yer didn' ax me when he come, but axed me when l said so."
 "He got you that time, Dan," said Dave Cline.
 "Yes," Goostree rejoined, an I'll git him the fust thing he knows. What for a-lookin' feller is he, Alf2"
 "Oh, pretty good lookin' gennerman, |, sah."
 "Sort uv a slick lookin' buck, ain't he ?' asked Homer Mathews.
 "Wall, sah, he aim ez rough lookin' ez CT toad fraug, an ergin, he aim CT slick lookin' ez CT bull fraug."
 "Did you have much uv talk with him p Goostree inquired.
 "Wall, l didn' gage hip in CT power full laung conversation, sah."
 "D-n it, tell us what you know about him"
 "Doan know much erbout him. He come CT ridin' CT bay hoss an didn' pear ter ax nobody no odds"
 "The devil he didn't"
 "Nor, sah, de debil he didnI; sho huff 1"
 "Does he look like timber agent ?"
 "Kain' say dat he do kain' say dat he doan."
 "Well, what do you think about him ?"
 "Kain' say whut think kain' say whut doan."
 "Men, I'll tell you what's fact" said Goostree, turning from Ali, and address ing the trough customers" "old Billy Raney didn't go flown the river luther day for nuthin'. ain't been thinkin' SO powerful we'll uv him fur good while, an it's my opinion that he has give us away"
 "Whut would he wanter to do thet fur ?" Oscar Kinchloe asked.
 "Do it fur money, uv co'se. Whut do l keep this here mercantill establishment fur2"
 "Don't know nothin' bout things in the abstrack," replied Kinchloe, "but thar's oae thing I do know"
 "Whut's that?"
 It's time to licker."
 Well, why don't you cry, then ?"
 "Fve cried three times in the last hour. It's gittin' pretty close to your time, I'm CT thinkin."
 "You fellers," Goostree rejoined, "would eat a gentleman outen house an home. Alfr'
 "Comin, sah."
 Fetch the jug"
 "Wid you, sah."
 "Confound your black hide, don't you drink outen that" Ali had turned up the jug. "You've got more inshorance than any nigger ! ever seen."
 Jes' wanted ter see ef it is de right sort, boss, an' b'lebes dat it am. Hep yerse'fs, gennermen," Ali added as he placed the jug on box.
 "Now git out uv here," said Goostree.
 "GWine, sah."
 When Ali had withdrawn Dave Cline. turning from a glass which he had just drained, and addressing Goostree, asked:
 "Don't you think you are putin too much confidence in that nigger i"
 "Not bit. He knows that if he don't walk in the straight an noner path I'll make the wool fy from the top of his head. Nov, fellers," Goostree added, "yeu all know that this is the time uv year we ginnerally have trouble with the government say this is the time uv year, fur it ain't too hot nor too cold fur the agents to travel an in my opinion the buck that has just come in was fetched here by old Bill Raney. If this here is the case you fellers have ali got to stand up to me ]; fur you know have paid you good price fur your logs, an' have run big risk in getting them down the river."
 ~Yes, you've dun all that," assented through his white whiskers and scratched his chin, but you must ricollect that in