Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-02-24


of drowning, shooting, hanging or
any other form of suicide. lie was
altogether too original, as well as
too sensible, for that. Yet he was
resolved on something real aud
practical in the way of retormatory
punishment. He felt the need OF a
self.impOsed decree of bankruptcy
that should render the failure as
complete as possible, and prevent
a similar course in the future.
so the broken firm OF "Arm-
strong & Self went forth in medi-
tation long and deep. Some OF
his thoughts were almost too deep
for utterance. But finally he stood
by the dusty road along which the
great freighting wagons were haul
ing supplies to the mining camp
M the Sacramento. One of these
wagons, drawn by six yoke OF oxen,
was Just passing. Snap, snap,
snap, in slow, irregular succession,
came the keen, singing reports OF
the long Missouri OK whip. "Glang!
g'lans wo hawp shouted the tall,
dust begrimed driver, as he swung
his whip and cast a sidelong glance
at the broken firm, wondering
"What IN thunder all them store
clothes was a dOin' thar" Now,
when Armstrong saw the long COL
umn of white dust rising behind
that wagon he was taken with an
idea. So he shouted to the driver
to know if he might be allowed to
walk in the road behind the wagon.
"Get in and ride" said the driver
"No," said Arm strong, 81 wish to
walk
aThen walk, you crazy fool" was
the accommodating response, as the
driver swung his whip.
Then came the tug of war. Greek
never met Greek more fercely than
did the two contending spirits com
posing the firm of Armstrong "
Self at that particular moment.
"Now, Armstrong" said the i'm
perious head of the firm, "you get
right in the middle of that road,
sir. and walk in that dust behind
that wagon"
"What, with these clothes on
Why, it is fifteen lies, and dusty
all the way"
:'No matter, sir; take the road.
You squander your money on three
card monte III teach you a les
son."
"G1lang! g'langw drawled the
driver, as he looked over his shout
der with curious mingling ofpity,
contempt or wonder on his dusty
face. More aud more spltefnlly
snapped the swinging whip, as the
slow paced oxen toiled mile after
mile under the heat of September
sun. And there in the road trudg'
! ed Armstrong behind the wagon
slowly, YEARLY, thOughtfully, but
not silently. He was a man who
always spoke his thoughts.
"This serves you right, Arm
strong. ANY man who will fool his
money away at three card monte
deserves to walk in the dust"
cit will spoil these clothes"
"Well, don't you deserve it'll"
"The dust fills my eyes"
ayes; any man who CANDLES all
his dust away at three card monte
deserves to have dust in his eyes
and alkali dust at that
"The dust chokes me.7 ,
"Allright; any man whOwillbucl
at monte deserves to be choked
Keep the road, sir-the middle o.
the road-close up to the wagon
Do you think you will ever buck a,
monte again, Armstrong ~
And so the poor culprit, self ar
rested, self condemned, cOughec
and sneezed and choked and walk
ed and talked, mile after mile, houl
after hour, while the great w'agor
groaned and creaked, the d rive
bawled and swung his whip, th'
patient oxen gave their shoulders
to the yoke, and the golden sun o
September sunk YEARLY toward
the west. The shadows of evening
were beginning to tall when TN
wagon halted at the place cali e'
Packers Roost, on the Yuba.
"Here we rest" sighed Arm
strong, just above his breath, as
he loOked at the stream. "No you
don't" answered the head of the
firm. "You buck your money away
at monte and talk about rest. Now
| Armstrong, go right down the
bank, sir, into the river" AS the
command was peremptory and spir
| it of obedience seemed the safest
| Armstrong obeyed without parieJ
and down he went, over his head
and ears, store clothes and all, int
| the cold mountain stream. IL wa
long time that he remained IN th'
water and under the water. HI
would come to the surface ever,
little while TO talk, you understand
II was impossible for Armstrong t
forbear talking. "Oh, yes" III
would say as he came up and snuff
ed tho water from his nose, "you'l
buck your money away at thre
card monte, will youf How do yo
| like the water cure y His word
1 Iu1tr r.nnRfnofa6 In