Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-11
THE "SLOUCH."

and then disappear over tho crest Of the ''rise," q mile away. Then congratulating themselves upon having got rid of an unde- sirable citizen, the inhabitants of the little border settlement turned away and resumed their wonted nvocations Coyote City's spasm of virtue was over.
 Half an hour later the matter was being by group of three around one of the tables i'll the Jumbo saloon. Two of the trio were familiar with all of the details of the affair, but the third member of the group was full of curiosity. Col. Anderson loved the sound of his own voice. Pierce Fanshaw rather preferred the coloners eloquence to listening to the frantic attempts of tho frag- mcnt of an orchestra to catch a tune that had already eluded them e.even separate and distinct times Mr. Arthur Lemon, of Boston, who had come west wlth the intention Of starting a bank and had already made quite heavy deposit in the pocket of Pierce Fan shaw, professional gambler, was desirous of adding to his somewhat limited stock of in formation. So the subject of the recent running out" was thoroughly ventilated.
 Tho colonel had been the self elected master; lof ceremonies, and felt elated at the success full manner in which the programme had been executed, "Yes," he said. ''it>went off beau tifully, beautifully! Nary hitch ill the entire
 
 But why was he run out4" queried Mir. Arthur Lemon.
 "W'yl Because 1t had become necessary to purge Coyote City nv undesirable persons those who retarded instead uv promoting its prosperity, and whose presence instead uv at tractlng immigration, repolled 1t"
 But was he guilty Of any crimei sup posed such summary evictions were for per sons engaged in nefarious practices"
 "So they air, an n-
 Then why does the enforced emigration stop when the 'slouch' is run outf'
 "W'yl Because thar's nobody else that needs runnin' out"
 Ut seems to me that there are still left sev- eral persons upon whom various crimes have been proven, we'll as that there are yet re- maining a number of saloonists pro- He stopped suddenly, as ii checked by tho pres snce of Pierce Fanshaw. professional gam bier.
 And professional gamblers" remarked that gentleman pleasantly, completing the sentence "Tn tell you, my dear fellow, why we are not run out, but arc left to do our sweet wills, while more harmless person, whose only offense was being 'tri6ing,' worthless, a 'slouch,' was given two hours ill which to make himself scarce. The reason is to be found in the ancient odage that might makes right That makes Us not offenders, but influential citizens"
 But, good Heavens" exploded Col. Ben derson, your eastern ideos air almost start lin, Lemou Might as well talk uv runnin' me out as to speak of these yere gents bein' "-
 And Col. Henderson could not be readily spared" interrupted Pierce Fanshaw's cool voice. The colonel is a boomer of the first al o,,A i+I-SS prosperity from morning till night"
 Col. Henderson leaned back in his chair and expanded his chest, like a man we'll aware of his own merit.
 Thanks, Pierce, q thousand thanks. You do me mighty proud Jim"-to q waiter l"the best in the house for my friends an self"
 If Mr. Arthur Lemon, the ''tenderfoot," ;" detected any sarcasm ill Fanshaws laudation of Col. Henderson, he held his peace, Nor did he make any comment when Fanshaw's s soft voice said, almost cooingly:
 ''Observe how the waiter flies to execute the commission. The colonel is one of the .Jumbo's most valued patrons, far, far differ .ent from the 'slouch,' who never treated or was treated"
 That's q fact" agreed Col. Henderson. ''There was nothing uv the gentleman about [, when once I invited him to join me, he not only declined, but added insult to the refusal by saying that he not only did not drink, but wished every drop of the accursed stuff was banished from the land Them's his very words Not only refused to enjoy himself, but wanted the personal liberties uv the mill ions uv people in this great nation abridged, If not entirely taken from them"
 The colonel paused, lost ill the mental con- temptation of the selhshness of the 'slouch. y No instincts of q gentleman about him, n he continued, presently. All slouch." But why was he called the 'slouch'i" ques- tioned Arthur Lemon. 1T hardly understand | it."
 "One of the most potent respect bringers is success" said Pierce Fanshaw, land many q man on the border is stigmatized as a slouch simply because he is unfortunate. And he was always on the losing side of every occa l sion"
 The conversation ceased for while, as the l fragment of an orchestra, with great burst | of triumphant sound, overlook and captured the elusive tune.
 In the meanwhile the shuff1ing footsteps ot the ''slouch" were widening the d d'stance be tween himself and unappreciative Coyote | City. Bitterness ranked in his heart, anc as he strode along his life rose up, & menta panorama, before him. He recs lied the day,
 of the long ago, when, full of high hopes, h' | had left his eastern home to fin in the weS
 the el dorado of prosperity, where fortunes
 were to be had for the grasping. But for
 tune had not come to him; all his many
 cherished plans and plots had turned ou
 empty, fortuneless bubbles, and, at last, al most giving up the struggle, he had sunk
 sunk to become the "slouch," na.neless-onl,
 the ''slouch."
 The beauties of the prairie landscape wer
 unnoticed, as his half mechanical steps placeC
 mile after mile behind him. He did not giv
 a second glance to the placid sea of brow grass that stretched away on every hand
 Here and there the neutral hue of the oceal
 of grass was blotched by 'burnt patch,
 where, shorn by fire of its matted coverlet o
 brown, the earth was green with the swift
 springing second crop. On each green oasi
 the killdees held high carnival and called
 each other in their queer, metallic, hal
 musical whoops High above the treeles
 mound that sprung so unexpectedly from th