The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-04
THE " SLOUGH"

figure grow smaller and smaller in the
distance, and then disappear over the
crest of the ''rise," a mile away. Then,
congratulating themselves upon having
got rid of an undesirable citizen, the
Inhabitants of the little border settle.
ment turned away and resumed their
wonted avocations. Coyote City's spasm
of virtue was over.
Half an hour latter the matter was be-
ing discussed by group of three around
one of the tables in 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 Curl
osity. Colonel henderson loved the
sound of his own voice. Pierce Fam
shaw rather preferred the Colonel's elo-
quence to listening to the frantic at
tempts of the fragment of an orchestra
to catch "a tune that had already eluded
them eleven separate and distinct times.
!. Mr.. Arthur Lemon, of Boston, who had
come West with the intention of starting
. bank, and had already made quite a
heavy deposit in the pocket of Pierce
Fanshaw, professional gambler, was de-
sirous of adding to his somewhat limited
stock of information. So the subject of
the recent 'running out'' was thor
oughly ventilated. .. -.
The Colonel had been the sell, elected
master of ceremonies, and felt elated at
the successful manner in which the pro-
gramme had been executed. "Yes," he
said s'it went off beautifully, beautifully |
Nary hitch in the entire perft s-nancem
"But why was he run out2" queried
Mr.. Arthur emon.
"W'yi Because it had become neces-
sary to purge Coyote City Nv undesirable
persons those who retarded instead Nv
promoting its prosperity, and whose
presence instead Nv attracting immigra-
ton, repelled it."
'.But was he guilty of any crimea I
supposed such summary evictions were
for persons engaged in nefarious prac-
tees" ..n
a. $50 they air, an"
ssThen why does the enforced emlgra-
ton stop when the SLOUGH is run out2"
''W'ya Because thar's nobody else that
needs runnin' out"
1T seems to me that there are still left
several persons upon whom various crimes
have been proven, as we'll as that there
are yet remaining number of saloonists,
pro-" He stopped suddenly as if
checked by the presence of Pierce Fan
shaw, professional gambler.
stAnd professional gamblers" re-
marked that gentleman, pleasantly y, COM
pleting the sentence. 'I'l tell you, my
dear fellow, why we are not run out. but
ere left to do our sweet wills, while a
more harmless person, whose only offense
was being 'trifiing, worthless, 'slouch, ;
was given two hours in which to make
himself scarce. The reason is TO be found
in the ancient adage that might makes
right That makes US not offenders,
but influential citizens"
"But, good heavens" exploded Colo
mel henderson, ''your Eastern ideas air
almost startlin', Lemon! Might as well
talk Nv runnin' me out as to speak of
these yere gents bein'-"
'sAud Colonel henderson could not be
readily spared" interrupted Pierce Fan
shaw's cool voice. 1.-The Colonel is a
boomer of the first magnitude, and talks
boom and Coyote Cisy's prosperity from
morning till night"
Colonel Henderson leaned back in his
chair and expanded his chest, like man
well aware OF his own merit. 81
''Thanks, Pierce, thousand thanks.
You do me mighty proud. Jim"-to q
waiter-"the best in the house for my
friends an SELF"
If Mr.. Arthur Lemon, the "tender-
foot" detected any sarcasm in Fanshaw's
laudation of Colonel henderson, he held
his peace. Nor did he make any COM
ment when Fanshaw's soft voice said,
almost cooingly: ,...... ...
"Observe how the waiter flies to exc
cute the commission. The colonel is one
of the .Iumbo's most valued patrons, far,
far, different from the 'slouch, who
never treated or was treated"
''That's fact" agreed Colonel Bend
erson. "There was nothing wv the
gentleman about him. He possessed so
little refinement that, when once in
clined, 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 re-
fused to enjoy himself, but wanted the
personal liberties Nv the millions Nv peo-
pie in this great nation abridged, if not
entirely taken away from them!"
The colonel paused, lost in mental con-
temptation of the ''slouch."
'tNo instincts of gentleman about
him." he continued, presently. "All
slouch."
"But, why was he called the 'slouch'9''
questioned Arthur Lemon. II hardly
understand it."
"One of the most potent respect
bringers is success" said Pierce Fan
shaw, land many man on the border
Is stigmatized as slouch simply because
he is unfortunate. And he was always
on the losing side of every occasion"
The conversation ceased for while. as
the fragment of an orchestra, with q
great hurst of triumphant sound, over
took and captured the elusive tune.
In the meanwhile. the shutting foot
steps of the slough were widening the
distance between himself and unappre-
ciative Coyote City. Bitterness ranked
in his heart and as he strobe along, his
life rose up, mental panorama, before
him. He recalled the days of the long
ago, when full of high hopes, he had left
his Eastern home to find in the West the
Ell Dorado of prosperity, where fortune:
were to be had for the grasp:ng. But
fortune had not come to him; all his
e many cherished plans and plots hac
turned out empty, fortuneless bubbles