Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-02-28

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took the money Gall in notes), and
then began to consider what he should
best do with it for its safety.
AFTER an hours quiet considera-
ton, he decided what to do. and did it.
Then he mounted his beautiful old
black horse, who was slightly lame,
and started off for home. He was q
good bushman, and knew the way al
most as we'll by night as by day, and
he trotted merrily along.
He had very good path through
the young gum-saplings, and almost let
Bonnie Bess' guide herself. He had
passed corper, and had merged into
the open road when all at once:
".Stopr
HE started back and saw three men
black-masked, and each with pistol
in both hands.
Where's the coin"
"'What coin?' asked my father.
"Oh, that'll do, governor. We
know all about it,! and at once they
hauled him off his saddle.
Now, boys said the leader of the
gang, who was big. powerful man.
with these words they instantly
proceeded to undress your grand
father. They took his boots off and
examined them carefully; they ripped
open his coat and other garments; and,
while he stood shivering there in the
cold, they examined every article of
clothing he had on.
Suddenly one of the men called out:
eco for the saddle!' and. to my
fathers horror, they began to examine
that
''After search which proved fruit
less the leader said: Well, l reckon
it's no good. He amt got the coin!'
$50 with grunt they threw my
grandfather his clothes. keeping his
boots only. They said: You can keep
your nag, governor, for he's too lame
for u.s.
my father, who had retained his
usual GOODNESS all this time, said to
one of the men:
"'Well. suppose you are the man
who is wanted by the police?'
Eyes. I'm Jacky-Jacky!'
"After dressing himself. and thank
ing the men for not molesting him any
further, my father mounted the lame
horse, and riding off reached home at
about four clock in the morning. Of
course your dear grandmother was in
an awful fright, and had not gone to
bed at all.
"After your grandfather had re-
lated his adventure to her, she said:
And what a good thing, dear, that you
did not have the money with your
"'But had"
"'You had! Where was it?'
my father went outside, and, re-
turning in few minutes. he dragged
in the saddle, and placing it on the
table. began with his pocket-knife to
very carefully cut the small stitching
underneath. My mother looked on in
great wonderment, and exclaimed:
But John, dear, you say they searched
the saddle
$50 they did, dear, but they forgot
that / should be equal to them. I had
old Brown, the saddler. in my little
room at the hotel, and before I left,
these notes were carefully stitched
in with the padding. You
know. dear, that as rule
now notes are merely slipped inside
the leather covering. but they did not
reckon l should have these really
through
"And there they were, literally
pierced with tiny holes. but none the
worse for that. And so my father
saved the little church f500.
1.-The next morning we heard an ac-
count of the same gang attacking the
mail-coach and shooting the driver
dead. My father often says that if
they had taken a fancy to Bonnie
Bess,' which they would undoubtedly
have done had she not been lame.
they might have carried of the saddle
too, and then of course the money was
theirs.
"You may be sure the church peo-
pie were very thankful. and in
of his forethought
they presented him with an address,
knowing he would accept no present
Of money"
When mother had finished her tale
we were all very sleepy. for it was
late; but We were little bit nervous.
I think. during that night I had an
awful nightmare, in which fancied
had money stitched up inside my very
skin.-Little Folks.