Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-14
UP THE " DRAW"
EY THOMAS p. MORGAN.

IN THOMAS l.. MORGAN
The gan. at old man Sgsby's COM
bincd saloon, Costoilicc and general store
had waited icr the coming OF the mail
carrier ever since the saw mill shut down
at sunset. The time was passed in ours
in% the iarly Government official imbi,-
Ing Sigsby's villainous whisky and dis
c,issipglgie occupant of the little log and
SLAB sfnnty, half II mile up the heavily
tinlbeted draw"
They looked Il ''hard crowd" and
Their charac;ers did not in the least belle
f"iTliersonnl appearances. The scum
rand 'otfscourings OF many communities
ihcy were, held together by their cause
against! the common enemy. the United
| States Government. The sawmill. deem
IN tEc wilderness, turned ont great puan
titles OF lumber from trees cut from Gov
crnncni land, and is owners, in their
Eastern homes. knew little and cared less
OF ;hc ROUGH men whose toll increased
their employers ill-yottcn gains.
olh man Sigsby was the worst man i'm
the whoir gang, that seemed composed
ol The champion profanc. shock headed.
tangle-hcnr'icd and desperate men to he
i"''hd IN seven States. They growlcd ut
the gcncralitics OF life, cursed each other
ana drank great poiatonS of fiery wills.
ky. and Si"sby growlcd the lou,cst.
cursed them all individually and collec
lively and drank oficner than any othrr
of his customers.
The matter had been canvasscd thor
oushiy, and the opinion was general TINT
the occupant Of the shanty up the
"draw" was none other than a Govern.
mcnt detective
>'Wal, growlcd big Jim perduc.
"lm ycrc to say that his story's purity
thin. Ii he's takin up claim us he saws
he is, w'ynt he go out on the prair' like
n w'tc man stead o comm up we're whur
slui,tcr, hhinl wanted now. saw"
The question was addressed to no one
M particular, but Sigsby took il upon
himself to reply tha! he didn't know
an didn't kccr Il cuss,"
Wal. you needn't he so Drash!' re-
tor'cd Big Jim, with nm oath. Il"
a cattcr oi hools interrupted him.
The door was flung open and the tardv
mai! carrier threw the wrinklcd' pouch
into the ROOM
Then Sigsby distributed the mail.
This was done 10y opening the pouch,
pouring its contents in IL heap on the
hcor and, with several forciblc cpithcts,
telling the company 10 ''drivc in There
were few letters, but "A bundle of news
papers provided nearly every one with
something to- read.
When each had got his own and the
wrangling had ceased, one letter re.
manned. 1t was addressed to the occu.
pant OF the cabin up the "draw."
oval, remarked Sigsby, '.that Gus,
gifts entirely too many letters fora squat
ter, One every week or oftencr. An
NV all dad-blamcd directin' this beat,
any ever seed"
The address was printed in Struggling
irregular characters and with shockin.
disregard for capitalization Severa
examined the rude characters and al
were of the opinion that they wcr
traced in that manner to disguise tn
writer's chirography.
Lies open t." cried Pcrduc.
mot mnch!" objected old man Sirs
by. Nobody opens any letters in thi
we're posioifice but me. Understand"
The postmaster mentally resolved tim
while the gang might do rs they like
outside OF the office, he was not going t
allow them to commit any act within tn
Office that would incur the wrath of tn
Government.
Perduc rose, cleared his throat and bt
gam.
"Wc all know that this cuss is"
"You bet!" interrupted several voice:
eyes, wal, we know what happcne
to the last Teller that come spyil
round whur he had no call to be-
"Wc have Il idec." said a voice.
oval, shall he have the same?" w;
Big Jim's pertinent question Witho,
moments hesitation came the almo
unanimous verdict that he should ha,
the Same" There was a prolonpc
wranglc as to ways and means, muc
drinking at old man Sigsby's bar, an
then the gang departed for the gre
boarding shanty, to prepare for IL
nights work, up the "draw."
"After they had gone Sigsby tigh
cned his revolver belt. Then he locke
at the quecrly addressed letter and mu
tered:
wonder why the cuss don't come
git his letter. Never missed bein' ,
time before. B'licve I'll jest sorter tai
it up to him. Might be handy for me
git the lay NV things in the shanty G
the edge on the boys by KNOWN VIII
the valuablcs is"