Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-05-31


al want the money for that draft"
he said, simply.
The cashier took up the paper, ex.
amined it closely, turned it on its
back and saw that it was indorsed
in a rough but Muscular hand, with
the name "Allen Brayton." Then he
spoke a few words to clerk at
desk near by. Books were opened, a
name noted, and Gan right, sir" was
returned by the examiner.
"Yes, said the cashier, 1--WE have
had advices from our house in San
Francisco. Your draft is quite cor
rect, sir; and now all that is neces-
sary is for some one to identify you"
A look of dull mystification came
into the mans face, and in u slow,
vague voice, herepeated, "I-den-ti-fy?
l don't know what you mean"
Il mean that some one whom we
know, and you know, must declare
that this is your name on the back
of this draft, aud that you are the
person who wrote il"
"Sir"-the grand form dilated, and
the blue eyes blazed-"Sir, what do
you take me tor-a thief"
sob, no; you don't understand"
"Sir, | tell you I'm a squar man.
Five years ago went to the mines
to make sumthin' if could, mos
eyed round till | found a pocket. 1t
did not span out very rich; but |
worked and saved till | got enough
TO keep the wife and chicks decent;
and then / tell you Twas glad enough
to get out of that murderin' crowd;
AMI had TO dig out very quiet. too,
just as if | had perticler bizness
round the corner. l took my pile
to your men in Frisco, who gave
me that paper, which they said was
as good as the money when l show
ed it TO you. Now all want you to
do is to give me my money"
"But just listen, said the cashier
earnestly Eve must take the pre-
caution to have you identified, for
your sake as well as for ours. See,
now, a great many merchants come
here to buy goods to sell at the
mines; don't you think that if you
look around little you might find
some one who had seen you there,
and who would step IN and say SOP"
Look here. Mister" answered the
miner, with a hazy, Wisuul smile, and
pathetic shake of the head, II came
into this town last night. | looked
round for some face | had seen be-
fore, for | felt lonesome. | hadn't n
friend. Why, | felt so bad, I'd been
glad to meet some of those old coons
who used to tell us blood and thun-
der stories in Alligator Gulch, tho /
knew they were lies every one o. them.
And coming here this morning. |
looked at every man met, but they
We're all strangers; amt a man in the
hull place that would cotton to me
worth a cent. Now, you just look.a-
here, hecontinued, coaxingly, don't
you go to bein' a contrary, PANIED
out, old settler, but just let me have
my dust. My wife and my two little
kids are waiting for me. They don't
want no Identifying of me; they new
er hearn Of SIGH a thing. amt got
to be withered old man of daddy
in these five year. I'm just the same
as were; so now, just you give me
that money, an let me drift along"
How am | to make you under
stand?' said the perplexed cashier.
"See here, my friend, we'll suppose a
case. Suppose away in those mining
regions, where n mans life is hard
ly worth q snap of the fingers,
some drunken, quarrelsome wretch
had killed you, and, assuming
your name with your money, he had
got the draft from our house in San
Francisco and came here to have it
cashed. Suppose we believed him
and cashed the draft. Afterward it
is discovered that you have been
murdered, and the wretch who killed
you has disappeared with your
money. Your poor wife and children,
to whom it would rightly belong,
are in great want, and the reason
she lost it is that we neglected to
make sure that it was really her hus-
band and their father who had come
with the draft Don't you see that
for your sake and their sakes we
must know that you are the man
represent yourself to be-"
At this point the good cashier
laid one hand kindly on the miners
arm, and rested the other on his
shoulder, the more strongly to inn
press his words.
"But, in the name of the great
Cesar" said the discouraged miner,
chow am ever to git home? Look
a-here, stranger, I've given you q
statement OF Atwood facts about
myself. Pm Allan Brayton! I'm no
murderer Why, my young ones'd
know me in minute. They'd come
runnin' and singin' up to me so sweet
and clipper that the birds would
stop and listen; blamed if they
wouldn't" and choke came in his
voice; "and my wife, | tell you
and the choke deepened into dry
sob my wife if she seed me q hum
dred yards off, why, she'd fly down
ta me light as a snowflake on an oak
bough. Dash! you mought knock
me down with straw. III can't git
h1yna L yynAt,TrHA ell IL