News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-12-31
REFORMING AN OUTCAST

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the old cattleman, tipping back his
chair, chow some old Roman sharp
who most likely was interested in the
town says, All roads leads to Rome.
Not KNOWN nuthin of Rome myself,
nor yet of the causeways thar an thar
abouts, of course amt sayin nuthin,
an simply lets her fly as a quotation for
what it's worth. 1t suggests, however
-Ieavin Rome for the reformation of
men-that all trails leads likewise to re-
form. No one can tell how soon or by
what curious means some onery hoss
thief sort of fellow, of no more value
to decent camp than an Apache or a
horned toad, will come squar' round
on his hind hoofs an be good people.
''This yere was mighty eminent the
case with hold up | knows once by
the name of johnson. He comes into
Wolfville one day in August, along of
paint pony. He comes trailin in
after the stage at the time, for COM
pauy likes, suppose, which the same
is not unusual. Old Monte, the driver,
sorter allows casual like with his nose
in his whisky, as how he sees johnson
first back some thirty miles into the
hills, an as old Monte seemed to reckon
whole lot, that Johnson owns some
cattle some'ers, an as the fac's amt
worryin us none nohow, we all lets
her go at that. L
johnson himself is a long, lean,
good lookin kind of coyote, with
quick eye, which is gettin it's share of
the scenery right along, an if he's re-
markable at all it's because he's per
vadin around mighty continuous, an
seems like he's as restless as a prairie
dog. AS far as my opinion goes at
that time, / sorter likes him. takes
note of his alters drinkin whisky
straight, an that, nacheral enuf, kinder
drors him to my heart. Then, ag'in,
one night l observes him in a little
game with Cherokee Hall, an johnson
lays down three queens when Cherokee
makes flush on two draw, an then
| respects him. A man who is that
sensitive an ackerate as to know when
to lay down three queens is plenty
rare, an when found he has my re-
spect.
"Well? this yere johnson is trackin
round Wolfville, may be it's two
weeks, a-playin of little poker, a
buckin of a little faro an absorbin of
bar viands alternate, an all in a way
which puts public suspicion to sleep in
minute if it ever lifts its head, which
it don't.
"One mornin we was all outen our
blankets an assembled in the Early
Bird'-it was about first drink time an
we was gathered thar for our custom
ary forty drops-when in comes Dan
Boggs all spradled out.
"'Gents, says Dan in tone as shows
he's all keyed up, Gents, Pm a hinged
Mexican if somebody amt done run off
every hoss we had in the corral-least-
wise he's run off ten head, bein six of
the stage company's in the bunch
too
"'Well, says Sam Enright, calmly
tippin up his glass until he gets every
drop as is comm to him, 'takin ten
hosses is different from takin ALL Moore,
you go over an see about saddlin four
hosses-get fast ones, Jack, an barkeep,
fill up four canteens with cough medi
cine-give US some of the Willow run
stuff. / reckon, he goes on, turnin to
the rest of US, we overhauls this yere
hoss dealer too easy Enright was
chief of the Strangers, an a prompt,
thoughtful man. You can gamble he
knowed his business.
"'While we all are waitin for the
hosses, says Doc Poets, an | wants to
mention that most likely this yere Peets
was the smartest man | ever see,
s'pose we convenes the camp an find
who's missin. 1t may hep find the
thief
80 Peets steps out an turns his six
shooter loose three or four times, an of
course all the inhabitants comes can
term up eager for to see whoever gets
downed so early in the day, an when
we counts noses we finds we're Jest
short this yere sharp, johnson.
80 reckon he's our man. says En-
right 1 can't go myself, but four of
you all take the hosses Booth is comm
with, an pint out an get him.
80 Peets, Booth, Boggs an Cherokee
Hall steps into the saddle an, pickin up
the trail over by the corral, lines out
toward the Tres Hermanos. They runs
the trail until late that afternoon an
camps, an gettin it agan in the mornin
is takes 'e1n into the hills. Yere it gets
hard and rocky, an they, nacheral
enuff, not beln Injuns,' lose it. An In
Jun can track a tomcat along a stone
wall, but white men aikyt got no sech
gift. But on they goes, trail or no
trail
"' We gets this yere Johnson says
Jack Booth, or up goes a wickeyup
an I lives right in these yere hills from
now on. Either we downs him or l
don't go back no more, in which event
Wolfville lose not only ten hosses, but
valyooed citizen Booth is marshal
for the Strangers, an for outsider
like this yere johnson to stroll in and
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