Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-10-17
FOOLISH FRANK.
Billings Prediction Proves Correct
in an Unpleasant Way.

Billings Prediction Proves Correct
in an Unpleasant Way.
Salamander City was a mining camp
nesting in a little valley in southern
New Mexico. This camp, like the ma
jority of camps Of the kind, was made
up Of men of all classes, kinds and ma
tionalitics. There were good men, bad
men aud men of Indifferent character
in the camp, but if there was any diff
ference the bad men prcdominatcd. SO
it will be seen that the camp would not
be easily surprised, no difference how
odd, how unique the specimen Of hui
manity might be who dropped in upon
them.
But one day newcomer put in an
appearance whose like the citizens of
Salamander City had never seen be-
fore. He had every appearance of an
idiot. being wild eyed, long haired and
crazy looking. He had Il peculiar way
of dodging every once in awhile. just
asit he thought some one were strilk-
ing at him. He was almost starved
when he appeared in the camp, and it
took several days to get his hunger ap-
peased, the miners giving him only
such scraps as they did not want them
selves. When asked his name he an
swcred Frank" but to nll other ques-
tioning he returned no answer, and the
miners quickly placed the word fool
ish" before his anne, and as ''Foolish
Frank he was known.
He took up his abode in an empty
cabin, and here he lived, the citizens of
tho camp coming presently to look
upon him as permanent fixture.
But while the citizens looked upon
Foolish Frank as simple, harmless
fellow as whole, there was at least one
among them who thought differently.
This was Mark Billings, big, burly,
strengthening fellow, half miner, half
gam bier, who gave it as his belief that
Foolish Frank was not what he seemed.
"You can't fool me"' he declared.
with an air Of conviction; that fellow
isn't what he seems. Thar's something
wrong with him, and I'll bet my hat
on it."
''Yes-he's foolish,' laughed miner.
Maybe he is, and maybe he isn't"
said Billings, t:oggedly; 'just you fell
lows wait and see if somethin' don't
happen around here before long,
well watt" said the miners, and
nothing more was thought of the mat
ter until about a week later, when the
camp was thrown into state of ex.
citement by robbery. The partners
OF the Gold-bug mine had been robbed
of about three hundred dollars worth
OF dust, savings of the past two months.
The miners were wild with rage.
Woe to the thief f, should they succeed in
laying hands upon him! 1t was now
that Mark Billings words of suspicion
regarding Foolish Frank were remem-
bered, and many were the dark looks
bent upon the poor fellow as he went
shambling about among the cabins of
the miners begging for something to
cat. The majority laughed at the idea
of his having had anything to do with
tho robbery, however, and he was not
molested.
Although diiigent search was made
the thief or thieves were not appre-
hended, and the owners of the Gold
Bug had to stand the loss of the dust
as best they could.
A week passed and another robbery
occurred, just as mysteriously, just as
inexplicab ble as the other. The thief
was not found. nor so much as clew
to his identity.
That is. it was a mystery to all save
robber.
"lt's.that Foolish Frank, I tell ye.
fellows" he said. ''When it's too late
you'll find I've been giving it to you
straight He'll steal all the dust in the
camp and then skip ont, and after he's
gone-after it's everlastingly too late
you'll wake up to the fact that you We
kept n viper alive, only to have him
rob ye!'
The miners were unwilling to take
this view of the case, however, until n
week later, when, another robbery oc-
earring, they rose up in arms
"Mebbc 'tis thet air blamed Foolish
Frank, arter a1l!'' cried one miner,
angrily.
II tell We, fellow citizens, ct air time
we war 1ookin' inter this hyar matter.
Eff it is Foolish Frank we must find ct
out, and l reckon he won't do it no
more; an eff it amt we wanter know
it, SOS we kin look somewhar else fur
the thief. Thar's ben enuff dust stole
in the last three weeks, and ct hez got
ter be stopped"
That's a fackt" the miners cried,
and they lest no time in hunting
Foolish Frank up.
They found him sound asleep in his
cabin, and when three or four of the
miners yanked him out of his bunk and
appeared with hip, before the crowd
utsidc he simply winked and 5linked
Ike an owl suddenly transferred from
arkness to light but he said never n
ord. He did not seem to be surprised
frightened. and if he was other
aan he seemed he was certainly good