Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-12-31


not be more melodiously or gracefully
turned, he approached nearer, and, not
without shying and starts, of which
took no notice, at last licked my hand,
put his head upon my shoulder, suffered
me to put my arm round his neck, and
in fact lavished upon me every mark Of
confidence. We were growing fast
4 friends when | heard sound of coming
hoofs. The black tore away with a
snort and galloped off with the herd
after him. a Mexican vaquero dashed
down the slope in pursuit. hailed him.
"a quien es ese caballo-e1 negritoy"
"Aquel diablo! es del Senor Gerrian,"
And he sped on
knew Gerrian. He was Pike of
4 the better class. He had found his way
early to California, bought mission
farm, and established himself as ran
chero His herds, droves and flocks
darkened the hills
1t CHANGED that, when | was making
my arrangements to start for home,
business took me within mile of Ger
rian's ranch. remembered my inter-
view with the black. 1t occurred to me
that / would ride down and ask the ram
chero to sell me his horse for my journey.
found Gerrian, lank, wire drawn
man, burned almost Mexican color,
lounging in the shade Of his adobe house.
told him my business in a word
'sNo bueno, strangerr' said he.
"Why not? Do you want to keep tile
horse?"
''No, not partickler. Thar amt bet
ter stallion nor him this side the South
Pass; but can't do nothing with him
no more'n yer can with steamboat
when the cap'n says, Beat or bustr
He's a black devil, eff thar ever was
devil into a horses hides Somebody's
tried to break him down when he was
colt, an now he won't stan nobody goan
near him."
'.Sell him to me, and III try him with
kindness"
ssNo, stranger I've TUX middlin
shine to you from the way you got off
that Chinaman them Pixies was goan to
hang fur stealing the mule what he
hadn't stoled. I've TUX middlin kind
er shine to you, and don't want to see
yer neck broke, long er me. That thar
black II shut up the hinge in yer neck SO
tight that yer'll never look up to ther top
Of redwood again. Allowin you hain't
got an old OK yoke into yer fur backbone,
yerll keep off that thar black kettrypid
till the Injins tie yer on, and motion yer
to let him slide or be shot"
"My backbone is pretty stiff, said /:
81 will risk my neck"
stThe greasers is some ON hosses, you'll
give in, | reckon Well, thar amt a
gfeaser on my ranch that II put leg over
that thar streak er four legged lightning;
no, not if yer'd chain off for him claim
six squar leagues in the raal old Garden
of Paradise an stock it with ther best
gang er bullocks this side er Santer Fee.
"E3ut I'In not q Afaxicans Fna the stiff
est kind Of Yankee. Il don't give in to
horse or man. Besides, if he throws me
and breaks my neck | get my claim in
Paradise at once.n
"Well, stranger, you've drawed yer
bead on that thar black, as anybody can
see, an eff mans drawed his bead thar
amt no use tellin him to pint off.
"No. If you'll sell III buy"
swell, if you wunt go fur to ask me
to throw in acoffin TO boot, p'raps we ken
scare up trade. How much do you own
In the Foolonner miner
Ihave forgotten to speak of my mine by
its title. A certain Pike named Pegrum,
Colonel Pegrum, pompous Pike from
Pike county, Missouri, had once owned
a mine. The Spaniards, finding the syl-
lables Pegrnm harsh morsel, spoke Of
the colonel, as they might Of any stran-
ger, as Don Fulano-as we should say,
"John Smith" 1t grew to bea nickname,
and finally Pegruin, taking his donship
as title Of honor, had procured an act
Of the legislature clubbing him formally
Don Fulano Pegrum. From him our
quartz cavern had taken its name
| told Gerrian that | owned one-quarter
Of the Don Fulano mine.
''Then you're jess one-quarter richer
ef you owned haff, and jess three-quar-
ters richer'n eff you owned the hull kit
and Doodle Of it,"
You are right, said l. knew it by
bitter heart.
"Well, stranger, less see ef we can't
banter fur trade. I've got a hoss that
ken kill ayry man. That's SO; amt itg'
You say SO.
You've got a mine that'll break ayry
man. short pocket or long pocket. That's
so; amt it?"
mo doubt of that.
We'll, now; my curwoiyows got grit
into him and SOS that thar pile er quartz
er yourn got gold into it, But you can't
git the slugs out er your mineral, and |
can get the kicks blasted sight thicker'n
anything softer out er my animal Here's
horse agin which'd yer rether hev.
allowin It was toss up and win"
"Horse!' said l. Il don't know how
bad he is, and do know that the mine is
worse than nothing to me.
LOCKER here, strangerl You're goan
home across lots You want a horse.
I'm goan to stop here. I'd jess as lives
gamble off hundred or two head O.
bullocks on that Foolonnef mine You
can't find ayry man round here to buy
out your interest in that thar heap er
stun an the hole it cum out Of. It'll
you more'n the hurs wuth eft you go
down to San Frisco and wait tell some
fool comes along what's got gold he
wants to buy quartz with Take time
now, Tn goan to make yer flair banter" ("
well make it.
81 stump you to a clean swap My
hoss agin your mine
"Done," said |.
Il allowed you'd do it. This here is
one er them swaps when both sides gifts
stuck. git the Foolonner mine, what
can't make go, and you'll be a fool on
a crittur what'll go a heap more'n you'll
want. Haw! hawl"
And Gerrian laughed Pixies laugh at
his pun 1t was laugh that had been
stunted in its childhood by the fever and
ague, and so had grown up husk with
out heart.
'.Have the black caught" said |, land
we'H clinch the bargain at once"
There was Mexican vaquero slouch-
ing about. Gerrian called to him.
"Oh, Hozayl kesty Sinyaw cumprader
curwolyow nigereeto. Wamos addel-
antyi Corral curwolyose toethosop
/ Pike Spanish thatl If the Mexicans
choose to understand it. why should
Pixies study Castilian?
Tue bukkarer, as Gerrian's Spanish
anfffIad Hazav fo,n4,ral,at1a1 anon er11