The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-04-15

- az ~ jus. just a. deep;
stead Of blowing oil to lecward, rs it did
awhile ago, it hangs close around the
stage in II thick, dense, reddish. yellow
cloud, almost shutting of the view from
the passengers inside, il they cared 20
look out. But .hc beauties Of nature
bold their interest only slightly. just at
present. The dust occupies their attcn-
| ton to n large extent. 1t fills their
mouths, and eyes, and nostrils, and
clings to their hair aud cars in much
profusion. IL is dsugreeabe--very;
and the man who has enough spirits left
to try to keep up the conversation is
voted IN ass by his fellow. passengers
They were all very friendly only a short
time ago; but they hate each other with
bitter hatred just now--all on account
Of the dust. Dust is II great destroyer OF
good humor.
Somehow, the dust doesn't rise very
high, or else the driver and tho passenger
on the box don't mind it, for we can
hear them talking. Old Ben, through
some unseen but easily imagined in.
nucnCc, has rclaxc from his usual tac.
turnity, and is quite communicative
to the boardlcss, bcyish-looking young
chap vino got on back ut Alpcna and is
sharing the box with him.
| AS the stage reaches the level and
| rolls into the shadows oil the mountain
and the tall pines, Ben points with the
whip to the mouth of tho narrow pass
| leading out of the canyon II quarter of
mile away, and remarks.
"Scc them two big rocks--road runs
btwccn 'cm. Uh-huh. Wal, right
thar-mcbbc couple rods r 80 luther
on-was whar | was hclt up one day in
tn summer Of 70"
"Ycs2' said the passengers pleasant
voice, mtcrrogativcly. "Woud you
mind telling me about t?"
Ben chirpcd to his horses, spat i'm
rrcssivcly and literally, and began:
'Wal, twuz this way. That morn.
in tn ,xprcss box was loaded plumb
full - hnId stun, TIT he'd 4 20 through
that day. Now, icsz luck'd hcv' it, one
o the gyardS--we he'd gyarols thcm days
turned up missIn' bout tn time we
was rcadyt start firm Eldorado in th'
mornin'. Berry Mcneil, tn other gyard,
goes artcr i'm, an fins Mr.. Man laid up
with cash in tn head firm beer bot
tle--bc'n scrappin' night b'forc.
m ph bout "gsRRd gWRd We d ed gAs gs Aa aha ss paK
cr's place cf he was sick, wen hyar
comes Mac, whistlin'.
"'Say, fcllcrs, says he, 'ITauscr got
plumkcd with bottle las night, an is
layin ON his downy couch with head
ache. Reckon en- go it b my lone
some; | got IIauscr's sawcd-olr gun
awe both kicked whole lot, but
Mac, he'd made up his min, an was
boun' [ hev' his own way, b'sidcs. we
ionw, 80 We hc t ..ivc in, an Mac
whl>tiln one % his "vcrlaStiu' toonS, pile,
up on tn box, AN We pulls out. They
want II" passengers.
"Wal, We keep our peppers skun righ
sharp, hut cv'rylhin went lovely till jcs
long bout hyar. Then Mac says: 'Bcn
| b'hcvc thcN's some cusScS layin' fer u
up t. them rnCis--l think | seen fcl
lcr'S head, jc,' now Says |: Mac
y'rC iutl - mop. seen it, too, M
\ 'twa'n'l nothin' but II hawk, crossin' tn
| -
somcver, but ies'l we turned tn rocks
somebody jumps out lr'm both sides NJ
nails Tia leaders, an they was so man
guns Shrin inluh my face tht 1t mad
me ashamed % myself Mac cut loo>
WI tn SaWCd.oil Shot gun, an then h,
gun wi tn Winchester, witUn' two f.
icrs an skinn,n' up some more but tn,
, was to" many at 'cm, an they cd shoe
100, so Mae ne never got II" chance
pump that gun dry. He ouGhtnt t he
shot, nuhow, but he alluS was a ncrN
c;!s%--invtv nerve II scusc. lusctuh 81
Mac -"
Half dozen dusky forms leap fro
the r"ah sidc--t1c big cowboy vino -
aboard early in the afternoon, and II
been doing and swearing in slccy
way about the dust, is suddenly wi,
awake. and we, on the inside, get a uot
? look at the mTZLlrS of his two biz T.
VoiVers-wc h"m Bcu cIucuiatc, 'Wu
this do beat all ~ and then we are i
vItcd to get uown into the road, whc
the pleasant faced, hoy yish -loo&ing your
man, who got on back 1T Alyrna, pr
rccdS to business, and, politely, court
ously, but firmly, withal, relieves us of o.
spare change and, more, too.
This is my part OF the story.
course, there were quite II numhrr
''hri people present, including I
"nthIui hI@hWaym,n and his capa.,
? ..~',tantS, aud they, also, have a clai
u The above narrative. | did not me-
1t owned 1t; what | tried t. >av W
nat that Is the only one oI the even
I'in winch come this vCraciouS tale IN
took part in, and | think it has he,
'i"wn that my part was entirely pa
'Ivc one. Perhaps we had better c;
tnat portion Of the story the gentleman
road agents, because he got about ever
i!allcgan's. - Th" r"St
Ha!lcgan and / were TRAVELLING :
Sether, and 1t was his forcsiyht-
rather, an odd potion Of his--thot .
: 'oled us to resume ouI joarncy To De
e yer alter the road-ngcnt incident, ~,
!, ','u ho'lon was i'll the torn of = IN
NNl, -. L