Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-08-12

lie was game al WcuJ dlOlB WlVh hio |
mouth shet as tight as wax.
They he'd to come right up past a
place where a lot O. the men was |
standin', laughin' at the sight In the
crowd was Bill Sanders, as his eyes fell
on little Billy he jumped for'ard, say
I'M "What's the meanin' O thisP"
sob, these are the fellers what stole
them tools from the tool house an
we're a goin' to take 'em up an try
EN-" says Hank Simms.
Didn't steal no tools, dad" little
Billy bawled out.
His father went up to him and takin'
his arm drawed him away from the
crowd Turnin' to Hank he says, in a
low, dry voice: II don't want no such
darned foolishness with my boy. He
didn't help steal them tools; he says so,
an I'd believe his word again any of
you; there amt drop O. lynn or steal
in blood in his veins"
"Why, it's only fun, Bill, said Hank.
Fun or what not, don't like it,"
and Sanders took little Billy an went
home.
Mebbe Sanders was a little too par
ticular, but every hen knows best how
to cover her own chickens.
Boys In them days struck out soon
fur themselves, an when little Billy
was about sixteen he left the camp an
went somewheres where he thought
he could do better an make more
money For time Salders heerd
from him regular an ne was alias
gettin' along well; but by m by the
letters commenced fallin' off. An as
he got further an further away from
the OF man, they got Stacker an Stacker
ontil they quit entirely.
Not word could be heerd from him;
nobody even knowed where he was.
But Sanders didn't worry or take on as
you might "a expected he would. He
was allus calm, for he said he knowed
wherever little Billy was he was safe
an dom well, cause he was honest an
willin' to work an he he'd he'd good
raisin'.
tell Won he he'd lots o. faith in tibet
boy, n good deal more than anybody
else he'd, fur there was several times
when he was in camp tibet purity mean
tricks was laid at his door, an tibet up
on good proof, too; but he always man
aged to get out of it somehow or other,
an KNOWN how his father dotted on him,
most everybody hated to press thing
against him. There's ben more boys
than one saved trouble tibet way. But
arter while, little Billy was fur
got an even Sanders himself he'd
stopped tellin' every listener the good
points 90 tibet boy Billy" Fact is, we
he'd to furget everything in them rush
in times. The mimi camp he'd
growed into a town with regular gov'a-
ment an a court an jedge tibet got in
his work on offenders, whenever his
flourishin' an expeditions rival ledge
Lynch Civ him chance.
An there was plenty of work for
both of 'em, cause every kind of thief
under the sun was layin' round, wait
in fur a chance to nab the dust o some
onsuspectn' miner. An now, boss
thieves he'd ben added to the list.
Several valuable animals belongin' to
different folks in the town he'd walked
off in a very mysterious manner.
Now, you know, tibet is our sore
point-hoss thieves!
We hate 'em worse n murderers,
cause they're sneakin'er about their
work. Wall, this yere thief was about
the cutest one that ever laid fingers on
hoss flesh; didn't leave no tracks,
seemed to jest pick the animals up an
fly away with EN-.
We come to the conclusion tibet II
wasn't no gang, but jest one powerful
slick, man by hisself. No gang could
"a moved so quiet an mysterious an
ben quick at the same time. We
tried every way to ketch him, but he
was too slick fur us. But at last we
got desperate an vowed we'd ketcf
tibet Teller eff it took every bit o dus
we he'd an our lives to boot We stud
led an studied to think how we coult
fix it, an at last Bill Sanders hissel
hit on plan which we all agreed to.
So the next night seen in his OWL
stable the finest boss tibet heavy col
lection taken up amongst us could buy
an score O. determined men hiC
round in the dark. Now really flint
boss draws a boss thief like a magne
does steel, an we knowed tibet we heC
the chap dead sure.
Wall, not leaf stirred the frs
night an we was considerable disap
pointed, SO durin' the follerin' day tn
horse was driv' around the town t
show him off to any watchers the
might be lurkin' about, an we watche'
tibet night in hopes, but it was like tn
first, no go. Fur ten solid days w
watched without success, an then tn
men began to drop off, ontil the guar
he'd ben entirely broken up.
We believed tibet the boss thief he
left us an for good too. But reckon
tibet chap was even slicker then W
: thought: fur one night arter We
rrowed l1eerlesS. Sanders, who was
mite more keerful then the rest of MS
heerd the boss whinny. He was out t
the stable in a minute. There was
man beside the boss; at sight OF hin
Sanders darted in but the telier vaulte'
into the saddle an lettin' drive she
tibet took Bill in the shoulder dashe
out o the back door.
FGrgittin' the pain of his wound San
ders was on a mustang an arter hlI
like fash. alMmin' the town Us n
passed through, cryin'; Hos THE.