Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-21
a BUSY MAN.



ing People.
About noon the stage drove mp to a long,
low building. composed of sois and poles,
and the driver JAILED to us that this was
the place wherc we were to eat dinner and
change horses Tie house was a tavern, and
the owner Of it came forward to receive the
five passengers and said:
Glad TO see you. gents-very glad.
Haven't got much in the way Of dinner,
but Of course you don't expect much"
There were no c0nvenences for washing,
and when one Of the men went to the land
lord about il he replied:
''Oh! Never mind gettin the dirt of. I've
lived here over two years and haven't
washed once. We don't put ON any style
out here
We were about to sit down to dinner
when a shot was fired out doors and the
landlord came into the room to say:
Sorry to bother you. gents, but as I wait
for few minutes. There's cuss ont here
who wants To be shot, and as I'm all ready
1t won't take over five minutes"
He seized his gun and went out, and after
couple Of shots the "cuss'' was hit in the
shoulder and rode off. The dinner consist
cd OF baked beans, corn bread, a little bacon
and corn coffee, and as the landlord served
| it ont he said:
Sorry can't offer you more grub, but
my Mexican cook got impudent last night
and had to plant him. | was just heapin
| up the grave on the other side of the road
as You came in sight. Eat hearty, gents.''
Some tried TO. and some lost their appe-
titles. Observing the latter the genial host
observed:
Better fiji right up. gents, as this stage
will probably be stopped a, Rel creek by
road agents, and they may Keep you ST and
ing around till tomorrow
Something was said by the kicker Of the
party about the absence of napkins and
tablecloth. and the landlord promptly re-
piled:
| .Yes, l know. did start in with table
cloths, but the neighbors came and begged
'em fur shrouds fnr people killed by the In
| dams, and We clean run out. Sorry abou;
| it, hut we have to help each other out here
| you know"
Meat seems To Inc pretty scarce with
| You" observed! q passenger who had failed
| TO get taste.
Yes, rather. but only at the present
time. Last week had oceans of meat, but
l got into a row with the Teller who wa.
freighting it down for me, and he's planted
| just beyond the Mexican
When we went out to settle for the mea!
the landlord said it would he A apiece
There was a general kick about the price
and he threw up his hands and exclaimed:
Great lands! but what is this country
coming to anyway: A month ago had T.
shoot a traveller for insisting on havin.
white sugar in his coffee. Two weeks ag'
had to kill another for kicking about
looking glass. Last week l plunked maj
from Chicago who wanted a harbrush
and now I've got to kill the five Of you a
once to get what that dinner actually COS
, me! DO you fellers imagine that all hav
TO do out here is to dig graves and shove
back the dirt."
He seemed so hurt in his feelings that "
paid him the q apiece and went our way
but in the cou-se Of half an hour somethin
happened to solace US. We met three me-
: on horseback, who halted us that one Q
I them might inquire:
DO you know il ole Dan Smith are a
home:"
You mean Smith of the Forty Mil
= House, suppose answered the driver.
I'VE do"
YES, he's home"
Much obleeged. We ar goiu up thai
to fill his ole carcass with lead and plan
: him alongside of his cook.'-New Yor
| Herald