The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-19

would hold out against the newcomers
attacks
Jake slid into tho editorial chair otter
carefully closing tho door, and old man
Bangs, with n reluctant nod in tho direo-
ton Of tho bottle, went on with his task.
Sit down." said Jake briefly, pointing
to chair and declining tho implied invi
tetion.
Old man Bangs sat down and refreshed
himself with n pull at tho bottle.
Its nico sort Of night ut tho Four
Corners" no said ohcerfully. IT guess,
II tho river keeps on risin, old Hutchinson
will BIO drowned out afore mornin."
"Mebbc," said Jake
"Thcro's sort Of yarn, when tho rivers
that high" said old man Bangs, lighting
pipe, there's sort Of yarn when tho
river rises suddenly 1t carries away q soul
with the mornin light. But reckon you
mont take no stock in such dunn foolish
dessS"
Reckon do" said Jake, still speak
Ing without sign of resentment. Crock
on do. That's why I've como down"
'Jusso," said old man Bangs, putting
away with undiminished composurs
"Jusso. What's up Jakes"
Jake carefully Laid his revolver on tho
table. Old man Bangs realized that his
visitor meant business and had him ut q
disadvantage.
Some folks at tho Four Corners allow
ez this ycro paper of yourn amt high
toned, said Jake carelessly. "You don't
put on frills enough"
Old Man Bangs looked longingly ut tho
table drawer. Guess could put moro
tonc into the conversation If I'd the usual
seat, he said significantly and won't on
smoking.
"Mcbbc, snid Jake, "mebbe." He laid
tho papers no had brought with him on
tho table Some OF tho folks ut the Cor
ners was wishful of little native talent
in this one boss paper Of yourn. They Ill
lowed, mebbe, you orter take more stock
In poetry and native produce, such CT strad-
die bugs and chipmunks and things"
"All tho fools at Corners amt dead
yet, !" said old man Bangs savagely.
''Mcbbe," said Jake II lowed en- thoy
was wrong. Yer don't give old mnn
Bangs chance, SEE to cn. He's we'll
mcanin, is old man Bangs, but yer don't
give him chance. Now, If was to sort
or drop In on him perniskuslike and ask
him to give native talent show SCI,
why, old man Bangs would BIO right
thar So they lowed I'd bcttor try"
Old man Bangs, with studied compo-
sure, stretched out his hands and took up
saS popSAo oii oilc III ICCOSulZCl u
note in his own spidery writing, which
Jake had pinned on tho top
II kinder told 'cm, said jake, speak
ing with slow insistcncc, II kinder told
'em cz I'd only to take old man Bangs
down some native produce and he'd rear
up on end and print it straight off,"
Old man Bangs rose without n word,
walked to tho composing case md rapidly
began to 'sct up'' the verses which Jake
had brought, his fingers flying with all
the precision Of machinery. After half an
hours hard work he screwed up tho typo
In u FORM" took 'pull' and brought
1T to Jake, who laboriously spelled through
the words, still keeping ono hand on his
revolver and criticising tho spelling with
sublime disregard for conventional meth
DDS.
Twill that dor" growled old man Bangs,
with Sullcn resentment ut his enforced la
Dor.
Jake gazcd admiringly at tho poem SO
rapidly called into being. ''Sortcr pretty,
amt it2 I'll tell the folks at the Corners
you amt no SLOUGH when you get n chance
at native produce he added admiringly
Ho tucked tho printed paper carefully
away into his vest pocket and sprang for
the door. Old man Bangs rushed for his
revolver in the drawer of the distant table,
and, with q dextcrity acquired by long
practice, took n flying shot ut Jake as he
disappeared, then blew out tho light and
waited for reprisals, but none came
The brown mare scented her master as
he crawled slowly through tho darkness
and hauled himself with difficulty into the
saddle. Gently, Winny. gently" he said.
Guess you'd better crawl sortcr keerful
Old mans planted q bullet in my arm.
HD ullpTS shoots ctroinbt who hn, t,I
drunk
Tho marc walked with her burden as 1t
swayed from side to side. Something
warm ran down her flank and made her
start. For three hours she paced slowly
along tho marrow path, halting every now
and then when her rider chung to the sad
die and groaned, for he was faint from loss
of blood. The wind fell ms suddenly as 1t
had risen. Through the straight trunks
of the pines tho swollen river glimmercd
hero and there with faint streaks of light
A rift in the sullcn sky betokencd the
coming dawn. With careful steps the
marc ploddcd onward, hating now and
again to look round at her mastcr, who
motioned Der on with feeble wave of his
hand
When they reached the clearing Jake
slid out OF tho saddle and crawlcd into
the hut, leaving his marc standing at the
door. Selling whisky bottle, he drank
long and eagerly, then proppcd himself up
on his stool by the boys bunk and tight
ened his sash. It's sorter lucky that old
coon missed tho papers, " he mutterod and
waited I'm all right now my arms
stopped bleodin."
Presently n ray Of sunlight stole into
tho hut, and tho shadows fled away before
the cheerful singing of the birds
The boy awokc, with glad little cry
"Jake, where arc your Jake, I've had
such droam.''
Something white glistenod on tho rude