The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-12-18

ON, sOftenlng the road so as to make a
slow walk good speed. Our hopes fell
with the rain, which was dismal enough
in the big woods, rendering still darker
a gloomy way. To return was as far
out of our plan as to continue, the
woods at night being as dark as peck
ct. L. L. must be our abiding place
perforce. We consulted, therefore, as to
the best means to avoid trouble should
the inhabitants feel in sportive mood.
1t being the middle of the week was
a point in our favor, as there would in
all probability be few outsiders in town.
Our first care was Wilson, whose yer
| dancy was too apparent to conceal and
would no doubt render him more or less
a butt of frontier wit. Bob advised him
to go to bed at once on his arrival and
said by way of inducement that he could
then watch our property, which we
( would of course be obliged to leave in
( our rooms. Wilson was perfectly will
ing to do this, especially after Bob's
1 graphic description of the dancing
act, - firing a revolver under a man S feet
to see if they are tender. Our most en-
phatic advice was not to show any mon
ey over that absolutely essential for his
expenses. The rain and mud had sutfi-
GENTLY taken the newness from our out
fit, and we thought we could represent
ourselves as going north to work on
some of the big ranches.
1t was near dark when we reached
the town and slowly rode through the
one street ON which it was built, look
ing for the best appearing hotel. On
both sides were rows of hotels, gam
bling houses, barrooms and stores,
sometimes separate, but oftener all com
bined in one building. With the desire
of getting as far as possible through the
town, we selected the last house ON the
road and applied for shelter. The rain
had ceased, and the sky was beginning
to clear We almost regretted that we
had not decided to keep on, but the
horses were too tired to make the idea
feasible. AS we rode through the vii
lage the ''stoop population" were in
terested enough to comment on the gen
eral appearance of us and our horses,
but in no way other than common to
all western towns One remark / re-
member, applying to Wilson: ''That
yellow haired one on the mule is ten
derfoot' look at his chaps. Will
son had leggings instead of boots.
We went to stable between the no.
tel and woods, unsaddled our horses,
and taking our rifles, ETC., went up to
our rooms. Bob and / soon went down
to our supper, which was fairly good
for the country We told the people,
who seemed rough, but pleasant, that
our friend was too tired TO come down
and secured supper for him. Taking
down his dishes, we sauntered into the
barroom and were agreeably disappoint-
ed to find things fitted up as well as
elsewhere along the road. The building
was of a class common in the west, an
oblong two story structure, with piazza
facing the street. Down stairs were the
barroom, kitchen, dining room and
owners living rooms, while the entire
second story was for guests. This was
subdivided by a narrow hall running
lengthwise, leaving numerous small
boxes called bedrooms on either side,
one row fronting the piazza and the
street, and the other commanding an
extensive rear view. AS we were about
the only guests, we had rooms i'll the
front row. The house was upholstered,
and only the lower floor rooms were
ceiled
Bob and l seated ourselves in the bar
room and answered the various ques
tions commonly asked of travellers and
began to laugh at our fears, although
there were some pretty tough faces
among the auditors.
Our attention was attracted to COW
boy who appeared stranger, like our
selves and who volunteered the infor-
nation that he, too, was going to Id
in the morning. Although we had al
ways made a rule to be chary i'll talking
to strangers, there was something in
his face and manner attractive. and l
found myself holding quite an animated
conversation with him. His name was
Dick This involved an invitation to
drink, which l compromised by the less
of two evils-a western cigar-whioh j
smoked to the bitter end. l had just re-
tumed my good old pipe in order to re-
move the unpleasant taste of friend
ships Offering" when l heard a door
open and was surprised to see Wilson
come into the room. He said he had
Just run down for a moment for some
cigars, and / let him court his fate and
purchase some of the brand had smok-
ed. To my surprise, he offered $50
goldpiece in payment.
This was the keynote to the whole
trouble. The barkeeper, big, burly,
foxy eyed fellow, slid the gold back of
the counter, passed out the cigars and
returned change for only 81. Wilson
told him he had given him $50. The
barkeeper bluntly denied this and pro-
duced a silver dollar as the one handed
him and appealed to a bystander, who,
of course, confirmed his statement, and,
moreover, challenged any one in the
house to differ. Although many had
seen the transaction, no one objected,
and Wilson, after hesitating moment,
came back to me. In language more en-
phatic than polite l told him to go up
to his room. Dick looked surprised, and
when Wilson had gone asked if he was
one of our party. l replied in the al
| firmative and gave the circumstances
/ of Wilson's connection with us Dick
studied moment and then asked,
"Are you going to let him lose that
money without making kick?' l told
him did not see any other way to do,
as to make row in that place would
be foolish. He wanted to know what
would give him to get the coin back,
and l replied that be could have the
whole, as we had lost our claim.
"Will you back me up, and has your
friend (meaning Bob got any sandT'
said Dick
was very much worked up over the
whole affair, and although don't be-
lieve in getting into row unless it is
forced upon a man it goes against ones
grain to see such a barefaced robbery as
Wilson's, so said, Eyes, although ]
did not really believe that he was in
earnest-in fact. could not imagine
how he would go about a recovery.
was soon to learn.
We had remained in the barroom an
hour after Wilson s retirement, and the
place had gradually become deserted
until there were but half dozen peo-
pie besides the barkeeper and ourselves
remaining, and several of these We're
sleepy drunk The barkeeper, though
he glanced now and then in our direc-
tion, paid MS no other attention. He
seemed to have forgotten the gold cpl
sode 1 had given up any idea that
Dicks suggestions were coming TO a
point, and was thinking of retiring,
when he got up, sauntered over TO the
bar in an easy manner, and, quick as a
flash, covered the barkeeper with his re
volver, and asked him TO return that
money. Bob and myself at once cover
ed the remainder Of the party, who pro
tested, however, that they had no in
tention of interfering The barkeepeI
saw his predicament and sullenly hand
cd out a $40 goldpiece. The only re-