The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-16

people turned up occasionally. This one
had paid for everyoody's drink several
times, because he felt friendly, and
never noticed that nobody ever paid for
his. They had played cards with him,
stolen his spurs and now they were
making him dance. 1t was an ancient
pastime; yet two or three were glad TO
stand round and watch it, because 10 was
some time since thew had been to the
opera. Now the tenderfoot had misun-
derstood these friends at the beginning,
supposing himself to be among good fell
lows, and they therefore naturally set him
down as a fool. But even while dancing
you may learn mu oh. and suddenly. n The
boy, besides being Timber, had good tough
black hair, and it was not in fear, but
with cold blue eye, that he looked at
the old gentleman. The trouble had been
that his own revolver had somehow
hitched, so he could not pull it from tfe
holster at the necessary moment.
Tried to draw on me, did yera" said
the old gentleman. "Step higher! Step,
now, or I'll crack open yer kneepans, We
robins egg"
Thinks he's having bad time" re-
like to have been that man the Injuns had
sport withp'
Weren't his ear funnyl" said one who
had helped bury the man
Earl" said Ephraim. "You boys
ought to have been along when l found
him. and seen the ways they'd fixed
up his mouth. Ephraim explained the
details simply, and the listeners shiv-
cred. But Ephraim was a humorist.
wonder how it feels, he continued, Ito
have"
Here the boy sickened at his comments
and the loud laughter Yet a few hours
earlier these half drunken testers had
laid the man to rest with decent human
ity The boy was taking his first dose of
Arizona. By no means every body was
looking at his jig. They had seen tender
feet SO often. There was a Mexican game
of cards; there was the concertina and
over in in the corner sat Specimen Jones,
with his back TO the company singing to
him self. Nothing had been said or done
that entertained him in the least. He had
seen everything quite often,
Higher skip higher, you elegant calf"
remarked the old gentleman to the ten
derfoot. "High-yer" and he placidly
fired forth shot that scraped the boys
boot at the ankle and threw earth over
the clock, so that you could not tell the
minute from the hour hand
Drink TO me only with thine eyes,
sang Specimen Jones, softly. They did
not care much for his songs in Arizona
These lyrics were all, or nearly all, that
he retained of the days when he was 30,
although he was but 26 now.
The boy was cutting pigeon wings, the
concertina played "Matamoras," Jones
continued his lyric, when two Mexicans
leaped at each other, and the concertina
stopped with a quack.
Quit it!' said Ephraim from behind
the bar, covering the two with his
weapon. Il don't want any greasers
scrapping round here tonight. We've
Just cleaned up"
1t had been cards, but the Mexicans
made peace, to the regret of Specimen
Jones. He had looked round with some
hopes of a crisis and now for the first
time he noticed the bow.
BLAMED if he amt neat" he said But
interest faded from his eye, and he turned
again to the wall. "'Lieb Vaterland
magst ruhig sein,' he melodiously OBJ
served. His repertory was wide and re-
fined. When he sang he was always
grammatical.
I'VE kin STOP kid, said the old gentle
man, not unkindly, and he showed his pIs-
toll into his belt
The boy ceased. He had been thinking
matters over Being 1.-the and strong. he
was not tired nor much out of breath. but
he was trem bling with the plan and the
prospect he had laid out for himself
set EN- up. he said to Ephraim set
Gih up dEdllA al dLOuiih
His voice caused Specimen Jones to turn
and look once more, while the old gentle
man, still benevolent, said, Eyer lang
widge means pleasanter than it sounds,
kid" He glanced at the boys holster,
and knew that he need not keep very
sharp watch as TO that. It's owner had
bungled over it once already. All the old
gentleman did was to place himself next
the boy on the off side from the
holster; any move the tenderfoot's
hand might make for it would be
green and unskillful and easily anticipa-
ted The company lined up along the bar,
and the bottle slid from glass to glass.
The boy and his tormentor stood together
in the middle of the line. and the tor
mentor, always with a half-thought FOR
the holster handled his drink on the wet
counter, waiting till all should be filled
and ready to swallow simultaneously, as
BELTS good manners.
We'll, my regards, " he said, seeing the
boy raise his glass and as the old gentle
mans arm lifted in unison, exposing his
waist, the boy reached down lightning
hand caught the old gentleman's own
pistol and damned it in his face.
Now you'll dance" said he.