Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-07-24
"SUFFERIN' NATE. ="

Nate Presto was, as he himself wa
won't to declare, '.th' most patien'
an lOng-sufferin' man on airth." i,
was Mates way to be patient ant
long-suiTering, just as it is some men:
way to sly off the hooks" and lost
their tempers on the slightest provo
cation. Perhaps the latter way j:
more convenient, as saving one a vast
amount Of lacerated feelings and los:
of pride, but Mates way had the ad
vantage of costing its owner fewer
post-mortem regrets and fewer
friends. True it is that Mates friend:
were won't to impose on him much as
other people did, but he didn't mind
that-at least they thought he
didn't And 1T was this supposition
that led some Of them into subse-
iuent difficulty.
Nate was one of the principal
characters and most important feat
ures OF Manganese, where he lived.
To be principal character necessl-
tates the possession OF much spare
time, and Nate had this essential
qualification nearly every day in the
week. When he didn't have 1t, he
was at work, but this did not happen
often. Nate was like Rip Van
Winkle-always ready to take drink.
or to lend hand for the benefit of
some cne else. but prone to shirk Ia
Dor which might benefit himself and
his family. So Mr.. Preslo sewed
nresses and things, which was quite
convenient for Nate, as 1t gave him
more time to indulge his fancy foi
loafng.
Mates loahng- places were the Ex
change and Red Front saloons These
places were most convenient, being
provided with plenty Of chairs, and
being the places most affected by
citizens likely TO set 'em up. Here
Nate did most Of his suffering, oi
whatever kind. 1t came mostly in
the form OF jokes, practical and OF
mouth, leveled at him by his fellow
citizens, and in the lie took sort
Of mournful pleasure, as being an In
dicatiUn OF his popularity. 1t Is a
well fact that an unpnpu-
lar man is seldom troubled by jokers-
Like most OF his kind, Nate had a
dog mot a yellow one, however, but a
spaniel) to assist him in lCaf1ng, and
it was Curly whose misfortunes led to
Mates final reformation.
One afternoon, as Nate was laZ1ly
holding forth to some of his cronies
from his seat in the Exchange, there
was a slight commotion on the street
outside, and they went to the door to
ascertain the cause 1t was Curly.
He had stopped in at the Red Front
to look for Nate, and some OF the
crowd down there had proceeded to
have fun with him by tying tin-can
to his tail. He was now coming up
the street somewhat more rapidly
than usual. and heading for the Ex-
change, as possible place of refuge.
Nate picked him up and carried him
inside, where he removed the can.
Then he sat quite still for few mo.
ments, petting Curly, and quite un-
conscious of the laughing mob in the
saloon, cracking fool-jokes at mis- and
Curly's expense.
Suddenly he arose, and, without a
glance at any one. strobe out OF the
door. The crowd followed, wonder.
ing what he intended doing. Nate
stopped a minute IN front of the bar
ber-shop to speak to Jim Calkins
"Got a gun, Jim?"
YES"
"Gimme it, fr few minutes"
What ye goln' T. do, Mater"
"Jim," answered Nate slowly, but
working his nails in and out of his
palms very fast, "Pm goin' down t
lick tn brute th't put that can on tn
pup-an' l want T. be fixed Z shoot
back eff he makes a gun-play."
Jim handed him the desired six
shooter, and he went on down the
street ID the Red Front.
The jokers had gone inside, ana
we're laughing as they waited at the
bar for drinks
"Hulio, Natew called Nosey Price
who was buying" Bring tn dog
an come an have drink. Dooz he
drink, too? l see I'm rushin' tn can
les now"
OF course all the men laughed up
roarIously, but they stopped short at
sight OF Mates upllfted hand and
blazing eyes.
"Hoi on. Nosey," said Nate quietly,
II want t. know, first place, who tied
that there can on tn pups tail?"
The knot Of drinkers at the bal
looked at each other half-amusedly
for second or two, and then one
asked, laughingly:
"Why, Nate?"
Because" answered Nate, II jes
Il Z - RI I'm
patient an long -suferin' myself,
but"
Another laugh interrupted him.
and then he went on:
But l don't perpose no brute is
koin' t tease that dog O. mine, none
whatever. Th' man th't done it is a
dirty. sneak;ng coward, an en- lick
'im."
They saw he was in earnest, and
aid not laugh. Bill Kiley, a big raw.
boned. ham-1sted 'bad" man from
High Pines, who stood at the further
end OF the bar. stepped forward.
.'Wh-what did We say?" he asked.
Iurprisedly. "W'y, you half-growed
sniveler-n
luey "eic uoG GulLc euIc uoW ~
happened; none of them had ever
seen Nate lift his hand against fel-
low man, ard they were totally un.
prepared fer whaJ happened. In
scarce fifteen seconds, Nate, bleeding
but triumphant, sat astride his an
tagonist, Enthusiastically humping
him on the head with the butt of the
prostrate Kiley'S own revolver-which
the latter had dropped somehow early
In the argument-when the crowd in.
terfered and dragged them apart
After taking a couple Of drinks and
Washing his face, Nate walked home,
preceded by Curly, who seemed to
feel that he had been thoroughly
avenged, and acted like callow pup
In hi catiSfacfinn Nafe did not 90