Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-08
The Tramp Of the -Four Corners

Jn6 NdInp q u0 t0ut C0tnetS.
At O'Clock one summer morning,
when the birds sang with blessed amity
in the sheriff's garden, he was aroused
from slumber by hearing a mans voice
lend discordant and utterly 6nueces-
sary assistance to the melody slowly fl
tering through his dreams. When once
thoroughly awake, the. sheriff was not
given to sentimental influences. The
jailer's daughter. whose sweet tones had
lent such happy harmony to the concert
in the garden, faded away from the con-
fused half opened portals Of his brain.
Then up he gat and donned his
clothes. selected his favorite revolver
and opened the window. "who is it:''
he asked, keeping his head out of sight,
lest some disappointed candidate for the
shrievalty should cut him short in the
flower Of his days.
Its me. NJ. lie Sheriff Me! Millette.
Dere is one vile tramp smashin up my
bar. and brace myself to run for de
constables. Vite. vite, NJ. lie Sheriff, or
dere will not make himself to stand one
brick. I"
The sheriff leisureIy fastened his
braces and put back the revolver. "a
tramp" he said. "Is that all? Bar
quite smashed up, Millette?"
"Oh, yes; he ID all gone. A hundred
dollars all gone"
ch al hoA - II,
but he was dronk ven he made to
come in."
VERY well. II everything is smash
ed, thar'll be plenty Of time. I'll come
round presently"
Later ON the sheriff went round to
Millette's and after brief fight and one
knock down blow arrested his prisoner,
who differed from the ordinary tramp in
that he was SO much cleaner and better
dressed in rough. picturesque kind Of
way. His age could not have been more
than 30, and he wore diamond ring,
which, at the suggestion Of his captors,
he ut once admitted. to be paste, al
though the jailer's daughter. as she
peeped round the corner of the court
house door with feminine curiosity,
thought that if paste rings were SO
very beautiful diamonds themselves
could not fash with purer light. From
the tramp's ring her sweet eyes strayed
to his dare devil eyes, unsoddened or
tainted by the tanglefoot whisky which
had brought him into his present posi-
tion-a position he accepted with cheer
full indifference. as the ringed finger ca
ressed beautiful golden beard and his
blue eyes met hers for q moment. Then
the girl drew back into the angle caused
by the sheltering courthouse door with
an activity which brought smile to
the prisoners lips and caused him to ad-
just the bandage around his head with
IN attempt ut oriental elegance, for the
side Of the right temple had little con-
gealed patches Of blood ON it. There was
an mir Of languid ease about the tramp
which evidently annoyed his captors,
the stalwart sheriff and little 'Consta-
BILE Wrong" The latter's real name was
Wright, but as most Of his prisoners es-
capped public derision had altered it and
conferred upon him sobriguet from
which he could not escape. Little John
Baines, the sheriff, was over feet,
with a fist the shape and almost the d.
mansions Of leg of mutton. From time
to time he somewhat ruefully regarded
the prisoners head as if the blow from
which the tramp suffered was evidently
not wholly unconnected with his good
right hand. The sheriff did not often use
o revolver. for his fist was SO much
quicker and descended upon malefactors
with the indignant emphasis Of pile
driver.
The presiding magistrate had been
called in from hoeing his potato patch
to the rough pine paneled little court
house in order to decide upon the fate of
the tramp. His hands still diffused q
pleasant odor from the newly turned
earth. 1t was his first case since his ap-
pointment. and he had put ON his best
coat in order to inspire the people of the
Four Corners with awe. But the folk Of
the Four Corners also had potato patches
to hoe, and did not even deign to come
within range Of the judicial eloquence.
Consequently Elder Sparkes had taken
off his coat and flung it over the back of
q chair. He was disappointed and in
clined to visit his. disappointment upon
the prisoner, who surveyed him with an
exasperating smile. Its only $5 fine,
judge" he said lazily. II reckon you
can't send me up after me gettin this
clout on the head. Why. that big bullock
Of n sheriff ought to have paid me for
standin up to him."
"You jest shet up" said the court,
with judicial directness. II amt Roin
to be dictatered to by you, young man.
I've most made mp my mind"-he fin
gered the pages Of a law book with great
dignity-"I've most made up my mind
to commit you for felony. but
The sheriff leaned over the deal court
house table and hastily whispered some
thing, but the other was obdurate.
Look here, sheriff, it's your business
to catch folk an mine to send 'em up, "
he said irritably. but il you says it
only drunken spree an he kin pay for
the damage. I'll fine him O.. See he's
druv out of the town afore shutdown. "
Then, turning TO the prisoner, 1.-The