The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-12-29

CIRCLRD AROUND THE SPOT.
at q shout from their leader, they dashed
toward him, yelling and firing with all
their might.
"Well, I guess it's goodby, kids; but
I'll Jest take a few Of them devils along
with me fer company. They'll make
pretty ornimints fer the cabin"
AS they came within range Pete
opened fire. Two dropped, and they
were checked for q moment; only for a
moment, though, and it would have
been goodby for Pete, when "Whoopl
Yi-yi-yi-oopi Give the devils HE'LL" and
in another moment the government
pets were sourrying for their lives I'M
der q hot fusillade from the revolvers of
Sluice City.
1t was q triumphal procession that
entered Sluice City with Pete and the
"New Year fixin's" at their head. They
crowded around the bar and kept Jim
busy supplying their demands. Inde-
pendent Ike, stretched out on a bench,
raised up on his elbow and announced
with emphasis that he WANT so badly
hurt but what he could atill take Ticker"
The "lioker'' revived him so that he
took q prominent part in the hot discus
sion that arose as to whether ':the kids
should have the presents unfolded to
them that night or in the morning.
The argument ran high and trouble
was brewing when O soft voice broke in
upon their ~wrangling with:
"What is the trouble, my friendsi
Maybe I can make an impartial judge
for you. This is not the time Of year for
quarrels between brother men,"
Pete and his companions whirled
around and faced the speaker who had
had the temerity to interfere in their
argument.
He was q small, thin man, with hol-
low cheeks, large, blue ayes set far back
in his head and a clean shaven face. He
was dressed in an old, black frook coat,
shiny with wear and showing its age by
the bald spots ut the elbows and along
the edge, black trousers which bagged
at the knees and hung in fringes around
his dilapidated shoes and q nondesoript
hat that had one been black also, but
now showed green from the weather.
loan you spare me time enough,
friends, to answer O question or two2 !
Am looking for q woman and two chill
dren, my wife and babies. whom I
heard had come this way. Gan You give
mo any information in regard to them2"
Pete started forward with an angry
light in his eyes as he thought of the
woman who had died and the two chill
dren who had been left helpless on 40
count of this mans desertion. But the
mans next words disarmed him:
II was coming here, but fell i'll and
lay two long weeks In the hospital. The
first day I was able to sit up they hand
cd me q letter from my wife, in which
she said that she was starting for here
TO meet me. I started that very after.
loon. It Is o long walk from Prescott
here"
1.-TWO hundred miles, as I'm q sin
nerr' calculated Pete. IAN through
the Injun country tool Give me yer
handl You're a man, after alli'
The next morning the parson mount
cd an empty whisky keg, kindly loaned
for the occasion by vitriol Jim, and,
turning to his congregation, who, with
barcd heads and respectful attention,
were grouped around him in front Of
the saloon, he spoke, while the tears
rolled down his thin cheeks and drop
ped Oh to the shiny coat:
my friends--I do not know what
to say to you-the words choke me
when l attempt to express my gratitude
and Indebtedness to you. III will
speak this morning from tho twenty
fifth chapter Of Matthew, the fortieth
verse, Verify I say unto you, Inasmuch
as ye have done It unto one of the least
Of these, my Methren, ye have done It
unto mel"