The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-03-05
BULGER s REPUTATION.


It was during the rainy season-a
season singulariy induciyo to settled
reflective impressions as we sat and
| smoked around the stove in MOsby's
grocery Like older and more civil
| lied communities, we had our periodic
waves Of sentiment and opinion, with
the exception that they were more
eyanescent with US. and as we had
just passed through fortnight OF
dissipation and extravaganza owing to
a visit from some gamblers and specu-
lators, we We're now undergoing a Sc
we're moral revulsion. partly induced
by reduced finances and partly by
the arrival of two families with grown
up daughters on the hill 1t was
raining. with occasional warm breaths,
through the open window, Of the
southwest trades. redolent of the sat
urated spices Of the woods and spring
ing grasses which perhaps were slight
inconsistent with the hot stove around
which we had gathered. But the
! stove was only an excuse for our list
less, gregarious gathering; warmth
and idleness went well together. and
it was currently accepted that wa had
caught from the particular reptile
who gave It's name to our camp, much
of its pathetic, life long search for
warmth and its habits of indolently
! basking in it. 4 few of us still went
through the atfectatiOn Of attempting
to dry our damp clothes by the stove
and our sizzling wet boots against it.
but as the same individuals calmly
permitted the rain to drive in upon
them through the open window with
| out moving and seemed to take inf
ite delight in the amOunt of steam
they generated, even that pretense
dropped Crotalus himself, with his
tail in Il muddy ditch and the sun
striking cold fire from his slit eyes as
he basked his head on warm stone
beside it, could not have typitied us
better
Percy Briggs took his pipe from
his mouth at last and SAID with re-
Elective severity: Well. gentleman, if
we can't get the wagon road over
here, and if we're going to be left out
by the stage coach company, We can
at least straighten up the camp and
not have it look like d cross between
tenement alley and broken down
circus. | declare | was just about
sick when these two Mullin girls start
ed to make a short cut through the
camp. Darned if they didn't turn
and take to the woods. and the Rattlers
again afore they got half way And
that benighted idiot, Tom Rollins.
standin' there in the ditch. spattered
all over with slumgullioa, till he look
ed like spotted tarrypin wavin' his
fins and sashaying backward and for
ward and sayin': This way. ladies,
this way"
Il didn't" returned Tom Rollins,
quite casually, without looking up
from his steaming boots. Il didn't
start In night afore last to dance the
Green Corn Dance outer Hiawatha,
with feathers in my hair and a red
blanket on my shoulders, round that
family's potato patch in order that it
might increase and multiply [ did
not sing Sabbath Morning Bells with
an anvil accompaniment until II
O'Clock at night over at the crossing
so that they might dream of their
happy chlldhood's home. 1t seems to
me that it wasn't me did it. | might
be mlstaken-it.w was late-but | have
the impression that it wasn't me-"
From the silence that followed this
would seem to have been clearly the
actual performance Of the previous
speaker, who, however. responded
quite cheerfully: An eyenin' O
simple, childish gaiety don't count.
We got to start in again fair. What we
want here IS to clearup and encourage
decent immigration and get rid o
! gamblin's and blatherskites that are
maxim this yer camp their happy
| hunting ground. We don't want any
more parmiskoo5 shOOtin'. We don't
want any mora swaggerin' galloots
ridln' up this grocery and emptyin'
their six shooters in the air afore they
light. We want to put stop to it
peacefully and without q row-and
we kin. We amt get no bullies Of
our own to fight back and they know
it, so they know they won't get no
credit buljyin' us-thcy1l leave, if
we're only firm. It's all along ofourd d d
fool good nature; they see it amuses
Us and they'll keep it up as long as
the whiskey's free. What we want to
do IS, when the next man comes
waitzin' along
\ distinct clatter from the rocky
hillside here mingled with the puff of
damp ar through the window.
Looks as ef we might hev a show
even now" said jim Rollins, removing
his feet from the stove as we all in
stinctively faced towards the window
Il reckon you're in with rs in this,
Alosby,' said Briggs, turning towards
the proprietor of the grocery, who
had been leaning listlessly against the
wall behind his bar.
''Arter the mans had a fair show"
said Mosby cautiously He deprecat
ed the prevailing condition of things
but it was still an open question
whether the families would prove as
valuable customers as his present eli
ents. "Eyerything in moderation,
gentlemen"
The sound Of galloping hoofs came
nearer. now swishing in the soft mud
of tue highway, until the unseen rider
pulled up before the door There was
no shouting, however. nor did he an
nounce himself with the usual salvo
Of fire arms But when, after singu-
larly heavy tread and the Jingle Of
spurs on the platform, the door flew
open ID the newcomer. he SCENE a re
ahzition of our worst expectations.
Tall, broad and muscular, he carried
in one hand shot gun, while from
his hip dangled heavy navy revolver.
His long bair. unkemps bat oiled,
swept greasy circle around his
shoulders: his enormous moustache.
dripping with wet, completely con
cealed his mouth. His costume of
| fI,.nnnl hnnl.Sirin rrnc WILD and nrtro