Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-03

enough at this election, yeh might
have elected one. An, sub, yeh have
come as neah it as the sea 'sity OF
dawgs I'D allow. Yeh have voted
Mexican who is boss thief, an if
ye'd anothah boss thief, yeh might
have elected one she 'ff.n The col
onel was looking straight at the ma
jor now, and neither was pleasant to
look at.
The angles in the majors face
grew sharper with each word, and
his face grew dark with deep anger.
He glared at the colonel for a mom-
ent, and then, in the same deadly
tone of level precision, came his re-
ply:
"Hyarafter, when 8 man comes
inter this camp with his rekkurds
burnt benin i'm, wantin to run fer
offs, the fust thing to do ez to sarch
i'm and see eff he hez a pigtail. We
allus guessed thar WIZ only one
Chinymsn in the Bar until ternight,
when the elekshun unkivvered an
other. I'd ruther be yaller dawg
n be Chinyman an Altered to say
so till elekshun time.p
The colonel's answer seemed to be
addressed aimlessly, but those who
were edging back saw that his hand
rested on his pistol. His eye glesm-
ed and he swelled with outraged
wrath. II am, sub, a descendant Of
one OF the fust families of Anne lea,
an it yeh say ! am anything but a
gentleman, yeh are dihty liar and
an infehnal scoundrel."
The majors hand moved quickly,
but the colonels was not one whit
slower. There were half dozen
echo intermingling reports, and then
the boys, who had disappeared under
the tables, Strengthened themselves
in larger quarters, and those who
had disappeared through the win
dows came back through the doors.
The major still sat upright at the
table, his sarcastic smile wreathcd in
smoke. The colonel leaned with
bowed head upon the table, one
hand nervelessly grasping bis re
yolver. Both were dead.
For minute there was that SUBJ
dued silence that is quality of the
toughest humanity in the presence
of death, and the boys slowly and
tenderly carried into an adjoining
room the victims OF the first election
at Paradise Bar.
They had again assembled in sol
emn silence, while Hans, who had
hastily returned, was wringing bis
hands in silent despair over the loss
of his reputation and the breaking
of his beloved precedent, when EN-.
erson arose and. with one foot on
chair, said awkwardly, but earnestly
"Boys, both Of 'em wanted to be
sheriff, an neither of EN- could give
it up. An so they died to squar'
things. But what we want to rcmem-
Der is that they left us with thar
faces tor'd trubble neither of 'em
wuz shot in the back. An let's
plant 'em in style, for they passed
over tn divide with eyes straight
ahead an nary scared look be-
him.
In the murmur of approval that
followed, the judge rose judicially to
his feet. "What you say is true, and
tomorrow we will plant 'em as brave
men are buried by their comrades"
Here the judge paused and raised
his arm impressively. @But in our
regard for the dead, we must not
forget our respect for the majesty Of
law. We are here tonight to dis
charge solemn obligation, and as
citizens we must stand by the task
until the requirements Of the law
are satisfied.
All the offices have been declared
filled except that OF sheriff. Since
the colonel and the major, who re-
ceived the highest votes, are dis
qualified, hereby declare that the
candidate receiving the next highest
number Of votes-Mf. Joseph Ener-
son-is elected sheriff Of Paradise
Bar"
The crowd murmured a unani-
nous assent.
Sing High bad voted for Joe En-
erson.-Paul Shoup in San Francis
co Argonaut.