Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-02-12

panions. II want you TO go over 10
Russell's with me, while the rest of the
boys wait here with aunty."
What are You going to Russelr's
for?' Jake inquired.
"To see if we can't persuade him to do
the right thing in this business. That
claims worth at least $780,"
"Guess IT is" Jake admitted, "but
that don't signify that Russell will pay
that much for it,"
We'll that's all right, I'll see II he's
not open to argument, and il one kind
of reasoning won't so maybe another
kind will"
Sine whirled his horse about. and he
and Jake galloped away across the
prairie. After little less than an hours
ride they refined up at Russelrs gate. A
stentorian hello" or two brought Rus
sell to the door. Slime said;
"Mr. Russell, we want TO talk with
you on a little matter of business"
II never talk business on Sunday"
Russell replied.
TOO pious, eh""
81 hope so, sir"
"But not too pious to turn a poor old
woman out on the world on Sunday
after robbing her Of her last dollar"
"Sir, what do you mean?"
"Just what I say, Mr.. Russell. and
you know well enough what it is. |
want you to pay that woman the bal
ance of the money IN her claim"
81 shall not do it. The claim is mine"
at is worth five times what you paid"
at is, but that's none of your bust
ness"
81 propose to make it my business.
You have got to pay that money and
keep that poor old woman off the coun-
ty,"
"Who's going to make me pay it?"
az am"
"How, I'd like TO know"
"You know what cowboys sometimes
do to settlers, I reckon? You know how
they pasture their cattle on settlers
crops and burn the settlers hay and all
that sort of thing. don't vou?"
"Yes. but what Of it?"
'There's Just this much of it. Mr.. Rus
sell. Unless you do the fair thing by that
woman all those things will happen to
you, and you will lose ten times as much
as you have swindled her out Of"
do you mean to threaten me, sir?"
Russell Numbered.
"Oh, no." Sine replied calmly. 81
am not threatening you. Nothing of
the sort. ! am only telling you what !
feel in my bones is going to happen; and
want to say to you that when | feel a
thing like that in my bones it generally
comes TO pass just so. I'll bet my head
that if you don't pay that woman $500
more money you won't raise a sign of a
crop, and all your hay will be burned
up. Come, now, which shall it be-"
Russell knew the man he had to deal
with, and he knew that to gain the i'll
will of a gang Of cowboys was no very
desirable thing. So, after hemming and
having for awhile, he at last paid old
Slime $500 for the woman. But as he did
so he made a very wry face, for though
he was wealthy he was as close-fsted as
a miser.
Sine and Jake g~alloped back, put the
money into the woman's hands. and
then took her on to town. She rode be.
hind Sine on his horse, and before the
journey was over she had quite recov-
cred from all her fear of the COWBOYS.
ut was very good of you 10 get all of
this money for me-" she said. 81
reckon cowboys amt all so mean as
those we used to know, | know you
men amt mean, anyhow"
I'VE amt angels, ma'am," Slime re.
piled. Not by a good deal"
You're good men and | like you."
she said. "You have kept me from go.
ing on the county, and you don't know
what a relief that is"
They were all silent for a moment.
Then Slime said:
What will you DO now. aunty?"
I've been thinking about that" she
replied, land | reckon maybe I'd better
go back east to my old home. l have
friends back there, You know"
~ good idea" Slime said. You'll be
better off back there"
They escorted her to the station in a
body, purchased her a ticket and saw
her on the train. Then thew stood on
the platform about the window. TO-,
sue sf'ur hour, Of II IN ard p. m. rOt
h. ertA.si "''fter..f te following T
train Erg -
she remarked to them with tears in her
eyes:
I'm never going to think so hard OF
cowboys any more. I'll try to like them
all on your account. and | love all of you
because you have been good friends to
me and made me the bappiest creature
en- earth. God bless you"
The train moved away, but the COW.
boys stood looking after it. feeling
happier, for some reason, than they had
felt for a year.-Detroit Free Press.
SENT TO SWEAR AGAINST PA.