The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-08-11

said, savagely:
I'm break your head if you dare to
touch here again. raising as he spoke,
stout hickory club with which to en-
| force his threat.
Il tell you, Mark, l wished 1 was
safely at home then.
Men, coolly ordered the sheriff,
put me up to that raft again Then,
| turning to the raftsman, he said
Look here, sir! | am sheriff of Dau-
| phin county, and as such am author
lied to take from you the shingles in
your possession. l am going to do it.
| too
| His reply was a flourish of the club.
| BY this time the boat had again
touched the raft, and the sheriff in an
instant leaped aboard her and APP
preached his antagonist, saying:
Sir, you may as well submit peace
ably; for do you think small man like
| am came here to fight you-a big,
clustering idiot? For such you are if
you think you can escape with this
lumber when l have the whole of Penn
sylvania at my back
'As the sheriff spoke, his slight fig
ure expressed so much dignity and
fearlessness, and his voice rang out in
such manly tones, that, fired by his
| grit, /, too, stepped on the raft, and
reaching around him, tried to seize tbs
raftsman's club.
AT this moment II big men sprang
| from fhnir
shingles.
"'Now we are in for it, thought 1.
who ordered you to intAH o.,
young MANI said the sheriff, looking
at me with eyes as stern as fate. Re
turn to that boat Immediately. When
you are needed 1 will let you know.
| This is not free fight
Il obeyed, feeling small enough.
Now, men, go back to your places,
said the sheriff, addressing the crew.
Don't be foolhardy, and get your
selves in a worse scrape.
Hello, Bill! What yer doin'? in
quired one of them of the pilot, who
had come on board a few miles back,
and was employed to guide the raft
down the river.
We'll, I'll tell yer. I'm putin on
my coat, cause I'm not goin' to git in
the same box with you fellers. That
little man there is our sheriff, an |
mean to obey him. He's never known
! to back down
Good for you, Bill" exclaimed the
sheriff, recognizing him. You're the
right sort. Now just take that oar
again under my directions
All right, sir he replied.
"And back he went.
That little rascal will have his own
way. anyhow remarked the man VINO
had first repealed the sheriff, so boys,
we may as well give up to him
Zone by one they returned to their
posts, and SO far the victory seemed
secured.
THE sheriff, meanwhile, picked up a
stick, began whiting it in the coolest
way possible; but, nevertheless, he
kept close watch over the men, and,
after awhile, noticed that something
was brewing.
"Carelessly sauntering up to the
pilot he inquired;
"'What is it, Bill?'
"'They're tryin' to git We over to the
falls, sir
"Now the Conewago falls are the
boundary line between Dauphin and
an adjoining county, and it is exceed
ingly dangerous, unless under eX-
perienced guidance, to pass them.
The sheriff stepped forward, with
4 defiant laugh, and said:
"'You fellows are the biggest fools
I've met in long time. Yo;: think by
getting me over to the falls thatyou will
be our of my jurisdiction. Don't you
see that | have taken possession of this
raft and all on it? l might take you
to Philadelphia, and still have you in
my power, so you may as well abandon
that little trick. Jones, don't pull
quite so hard. There! that's it. Nov
| We'll run of to COnewago island AID s.e
what we can do about those shingles.
Then, going over to the pilot, he said:
| Bill, when we get to the island, III
iSdNC ' Ou " ste dDOuJ lHc uIllOdulDS.
Not another word did he speak I'M
| til the island was reached, which was
| but short distance ahead.
Calling to some men who were al
work upon it, he had, under Bills di-
rection, the shingles taken off and
piled up neatly under the trees, amid
the disappearing mutteHings of the
crew; but they never raised finger.
When all was lone, he said:
"'Now, men, I've got what came for
the shingles and not yot. so you can
go your way, and next time l see you
Bill, Wen have friendly settlement
Goodbye
And leaping into the skiff, we
rowed the little sheriff back to the
White House.
quite a crowd had collected along
the shore as we returned, and you
never heard heartier cheers than
greeted us.
Headed by Mr.. Hunt, they carried
the sheriff into the tavern upon their
shoulders, and, a few years after, when
some of those very raftsmen were
wanting gallant leader to take them
through the war, wha do you think
they chose?"