Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-06-29

| THE POT LUCKERs HEARD THE ADVANCING
| MUSIC WITH QUAK1NG HEARTS.
| good enough fer the Gap They're goin
| to have a band from Frisco, 90 pieces at
| $3.50 fer the day. Talk about the valley
bandl Why, it wouldn't draw handful
of picnickers If the woods was full of
'em this Fourthv'
"That's the worst deal they've give US,
'ceptin the picnic May day two year ago, F"
groaned Johnson, as the stage ratified away
and he went inside to sort the mail.
Lets go down and shoot up the
town, " said Ike Bledsoe, suddenly arous-
ed by the clatter of the stagecoach from
his nap on one of Johnson's benches.
I'm n peaceable man, but there's some
offenses that calls fer gun play exclusive,
and if I'm any jedge, feller citizens, this
here's one of 'em; to be done up right and
left by an upstart of a town that every
body knows wasn't nothin better n sub
urb to Pot Luck few year ago.
"Wait till read you this, boys" broke
in johnson, bouncing out of his office
with n letter in his hand. "Bein chairman
of the Fourth of July committee, 1 took
the liberty to open it. Now listen:
''To the Honorable Chairman and Members
OF the Fourth of July Committee and Feller
Citizens of Pot Luck in General, Greeting:
'Surmisin that you don't intend to celebrate
this year and KNOWN the patriotic sentiments
of your citizens, we extend you n cordial invi-
tation to come down and picnic with us.
THE FOURTH OF July COMMITTEE OF DUTCH
BILLS GAP.
"P. S.-Don't trouble yourselves to bring
lunch baskets; we'll have good music and
plenty to eat and drink, and it won't cost you
a cent.
"Now then, that's a polite invitation
enough - said johnson with L. Z
Easy Bill. What's the matter with 'cept-
in itS"
'Ceptin it ~ roared Ike. 81 never felt
more like shootin friend than 1 do like
pluggin you this minute, johnson, fer
swallowin an insult like that. Come on
fellers. I'm peaceable citizen, but I'm
goin down to interview that Fourth of
July committee at the Gap, and if there's
man in Pot Luck that packs gun and
won't foller me he's a coward, and I can
lick him."
''Oh, hold on, Ike,'' said johnson;
don't be goin off half cooked as you're
always doin. This here invites all josh,
nothin but bluff They don't mean a
word of it any more'n they expect us to
'cept it. But look a-here, boys. Can't
you sec they I've dealt us the very cards we
need to beat 'em at their own game?
What's the matter with our 'ceptin this
invite and raisin the biggest crowd Pot
Luck ever seen and goin down there and
monopolizin that $3.50 dance music and
wipin all their eatables and drinkables off
the face of the yearth?'
'Ceptin Johnson S dignity as postmaster
and justice of the peace of Pot Luck never
known to be ruffled before, proved I'M
equal to the strain of so extraordinary an
occasion. He fairly screamed out the final
words, emphasizing them with "A swipe of
his big felt hat across the top of bench,
illustrative of the clean sweep he proposed
making of the viands of the luckless pic
nickers at the Gap. His mastery diplo-
macy was at once recognized by shouts
and cheers of approval, in which the
voices of Ike Bledsoe and Easy Bill sound
ed loudest and longest. Pot Luck was
ready to act as one man. Johnson's
strategy, Bills executive ability and Ike's
ofatory had been the brilliant features of
many a victory in the bitter rivalry long
waged between Pot Luck and the Gap,
and not Pot Lucker ever hesitatcd where
this trio led the way.
The committee went directly into ex
ecutive session and laid all necessary plans
to gather the largest crowd of men ever
collected in Pot Luck and march in a body
uOWH 10 Jne Nap on inc morning OI tnc
Fourth, now ten days away.
The ditch and flume long contemplated
by the Pot Luck miners was suddenly
found to be an immediate necessity, and
word was sent down to the valleys and to
neighboring camps that 200 extra men
were wanted to begin work upon 1t July 1.
Not a tramp came to town but was offer
ed a chance to do light work for his board
until after the Fourth, n move which of
itself almost doubled the population Of
the town, the news spreading with such
mysterious rapidity that every Weary
Watkins within it's reach quickly turned
his face toward Pot Luck as the Mecca he
long had sought. Pot Luck knew the Gap
never figured upon entertaining moro
than 500 or 600 people at the most and
determined to muster at least that number
In its invading host.
Less than a week before the Fourth,
that the Gapers might not have time to
discover the trap set for them, Pot Luck
sent this reply to their invitation, an epis
tie upon which 'Ceptin Johnson and the
whole committee expended much time
and ingenuity:
To the Chairman and Members Of the Fourth
of July Committee of Dutch Bills Gap: