The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-21

Another silence, worse even than the
| first, for the pups had suspended hos
| tilities and there was nothing to look
at but a motley array of chips and an
ill-corded pile of wood.
Finally, ''Wha' ye frum? Kansas"
NO
''Mizzoury?"
no"
Texas"
Mo-
Here this sort of inquiry ceased,
probably because Morris limited know
ledge of geography prevented him from
asking any more leading questions on
the subject.
''Ain't in no regular buzness, 1 reck-
on?" ...........,.
Not at the present moment
Here fur yer health, mebbe?"
Yes, if you want to put it that way
"'Pears kin o. like l got ter put
good many things ez I want ter. Say,
did We know this want very healthy
place fur a Teller O. yer delikit con-
I stitution?"
mo. Isn't it?'' .-....---
Nav. Too much ager an chills an
fever"
Il don't think those malaGies are
dangerous in the winter time. Besides,
I am well provided with ouinine.''
"A ticket fur Texarkanny is
damned sight better. Now, looky hyer,
stranger; my name is Mort Reed, an
don't keer who in he'll knows it. / axed
We civil questions an ye didn't answer
'em. Now, I'll tell ye a little somethin'
fur yer own good. We're kin o. pertick-
Ter who we 'sOciate with, an we want
man ter mind his own biznes, an keep
his mouth shet, an not go nosin' aroun'
inter other peoples affairs"
1T strikes me-" said the stranger,
rising, that you are setting very
poor example before me. Here you have
been trying to find out a whole lot of
things that do not in the least concern
you. 1t is none of your business who l
am, what 1 am, nor whereI come from.
You will do well to attend to your af-
fairs as strictly as / do mine. Now, Mr..
Reed, as l am also rather choice about
the company I keep, l shall ask you to
leave, or 1 shall use force to compel you
to do So
Mort gasped in amazement. He ran
his fingers through his Streaked beard
and looked at his horse uneasily.
Wal, l don't keer fur no fuss, least
ways. not jes' now, an l mout ez well
be a movin'." He looked ar the
stranger wistfully. Don't kerry no fiat
terbacker, / reckon?'
/ NO; l don't use il"
Mort mounted his horse ard rode off,
while the stranger filled his pipe and
watched him disappear in the woods
that lined the road.
Il couldn't make nothin' outen him,
boys" said Mort, when he reported to
his fraternity. Il KANT hep it, fur he's
eZ close mouthed eZ a Red river mus
sci shell. They amt no doubt in my
mind but what he's a guv'm ent spy
on'y we got ter be a leetle keerful."
Having delivered himself of this opin-
ion, Mort spat upon the ground and
CLOSED the incident
The company was shortly afterward
thrown into a state of excitement by
the announcement of Bill Horniday
that he had mailed a letter for the
stranger at Morton A meeting of the
faithful was instantly called, and Bill
was brought before it with shambling
gait and downcast look.
"Heern we posted a letter fur that fell
Ter over at OF man Yelldelps?"
''Yaas" with poor show of indif-
ference).
''wha' dye mail it, Merton?"
Vas"
who wuz it fur"
II dunno; l KANT read very peart
Fur some woman, j reckon, kaze it
had 'missus' in front. seen that
why didn't he mail 1t hyer?"
KANT say. He AK me ter mail it on
the train, an he gin me a silver dollar"
Here Bill extracted from the depths of
a capacious pocket a shining coin of
the commonwealth, and held il up to
view, as If to settle all doubts of his
veracity.
A short consultation followed. and
then the questioner innocently asked:
When did he say he'd want We ter
mail another fur him?"