Gilpin observer., 1900-11-15

dence was in the eye of him as he
concluded:
Now, Shoobooter, ycu'rf 1nly big
blow, and I'll prove it to the crowd il
you'll fetch en- along. At A O'Clock
this afternoon, right in front of my
powder house. I'll be there, and the
weapons ii be ready. So long,"
He sauntercd off, leaving the crowd
puzzled. The colonel was red with in
dignation, as he exclaimed:
Its put up job, gentlemen. But
I'll see it through. He'll crawfish out
somehow when we toe the mark
So they all went at p. NJ, to find
Mr.. Prock seated astride one end of
murderous looking barrel, to which
long fuse vas attached. ne crowd
backed on discreetly, keeping wary
eye also on the powder house. The
colonel stood as if paralyzed.
sit down on the other end, Shoo-
booter." called the young Hickory
Prcck cheerily. Get away farther.
boys. This is square deal, and l
don't want anybody hurt but me and
this gingerbread colonel here. Why
don't you sit down, Shoobooter?
'Fraid?"
The colonel groaned, braced himself.
then sat cautiously down on the ex-
treme end of the barrel.
This is not duelling, suh," he re-
monstrated. "It's-its-"
Come, come, Shoobooter," inter-
rupted Prock taking out his match
box. Il didn't low you'd back down
so soon. Sit up close; let's be sociable
for the minute or so we've got left.
l heard you was a dead shot; l amt.
Thought I'd fix it SOS we'd both have
a show"
But this is murder, massacre"
still afraid? Well, WE'LL And a
Kanawha colonel, too Never mind;
here goes" Mr. Prock leaned over.
fired the fuse. then calmly applied the
remainder of the match to a cigar.
"One minute more, colonel (puff, puff
before We go up. St-e-a-dy, Shooboo-
ter! Hanged If | ever saw such an un-
certain man before"
AS the colonel watched the splitting
fuse shorten his vaunted courage oozed
away To shoot and be shot at was
one thing; to sit and be paasively
blown up was another Prock sucked
away as If he rather enjoyed it. BY
this time the crowd was. mostly out of
hearing. AS the fuse shortened to an
inch or two the colonel sprang up.
uttered a yell of fear. mounted his
mule and galloped off.
Stop him boys" shouted Prock, put
ting out the fuse and producing a tin
cup or two. AS the crowd slowly re-
turned, without capturing the colonel.
however. the powder man whlrled the
barrel around, revealing hitherto
concealed faucet from which he drew
something that diffused pleasing.
pungent and familiar aroma.
Whats that?" asked one as the
crowd shifted approvingly.
Good red liquor" said Andrew
Jackson Prock. DO you suppose I'm
fool enough to sit on n barrel of pow
der? II Shoobooter is | ain't, and he
didn't seem to rest himself much.
either. Drink hearty, boys-it's on me
this time. Mebbe the colonel will
show up ut the convention, but dun
no; l dunno; he seemed to be in n
powerful hurry"
They drank and drank. Then they
rolled on the grass as the fun of the
thing took deeper hold. But from that |
hour the Shoobooter reputation began |
to wane. Prock got the nomination. |
More than that, when he came round |
the colonel literally |
took to the woods. But he left "a sub
stitute on the front piazza, who said:
Looks like you've scared pa Off, bst
you can't run me-"
Thcreupon. unlike his great name
sake, Candidate Prock ignominiously