Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-05-11


an Todd BIahry comes along an rustles
ten head Of old man IlainrS' ponies
an WuZ hikin south with 'pm when
they met mp with Il crowd of inQuirin
strangers who We're driftin back down
Prairie Dog into Kansas after an on
successful purs0Ot of some north bound
hoss thieves. The boys had too many
brands in their bunch. an one of the
strangers rcckcrniZcd Blakry. so they
tied their feet under their horses
bellies an headed fer the nearest tim
Der. They give Elakry the first swing
in an wuz adiuStin the grass rope TO
Gus neck when old man IIaincS comes
up with his biggest boy. Arch. They
had been hot an close ON the trail all
the time.
"As soon as they explained who they
WIZ an idcntcrticd their ponies. the
boss stranger allowed that there
wuzn't no reason why the ceremonies
shouldn't pcrcced, an he throwcd the
other end of the rope over the limb.
"'Why,' says the old man. You hain't
goin to hang that poor boy, air You"
81 reckon | am says the boss stran-
gler, cheerful an gay.
"1 don't believe it helps man to
hang him. says IIaincs. You jest give
him up to me. an I'll take him back to
the ranch with me an surround him
with moral Influences an keep him out
of bad company. He's got good in him,
an I'll bring it out of him an make a
useful citcrZcn of him.
"Well, the long an short eof it wuz
that he begged so loud that they let
Nlinnick go, an old man IIaincs started
back with him. On the way he talked
to Gus like Il father an told him how
wrong it wuZ 10 rustic cayuScS when
he could get 'cm himself by workin
honuSt fer 'Cm. He made Gus n pres
ent of the ten that he had stole as Il
starter an "iferCd him good wages to
work on tn" ranch.
"GuS StaiI there fer two months, an
then he got inter Il argument with the
biggest boy about brcakin colt an
slot him up an lit out. Old man IIaines
WIZ real provoked about it, but he
jumped on horse an put out after
Minnick an overlook him at Box Ell
der. AS soon as Gus seen him he
throwed down on him with Winchcs-
ter, but the old man told him to behave
himself an quit monkcyin with fire
arms.
"'I shd think you'd seen the evil Of
them sort of actions after KILN Hen
ry,' he said
"'Did kill himY says Gus.
"'Yes, you did says the old man as
severe as he knowcd how. An sh'd
think you'd be ashamed of yourself.
don't wonder you felt as if you didn't
want to look me in the face after scch
actions. All the same. | don't want
YOU stragglin off where youll get inter
bad compny. so you jest come right
back home with me. We've got to have
them colts broke, an we're short hand
ed now
"Well, Gus knowcd how f0rgivin the
old man wuZ. an he went back, an they
all avoided the subicc' of Henry, SOS
not to hurt his fcclin'S. He Staid on q
month longer, an then because the
old woman burned his cakes fer him
he Drained her with the skillet. The
other boy told him that that wuzn't no
way to do. an Gus got mad an mas
sacrecd him with the butcher knife an
then set fire to the house an lit out.
"Whcn old mau Haines got back an
found out what had happened, he said
that it wuZ enough to make man lose
n tinnrn lint hn in In
an he said that he would make good
citizen of Gus in spite of hill an high
water. SO he went out after him again
an coaNcd him back. an everybody
said that Gus was a changed man from
that time forward. as meek as Moses
an hOnuSt as the day"
care they livin there together yet?"
inquired the post trader, with some in
terest.
The old bu!lwhacker took a large
chew of tobacco before replying Then
he said: 81 wuZ hopin you wouldn't
asst me that question, becuZ 1t might
seem to milertate against my the'ry
The truth is that the old man sent Gus
to town one day. an Gus come back
with Il Jug of whisky fer himself. but
he forgot the old mans smokin ter
backrr The old man said that 1t show
ed scltiShncSs an ingratitudc on Gus
part. an he allowed that he must be
poor material anyway. an he had done
the best that he could with him. but
that settled it. They wuz standin by
the woodpile at the time. an the old
man had the aX. | come along jest in
time to assist at the funeral.
Still never took the old mans
view. reckon that Gus jest forgot"
Chicago Record.
Good Advice; Hard to Follow.
Extreme worry comes from trying to
bear all the cares of lifetime at once
instead of letting each days evil be
sufficient unto itself. If we could live
our whole life in few hours, ii might
be consistent to think it al! over in one
night. There is no past, there is no
future, for doing or accomplishing
The present time alone is for action