The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-02-25

MOUNTED ON THE ROCK HE DECLAnIED.
wind was pouring over the plains from
the sandy hills just south of the Kan
sas line. He was looking for stream
of water where he might rest and re-
fresh his horse, when his keen eyes
caught sight of two horsemen coming
at full speed over a hill about two
miles away.
Knowing that he had not been seen.
he contrived to meet them unexpected
ly In narrow valley just beyond.
Hello, boysr' he called out in the
bantering tone of cowboy to cow
boys. whats the matter? You seem
to be trying to get there ahead Of
time"
keep a civil tongue in your head,
stranger" growled one of the men as
they refined in their fatigued horses by
his side. Don't make the mistake Of
meddling In other peoples business"
mo use getting sassy about 1t"
Drury replied my business is every
body's business, and sometimes other
peoples business is mine. For in
stance. you have no honest business
to ride your horses to death as you are
doing"
81 reckon they're our horses" replied
the other man In a surly tone, "and if
we want to ride them to death it don't
cost you nothing"
In the L.idst of this reply the man
hunter had seen a significant thing
through narrow line of valleys that
stretched away between the hills to
the northwest Half a dozen horse
men had crossed the line, going hard.
AS near as he could judge they were
about three or four miles away. If he
could cause these two men to dis
mount. and be able to hold them thirty
minutes, the half dozen horsemen
would reach the top of the hill less
than hundred yards away before the
cowboys could see them. That these
two men were attempting to escape
justice appeared more certain from the
sharp lookout both of them kept over
the valleys and hills to their rear.
The moment the two men stopped
! the horses put down their heads and
began to bite off huge mouthfuls of
grass, as if it had been long since they
had been properly fed.
mo offense, boys" said the man
hunter in conciliatory tone. "but it's
a shame If you don't let those poor
critters rest and eat a bit. My horse
don't need it fourth as much as yours,
but Pm going to set good example"
He alightcd and pushed his horse out
into the rich grass.
| One of the men drew a flask from
his saddle pouch. This among the
cowboys was like the Indians pipe of
peace.
''Well, stranger" said the man with
the flask as both men alighted and
turned their horses into the grass,
''your advice is purity good. and as you
seem to be a good natured, harmless
sort of a cuss suppose you take nip
with u.s."
Drury took the proffered article Of
peace.
Here's to friendship in a flask Of
good old whisky" he said holding 1t
aloft, while he recited bit of verse.
The boys forgot themselves as they lis
tened.
"Gie him strong drink until he wink.
That's sinking in despair,
For liquors guild to fire the bluid.
That's prest wi grief and care.
| ''Then let him brouse and deep carouss.
VIE bumpers flowing Ger,
TIL lie forgets his loves and debts
And minds his griefs no more
Each took drink
Drury reached again for the flask
and it was returned to him.
Here's to the liquor that makes us
kings. our horses thrones and our guns
scepters of death to our enemies But
be warned that more than enough has
been too much for many poor devil
of the plains"
One drink made Sam Fling friendly,
with the third he was confidential, at
the fifth he was inclined to argue, as
the seventh went down he began to
boss the ranch, when the ninth arrived
he pulled his gun and he didn't last a
minute. 1t was of this that the poet
spoke when he exclaimed:
''At the punch bowls brink
Let the thirsty think
What the people say in Japant
First, the takes a drink,
Next, the drink takes. drink
Then the drink takes the man."
An uncomfortable thought just then
tingled through him. What if the posse
of angry citizens whom he knew to be
rapidly approaching on the trail of
these men should suddenly appear over
the hill and open an indiscriminate
fire that would include the entertainer
as well as the audience? A bit of sand
stone rock jutted out from a blow out
In the hill few steps away and he
saw chance to make distinction be-
! tween speaker and hearers that might
be recognized by the coming avengers.
Drink, gentlemen, to our fortunate
meeting" he said, passing the bottle
around, ''and l will mount this natural
stage and give you touch Of the most
realistic and elegant poetry that ever
poet spun. My pardner wrote it on
the wall of his cell with bit of crayon
that a schoolboy threw at him. His
jaller was so taken with it that he
copied it and handed it around to his
friends to show what a rare bird he
was boarding. l saw one of the copies
of the poem, recognized the handwrit-
ing, and for the first time in months
Of weary search learned where my be-
loved friend was sojourning. That