Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-07-07

same feeling there. But what could
we do? The yells of carousing miners
down at Slavin's told us that nothing
could be done with them that night.
To be so utterly beaten and unfairly
and with no chance of revenge was
maddening.
I'D like to get back at 'em," said
Abe, carefully depressing himself.
give got it, men," said Graeme sud-
denly. "This town does not require
all the whisky there is in it." And he
unfolded his plan. 1t was to gain pos
session of Slavin's saloon and the bar
of the Black Rock hotel and clear out
all the liquor to be found in both these
places. | did not much like the idea,
but Geordie said: I'm ga'en after the
lad. I'll haze naethin' tae dae WI yon
It's no that easy, an it's a sinful
waste"
But Abe was wild to try it, and
Shaw was quite willing, while old Mel
son sternly approved.
"Nelson, you and Shaw get couple
of our men and attend to the saloon.
Slavin and the whole gang are up at
the Black Rock, so you won't have
as you can"
And so we went our ways.
Then followed a scene the like Of
which l can never hope to see again,
and it was worth mans seeing, but
there were times that night when /
wished | had not agreed to follow
Graeme in his plot.
AS we went up to the hotel 1 asked
Graeme:
"What about the law of this?
"Laww he replied Indignantly. "They
haven't troubled much about law in
the whisky business here. They get
keg of high wines and some drugs and
begin operations. No. he went on; "if
we can get the crowd out and ourselves
in Wen make them break the law in
getting us out. The law won't trouble
us over struggled whisky. 1t will be
great lark, and they won't crow too
loud over the league"
did not like the undertaking at first,
but as thought of the whole wretched
| illegal business flourishing upon the
weakness of the men in the mines and
camps, whom l had learned to regard
| as brothers, and especially as l thought
of the towards that did for Nixon,
let my scruples go and determined,
with Abe, to "get back at 'em."
We had no difficulty getting them out.
Abe began to yell. Some men rushed
out to learn the cause. He seized the
foremost man, making hideous up
roar all the while and in three minutes
had every man out of the hotel and a
lively row going on.
In two minutes more Graeme and
had the door of the ballroom locked
and barricaded with empty casks. We
then closed the door Of the barroom
leading to the outside. The barroom
was a strongly built log shack, with a
heavy door secured, after the manner
of the early cabins with two strong
oak bars, so that we felt safe from at
tack from that quarter.
The ballroom we could not hold long
for the door was slight and entrance
was possible through the window. But
as only few casks of liquor were left
there our main work would be in the
bar, so that the fight would be to hole
the passageway. This we barricadet
with casks and tables. But by this
time the crowd had begun to realiz,
what had happened and were Wild.
yelling at door and windows. With al
ak which Graeme had brought will
him the casks were soon stove in ant
left to empty themselves.
AS | was about to empty the las
cask Graeme stopped me- saying: "Le
that stand here. 1t will help u.s." An
so it did. "Now skip for the barr
cader' yelled Graeme as man cam
crashing through the window. But be
fore he could regain his feet Graem
had seized him and flung him out upo
the heads of the crowd outside. Blu
through the other windows men wer
coming in, and Graeme rushed for til
barricade, followed by two of the en-,
my, the foremost of whom l receive
at the top and hurled back upon til
others.
"Now be quickr' said Graeme. 'I'
hold this. Don't break any bottles o
the floor. Throw them out there,
POINTING to q little window high up il
he wall.
/ made all haste. The casks did no
take much time, and soon the whisk
and beer were flowing over the floor
1t made me think of Geordie's regre
over the ''sipfu' waste" The bottle
took longer and, glancing up now an
then, L saw that Graeme was bein
hard pressed. Men would leap, tw
and three at time, upon the barricadt
and Graemes arms would shoot ou
and over they would topple upon tn
heads of those nearest. 1t was a grea
sight to see him standing alone, wit
a smile on his face and the light of ba
tie in his eye, coolly meeting his a:
, sailants with those terrific, lightning
like blows. In fifteen minutes my wor
was done.