Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-10-21
COPYRIGHT. 1901, BY a. $. Richardson

1 wv
$50 you're the fire king" said the
proprietor of the towns one hotel as he
exhumed the register from heap of
empty bottles.
Fire king and master OF magic.
known to large public as Pyro,r said
] politely, ornamenting my signature
with lambert flames In ink. Its a
great advertising dodge If you can man
nge to have the register left open on
the counter.
you've struck Campbellstown at n
good time" said mine host.
so my ascendant star informed
me-" I replied. 1t does no harm to
throw in u little astrology now and
tthen.
"The miners are in from all around.
Old Kanawha's in food and that means
knock off work at the mines"
Seven days shall the food endure;
then shall the waters subside and
those in the depths of the earth shall
walk dry shod." | pronounced iii my
| best manner. Weather iore's q fine
BLUFF If you put it far enough ahead SO
that you'll be out OF the way in case
things don't turn out according to pro-
gramme. But | missed 1t clean that
| time.
"Dry shod, your eyer said the hotel
man scornfuliy. 1T ain't the water
/ y <1a, Is 41,a
When Kanawha gets up very high
and she's higher now than for years
| the natural gas outlets get shut off.
Nobnddy knows just where they are,
| but they're in the river or on the
banks somewh here. and when the water
shuts 'em off the gas puffs out all
around the country. specially In the
mines. Then. after 4 few of the boys
has keeled over or there's been a blow
out or two, they knock off and wait for
| the river to 20 down. Town'H be full
of 'em this afternoon, and Campbells-
town full of miners is about as peart a
spot as you'll find in West Virginia"
"Peart' it certainly was. There were
| two shooting affrays and a general
fight that afternoon. By my invitation
a dozen of the visiting miners came in
and had drinks on me, and | gave them
taste of my quality by blowing fame
| instead of froth from my beer and light
| ing my cigar with the end Of my finger.
Morose fellows they were. tire effect, |
believe. of working in darkness, but
| they served my purposes by spreading
abroad the fame Of MY gifts. so that
was assured Of crowd that night.
One Of my guests. q powerful fellow
with an evil eye. seemed to take dis
taste for me and cursed me as he left
for no other reason than that be didn't
| take to my ways. and announced his
intention of being ut the performance
and seeing that things went right.
Kinder ugly, ehf' commented my
host That's Sledge Turner. and hes
one of the worst men Ia these parts
when he's drunk He always goes
heeled too"
had an overfowing house that
night. and in the third row | beheld
Mr. Turner's forbiddng face. Every
audience in condition OF mingled de-
! light and awe When went down into
| the body of the house to collect silver
dollars. white mice and other miscella-
MES from my adnTiEg spectators,
was in such high spirits over the sue
cess of the evening that did a foolish
thing. / pulled 4 dollar from between
| the scowling eyes of Sledge Turner.
| At the same time ! saw the hilt OF a
murderous knife projecting from his
| belt and heard his announcement that
bed have that dollar back or cut my
| heart out
| After the performance. as my assist
ant was ont in the box Office and | was
getting my apparatus packed. the door
burst open and Turner had me by the
throat with both hands. Between his
] teeth he held the Big Knife had seen.
There were hate and murder In bis eye.
The profession of magic makes a man
quick to think III emergencies. 1t also
provides him With resources not pos
sessed by the average man. In an In
slant | had sent a spErt Of fame to
Turner's face from the wire In my
sleeve connccted With the battery be-
tween ms shoulders. The currea:
wasn't strong enough to knock him
/ down. but he Ionsed his grip Oh me, and
/ the next instant | gave linn a japanese
elbow trick. Down he went and lay
| there struggling Oh the floor. for | had
caught him fair in the throat, and the
blow is an ugly one. 1t struck me chill
ingly that had rather overdone the
thing. Throwing a long ulster over my
inferno costume OF scarlet and black,
explained hastily to my assistant and
made my way back to the hotel Ter
minutes later my host entered my room
without the fornaality Of knocking. II
his hand he held revolver.
TAKE this aud git for your life." hs
said. thrnstlng the weapon into my
hand. You've done Sledge Turner
and the lodge is after you
1T was in self defense" / said
"Whateve' the lodge may be, Il
can't
Its the miners lodge" be interrupt
ed. Blood oath and life for life
Sledge was a member Ii they get theil
hands on ron. they'll string you up Hks
a cat
There was a hoarse roar outside tina
| grew nearer aud nearer.
.Hustier' cried my kindly host Nc
time for the door Take the window
Keep right down the river road Tel
miles down you'll strike Carton. You'll
be safe there
To reach the ground was an easy
/ matter. Ny chances were good. D.,
tights made an excellent light running