The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-04-24

bad hat, while his dusty and Dubious
shoes showed that he had not com in
town in a carriage.
Peter thought. he must have heard
wrong until the order was repeated,
with the pleasing addition, MAKE it a
quart"
. Then Mr.. Bowersox realized that he
was confronting a pleasant reality, and
not a dream, and at once set down his
guest as a prince travelling in disguise.
1t did not ocur to him that princes sell
dom spoke with a pronounced Yankee
tWang.
The wine was secured from It's fly
blown eminence behind the bar, where
it had served for many years as an or
nament. After it was duly opened, the
stranger displayed his princely charac-
ter when he invited the landlord to
share it's contents.
The stranger smacked his lips with
gusto over the vile decoction of goose
berries and alcohol, to the great de-
light Of the host, who vas afraid the
first taste of the beverage might be the
cause of a violent outbreak. 1t warmed
his heart to meet with a customer so
easily pleased, for the natives Of the
place were not very cOnSiderate OF his
feelings. He was shrewd enough judge
of human nature to know That the
stranger was there for a purpose, so he
waited respectfully to learn what 1t
a.
TT seemed to me as I came along that
there was a great deal of excitement
going on in the town for such a quiet
place." began the mar in the snuff-col-
ored suit. Whats up? Some political
matter on hand?" And he looked the
landlord over keenly with his sharp,
black eyes.
mo wonder they're flynn round like
hens with their heads cut off. There
hain't been such doin's, I guess sence
the town was started!" exclaimed
Peter, who dearly loved to retail COS
sip.
"Ah!" and the stranger too advan-
tage of the others enthusiasm to drop
the contents of his glass on the floor.
There was a murder committed up
to the big house. You might have
passed it on the a down. Got two
stun critters on the pillars on each
side of the big gate"
Yes, I passed it,"
"Ellison's wife, it seems, was walkin'
in the park t,other night bout 10
o'clock, and she never come back alive.
Was struck down right in the path near
the house. Just one blow-she never
spoke again."
Bless me, what a tragedy for a quiet
| place like this!"
I'VE may we'll say so. The folks is
wild. It'll go hard, I'm afraid, with the
school teacher"
What had he to do with it," and the
little man seemed to prick up his ears.
as If a point of interest to him had been
reached.
We'll. they think he done it-and
everything points that way. Ye see,
the Ellisons had one child-a daugh-
ter"
"Ah!" The little man pushed his
! glass aside, drew himself closer to the
table and looked at Mr.. Peter with such
q piercing expression that the good
landlord for a was speechless.
Well, what about this daughter?
Why don't you go IN, man? exclaimed
the stranger.
Mr.. Bowersox risked a swallow from
his glass to fortify himself, made a wry
face, and continued:
1.-THE young gent what's been school
teacher here for the past five years
was sweet on the young lady, and them
what knows says it was returned. Mrs.
Ellison heard OF it, and was mad
enough, though her husband never let
on to the young man that he knowed
what was up, though, of course, he
couldn't help it. All the town knowed.
Well, young Barnett, which was the
same school teachers name, was per-
Vadin' round the grounds that night.
He was seen to meet with Mrs. Ellison
by the Waterman. There was hard
words between 'em, she accusin' the
young man Of tryin' to steal her daugh-
ter away. Just what happened after
that isn't known, but some time alter a
cry was heard, and when folks got on
the scene they found Mrs. Ellison lead,
II near by Barnett, cleanin' his hands
on the grass" The landlord was silent
for a moment, as If to give emphasis tc
his words. He was astonished at the
cool way in which the little man re-
ceive his tragic recital.
well, that don't mean that the young
man was the murderer" said the latter.
"Oh, it don't, Ell? Well, most of us
in this here neighborhood thinks it
does. And do O know that he had
made arrangements to leave last night,
surptitious-like, as they say, and had
sent his trunk off, i%nstructing the man
what carried it not to let any one know
that the choolmaster was goin' to skin
All that looks bad"
"Hum!" n the stranger for a mo-
moment drummed on the table with his
stubby red fingers. THE young man is
certainly in an unpleasant position
What does he say-what is his side OF
the story?"
(ContinJ1ed Nayt wool,