The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-02-25

k6H0@<N could not hide from ourselves
y&S&O that We were beaten. 1T was
not SO much grief rs Il blind fury that
filled my heart, and, looking at the
faces of the men about me, / read the
game feeling there. But what could
we do? The yells of %carouslng miners
down ut Slaytn'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.
"Id like to get back at 'em," said
Abe, carefully REFRESHING himself.
give got 1T, 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. l 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 sinfu'
waste"
But Abe was wild to try it, and
Shaw was quite willing, while old Mel
son sternly approved.
NELSON, you and Shaw get q couple
Of our men and attend to the saloon.
Slavin and the whole gang are up Mt
the Black Rock, so you won't have
much trouble, but come to us as soon
as o can"
And SO we went u ways.
Then followed n scene the like Of
which I can never hope to see again,
and it was worth n mans seeing, but
there were times that night when 1
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 this2"
"Lawp he replied Indignantly. "They
haven't troubled much about law III
the whisky business here. They get n
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 a
great lark, and they won't crow too
loud over the league"
1 did not like the undertaking at first,
buI 40 4 thOuShl u Tic WhOic MlclCllGu
illegal business flourishing upon the
weakness of the men in the mines and
camps, whom / had learned to regard
as brothers, and especially as l thought
of the towards that did for Nixon, l
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 q 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 l
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 n strongly built log shack, with n
heavy door secured, after the name
Of the early cabins, with two strong
oak bars, sc 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 a few casks of liquor were left
there our main work would be in the
bar, SO that the fight would be to hold
the passageway. This we barricaded
with casks and tables. But by this
time the crowd had begun to realize
what had happened and were wildly
yelling at door and windows. With an
a which Graeme had brought with
him the casks were soon stove in and
left to empty themselves.
AS | was about to empty the last
cask Graeme stopped me, saying: LET
that stand here. 1t will help U.S." And
80 it did. "Now skip for the barri-
cadet" yelled Graeme as a man came
crashing through the window. But be-
fore he could regain his feet Graeme
had seized him and flung him out upon
the heads of the crowd outside. But
through the other windows men were
coming In, and Graeme rushed for the
~barricade, followed by two of the enc
my, the foremost Of whom / received
at the top and hurled back upon the
others.
Nov be quick!' said Graeme. "IIl
hold this. Don't break any bottles on
the floor. Throw them out there"
pointing to q little window high up In
the wall.
I made ali haste. The casks did not
take much time, and soon the whisky
and beer were flowing over the floor.
1t made me think of Geordie's regret
over Ii "sinfu' waste" The bottles
took longer, and, glancing up now and
then, / saw that Graeme was being
hard pressed. Men would leap, two
and three at a time, upon the barricade,
and Graeme's arms would shoot out,
and over they would topple upon the
heads of those nearest. 1t was II great
sight to see him standing alone, with
II smile on hissface and the light of bat
tie in his eye, coolly meeting his as
sailants with those terrific, lightning
like blows. In fifteen minutes my work
was done.
"What next?" i asked. "How do we
get outT"
"How is the door?" lie replied.
L looked through the portfolio md
said:
"a crowd of men waiting"
"We1l have to make Il dash FOR 1t, |
fancy" he replied cheerfully. though
his face was covered with blood and
his breath was coming I'm short gasps.
"Get down the bars and be ready"
Blu even as he spoke q chair hurled
from below caught him on the arm,
and before he could recover n man had
cleared tie barricade and was upon
him like 4 tiger. 1t was Idaho Jack.