Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-01-20
I'd the city
And he started

Ana he started I'd the city
with no sign OF h
That appelatlon Q! Mr.. Hayseed
was the last stray added to Uncle
Hewltt'5 blazing temper. 1t was bad
enough to lose so much Of ones hard
earnings but to be ridlculed afterward
was intolerable. He Flowed old Bets
to plod on, but lie resched down, and
cropping under the seat brought ont
the old horse-plstOl, ald slipping out
over tie tall-bonrd Of The wagon. he
started in pursuit of his former pas.
senGer. The rattle of the wagon and
the thud Of old Bets feet drowled the
sound Of his approach he gained
on the fellow. He came up behind
him, and shouted suddenly;
Halt! Throw up your hands, or
you'll a-lImplng In earnest in about
second"
Turning suddenly, the young man
felt the cold touch of the pistol against
his forehead, and taken so completely
by surprise, he obeyed orders fully as
promptly as had lis victim of few
moments earlier. The cid pistol was
certainly a formidable loeklng weapon,
and the persistency with which Uncle
Hewitt pressed 1t to his forehead was
terrifying, to say the least
"I'll take your revolver first" Uncle
Hewitt said, firmly, land you needn't
make ny resistance, for l know how
to use this od-fashion- Il kind all right"
The shining revolver wae transferred
without delay from the young mans
pocket to Uncle Hewltt's pocket.
Now I'll trouble you for that little
sack of NINE" and the sack changed
pockets. Then, with twinkle of his
eyes, Uncle Hewitt said:
Thank you for your Kindness. You
may keep your watch; it's a bit SLOW"
He raised the shining revolver on
level with the young mans eyes and,
with his finger on the trigger, asked:
"shali fry this thing, TO see II 1t is
in working order"
The young mans face grew ashy
white. For heavens sake, don'tw he
pleaded.
"Oh, that's all right, 1 won't. l just
wanted to know If 1t would work.
Mine won't 1t hasn't been loaded for
more than ten years, and it couldn't
be loaded, for the insides is out of re-
pair. l just carry it to satisfy my wife.
but hereafter I'll feel the need of a
good one. I'll be more generous with
YOU than you were with me; III ex-
change weapons. l want to keep this
shiny pistol as a little souvenir of our
pleasant acquaintance. Good-by, Mr..
Uncle Hewitt started on a clumsy run
down the road, overlook the sl6w-mov-
ing wagon, climbed in over the tail
board and chlrruped to old Bets. who
had not missed dim. The young man.
when he had looked dazedly after the
wagon, threw the heavy old pistol as
FAR as he could send it into the bushes
Dy the roadside.
Aunt Mandy listened with wide eyes
% the story of Uncle Hewitts adven-
ure, and at Its close she said in some
what shaky tones, into which there
.rept a distinct note of satisfaction,
however:
Hewitt, you know always warned
'Ou to be careful, and l always told
'ou there was danger of meeting
iitaSaadTT8 "a MayyU" rou'll pay more
"Highwayman! He wasn't npHe or
hem highwaymen like you've always
been warning me aboutw snorted |
Uncle Hewitt Didn't l tell you he |
vas dressed like a gentleman, and was
ust as pleasant as pie? And as for
'our warnings, l guess l proved Pm
lble to take care of myself" Then he
added, triumphantly, Il told you I'd
lever carry that old hCrse-pistol with |
ne again, and n't"-Youth's Com
)aniOn.