The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-05-24
THE CAPTURE OF SQUINTY SMITH,
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY.

BY JOHN H. RAFrERY.
"Yander he comes, Nanny p yelled
the little yellow headed, freckled boy, run
ming into the rickety shanty and out again,
dancing with delight. A scrawny, wither-
ed, weary woman came out Of the house
with two dirty children at her heels and
behind them half-grown, red headed
gangling girl, with two fierce little fiery
braids sticking away from her poll.
A burly man on ragged pony came
galloping down the road
''Supper ready, Mag?" he bawled at
the woman,
"Supper ! Why, faint no morn n Z
o'clock. What's up?''
whats up? Everything is up
Squinty Smith has gone and done it ri ght
this time. He killed Frank Copley in the
Hazard sloon, put four cold uns in tn
dept sheriff, and Lord knows how many
he's ashot since I left town.
The children stared in awed astonishment
at this bloody news and followed him round
to the corral.
"Well, what VI all lookin' at? Here
you, Siss, to the red-headed girl, ''get
move on you. Maria don't stand thar
all night like you was locoed Git my
supper. -
''Did you see him, Hank p
'See who?'
"Why, him, Squinty Smith p
"See him OF course I didn't see him!
I'd ribbed him up with lead till he'd
a-sunk his own grave. But didn' have
no gun, nohow. Sher'ff Housman says I
must jine the posse, an 1 says "Sher #,
if I'd a-been sher'ff stead O. you, l
wouldn't need no posse for to ketch Squinty
Smith nor no other ornery outlaw like him.
So l didn't have no gun, so I just come
home for t git supper an ready up my
arsenal. Git move on thar, Siss.
The red headed girl tossed her head and
disappeared into the tumble-down kitchen
The mother got busy with pot and pan,
and the man, clustering fercely about
what "he'd a-done if he on'y had his
weapons, pulled his Winchester out of the
closet and began to slip cartridges into the
magazine.
81 don't want NOR n peep at that gol-
dinged Squinty Smith, nohow. He alluz
wuz ornery, an he otta been put outa biz
long time ago. He's had Shelf Hous-
man bluffed for two year an more, an he
got purity nigh every man in Plankton
bufaloed But I'll show him -
The man slatternly children stood about
him in gaping admiration. The red
headed girl stuck her head in at the door
and said
"What did you fetch t'eat, daddy ?"
"Dry up you ninny; l didn't have
no time to think about fetchin' home
nothin, 1 come home to git suthin. l
I come home to git my weapons, an if
ever ketch peep at the blamed
At this instant there was sharp, rasp-
ing click at the open window and blue
barreled gun muzzle jumped into the light.
"Hold up your hands. Mitchell p said
quiet but very distinct voice.
The big man at the table held up his
hands with foolish effort to smile at the
face that looked over the gun.
"Quit yer foolin', Smith, he said,
waekly; "put it down an come in.
Squinty Smith, bull-necked, one-eyed
rufian got in at the window without fore
going an instant of his advantage.
"I'll take charge of these, Mitch,' he
said, coolly putting his hosts pistol into
his coat pocket, "and this. Both snide-
lookin guns, but L Il take charge o them"
Mitchell sat still, his wife and Siss
watching the performance from the dark
ness of the kitchen, while Smith walked
out into the lot and deliberately dumped the
rife and the pistol into the WELL
"Got any more guns p he asked, COM
ing back.
"Nary a gun, Smithy," answered
Mitchell, trying to wink knowingly to his
wife.
"All right, you can let down your mitts,
quoth the outlaw. "You sit thar, and
here, Mrs. Mitchell, you sit alongside.
Now make that gal O yourn get me some
supper.
The scared children huddled in corner
behind their fallen hero. The woman,
fascinated into submission, sat beside her
husband. The outlaw, his big, blue re-
volver beside his plate, attacked the pile Of
corn bread. Siss, the red-headed, nervous,
viperish- looking girl, came in and out with
a dish of potatoes, some fried bacon and
can of water.
"What makes you act so foolish,
smithy p Mitchell was whining, CANT
nothin wrong, is they? You might a
knowed I'd give you your supper 'thout
no such row as that
''You might and you mightn't. Got
any eggs? p growled Smith, leering at siss
out of his one vindictive eye.
"Ain't got none fur you r snapped the
little virago, bridling. with fury and whip
ping her two little red pigtails venomously.
The desperate turned red with fury,
clutched at his pistol and was choking
out curse when Mitchell interrupted
with
''See here, Siss, you little rattlesnake,
fetch him some eggs. That amt no way
n