Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-06-20

Now there's s452 got to be paid. An
you want five hundred more for moth
in at ALL" Here the old man groaned.
"Nothin' or no nothin'," replied Mrs.
Williams decisively, I'm goin' to hev
it. Don't you forget that
"Well, well, Marthy," said the old
man, after a pause, in what was evi-
IDENTIFY meant for soothing and mol
lifying key, you was allus a good
gal. I'll see what kin be done. Them
banks in San Luis is orful close,
though. You mustn't 'spect too
much"
Don't give me none o. your games,''
rejoined his better-half sternly; ''you
tried that once afore, an if you go for
to try it again, you'll try it once too
often. Mind what I'm a-tellin' ye"
After this the voices ceased, and I
managed to fall asleep.
Next morning we found the river had
gone down, and after paying our bills
which were certainly pretty steep
we resumed our journey at daybreak
with another passenger in the person
of old man Williams.
mo foolin' now, SIR shouted his
dame, as we drove out Of The yard;
"five hundred or nothin'.''
se-se" Aye, aFas~ Marthy,' = rep{ied- her
spouse; ''I'll be back to-mor3er even
in"
Well, we got into San Luis without
further mishap about noon. In order
not to delay the passengers who had
arrived from Santa Barbara and
southern points the night before, it was
decided that as we had lost half a day,
the same stage would start on it's re-
turn trip in an hour AS the only busi-
ness had to do was to draw money,
was ready. While in the bank getting
my coin, old Williams came in and al
so made out draft. I was little cur
ious as to the amount, and noticed that
the clerk counted out just four hun
dred and ffty-two dollars.
At 1 o'clock we left San Luis, taking
extra horses to see us over the hill.
There were now four passengers, old
Williams, we'll known landowner in
Santa Barbara, whisky drummer and
myself. AS the weather was cold, we
all got inside the coach. By the time
we got to San Miguel it was quite dark,
and as we approached the Nacimiento
river, about an hour afterward, / no.
ticed that old Williams trepidation,
which had been noticeable for some
time past, became more apparent than
ever. AS the horses FLASHED out of the
stream on the farther bank, l re-
me o,.1ra hot hn III iv.od
| into the farthest corner of the coach,
had nufiled his head in travelling
rug and was snoring heavily.
| AS soon as we gained firm ground the
| driver whipped up and the stage
| bowled past the approach to old Will
| liams' house at lively pace. Not,
| however, before female figure, in
| whom by the coach lantern I recogniZ-
| ed Mrs. Williams, had looked into the
! stage and detected her recreant spouse.
muf1ed as he was, in the corner.
| II saw We, ST. she shouted after us,
as we bowled along; ''ye can't fool me.
I thought ye'd try to play me, you old
whelp, but wait a bit" the rest Of her
speech was lost in the distance.
From the Nacimiento Crossing to the
Pleito Ranch is some ten miles, and
here the northbound stage in these
days always stopped to change horses
and let the passengers eat supper.
Half an hour afterward we resumed
our journey. We began to get livelier
under the influence of good cheer.
The colonel from Santa Barbara was
particularly entertaining The drum
! mer's best samples circulated freely,
and even old Williams joined in the
general exhilaration. when, all OF
sudden, the coach drew up with jerk
/ which nearly threw us out of our seats,
and the familiar muzzle Of double
/ barreled shot gun was thrust in at the
window.
'Never mind THROWN down the box,
Jim,'' shouted a voice which fancied
/. l had heard before; "that amt what
am after. Come, pile out on the road
you galoots inside, an be quick about
it. Wake up, old man." continued the
voice, ironically, evidently addressing
old Williams, who had shrunk back IN
to his corner dead with terror.
4 We obeyed the injunction with alac'
rity. People always do under such cir
cumstances. But who shall depict oul
establishment when we saw that tnfs