The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-08-31

ing machine between them. The
crowd laughed and cheered, and the
colonel issued a general invitation
for free drinks for all present after
the race, for the colonel was very
fond Of his own opinion. For some
reason Glory did not smile. But when
the animals reached the half, there
was a change. Bucyrus seemed to
remember that he was neither asleep
| nor working for the Government. He
began to run. At the last quarter
there was silence, for the crowd AS
| holding its breath. While the mus
| tang and Bucyrus were coming down
the home stretch the colonels ccun-
! tenance was interesting, and when
Bucy-us passed under the wire some
thing more than an ear ahead, the
colonel arose and made his way
through the silence to Crag's Palace
of Delight and family asked for
stimulant.
That night Theophilus showed a
woeful lack of good taste. He osten-
! tatiously reviewed the merits of the
mule family, and of Bucyrus in par
ticu!ar. The colonel sat in fiery ST
| lence and chewed the cue of bitter
reflection, but finally, when TheOrh-
illus wound up by declaring that Blu
cyrus could outrun the Overland Linn
/ tied from Crag's Corner to the noun
tain road crossing, distance of a
little over a mile, Colonel Snortally
arose in his wrath and swore.
I'll bet We anything We want that
yer wall-eyed apology fer boss can't
do anything of the kind" he said.
twill you bet my pick of any hum
against Bucyrus thai he can't?"
quietly asked TEeophilus.
"Sartinly," said the colonel, who,
deep down in his heart, had liking
for Bucyrus.
"All right" said Theophilus; eff
you say so, we will settle it to-mor-
row-going west" The colonel said
so, and went to bed.
BY the light of the stars that night
a man rode hurriedly down to Crag's
Corner, the nearest railroad station,
and before dawn rode as hurriedly
back to the ranch again.
The next day was another day of
excitement in the Basin. The rumor
Of the novel race spread swiftly.
That is why Ike Williams heard, way
up in Rocky Gulch, that Colonel
Snortally had bet his 4O,OOO-acre
ranch against a herd of mules that
a certain swift animal of that kind
could not beat thu Overland Limited
in ten-mile race.
The wagon road ran for miles
along the railroad track, so Bucyrus
was not handicapped. The race was
an even one up to the last fifty years,
when Bucyrus, by a tremendous
squirt, shot ahead and passed the
crossing with twenty feet of daylight
between himself and the engine. But
there are wiseacres in the Basin who
shake their heads when telling of the
wonderful race, and hint that the
engineer was half asleep.
Colonel Snortally was good loser.
and he cheerfully invited Theophilus
out the next day to choose his hun
dred acres. He was not the less
cheerful because Theophilus the
night before had made him present
of Bucyrus. Theophilus proved an
amazing chooser. He took narrow
strip of land running from the cor
ner up to Warder's Canon, at the foot
of the mountains. To the colonel's
testing about his choice, he said
something about it making a good
racetrack.
About a week later Theophilus was
enjoying one evening quiet after
dinner smoke on the veranda. He
was at peace with the world, when
Colonel Snortally came up the walk.
The colonel's face was like the sun
shining red through thunder-cloud.
He was too much agitated to speak
for a minute, but when he did begin
From his expressions one might
gather that he was perturbed by the
fact that Theophilus had sold a GER
tain hundred acres of land as right
of way to the Great Southwestern
Railway Company. Colonel Snortally
finished by declaring his intention
of removing from the scene stran-
ger who had taken him in, and there
with drew his revolver.
There was rustic of dress, low
cry. and Glory was sobb;ng, with her
face on Theophilus' shoulder.
Don't do it, COLOR, unless you
feel compelled to-" said Theophilus,
rising with one arm about Glory.
a widow. We were married two
days ago."