The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-08-10
: "I'll be back to-morrer even.

| not 10 ueldy lHe passengers Wiz Hdt
arrived from Santa Barbara anC
southern points the night before, it was
| decided that as we had lost half day
| the same stage would start on its re.
| turn trip in an hour. AS the only bust
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 a draft.
AT / o'clock we left San Luis, taking
extra horses to see us over the hill
There were now four passengers, old
Williams, a 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, l 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, | re-
marked that the old man bad retired
into the farthest corner of the coach,
had muffled his head in a 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
llams' house at lively pace. Not,
however, before a female figure, in
whom by the coach lantern l recognize
ed Mrs. Williams, had looked into the
stage and detected her recreant spouse.
nluffled as he was, in the corner.
Il saw We. ST. she shouted after us,
as we bowled along; "ye can't fool me.
! thought ye'd try to play me, you old
whelp, but wait bit the rest of her
speech was lost in the distance
From the Nacimiento Crossing to the
Plelto 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 a
sudden, the coach drew up with jerk
which nearly threw us out of our seats.
and the familiar muzzle of a double
barreled shot gun was thrust in at the
Never mind THROWN down the box,
Jlm,' shouted a voice which l fancied
had heard before; that amt what l
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
we obeyed the Injunction with alac-
rlty. People always do under such cir
But who shall depict our
establishment when we saw that this
daring road agent who had stopped us
was a woman, and still more to my
surprise | saw it was neither more
nor less than Mrs. Williams.
Hold up yer hands, gents" said our
,aptor, quietly: faint you I'm after;
is you, We good for nothin' nincom-
ooop," as she covered him with the
shotgun. Jest shell out that money
re got today at the bank-all-every
,ent of it,"
With trembling hand old Williams
rev from his breast an old leather |
and handed it to his !,
pouse who opened it and glanced at !
he contents. still keeping the gun
eveled in our direction.
-Four hundred and ffty-two,"
he said slowly, after a careful scrut-
ny: Il thought SO! ye're forty-eight !
lollars short. Hain't We got no more?" ,
Not cent, Marthy," returned the
error stricken man, las Gods my wit
less."
We'll, We kin borrow it off some Of
hem gents. They know ye're good for
t." returned his obdurate spouse.
The whole situation was so ludic-
GUS that we other three passengers
nd the driver burst into a roar of
augher. Immediately reached for my
urse, but the colonel was before me,
nd with a low bow and benignant
mile, rendered his. The woman ac-
epted 1t with the utmost gravity, and
ook from it two twenties, five, and
hree dollars in silver.
This" she said solemnly, as she re-
lrned the purse, lis loan to the old
ian. Never fear. He'll pay I'll
lake him. Now, ST." she continued,
lrning to her husband, you'll find
~ boss tethered over thar. Git on his
ack an go to San Luis for more
honey. I'm going to Frisco in this
err stage. if them gents has no objec-
ons. III meet you up thar
We, gallantly. simultaneously. and