The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-09-05

my 0Ou. NE SEtNl6Q SdNd5Piys
" tbs likely to be the last any Of US
will ever see. Wasn't it you / heard
whistling just now? One might i'm
agine this was to be wedding, rather
than funeral"
And why not, Wyman? Didn't you
know they employed music at both
functions 2owadays? Besides, ii is not
every man who is permitted to assist
at his own obseQuies-the very unique
ness of such q situation rather appeals
to my sense of humor."
The sergeant, his teeth ciinched
tightly to repress the pain racking
him, stifed his resentment with an
evident effort. You may be less
lght-hearted when you learn that the
last of our ammunition is already in
the guns" he remarked, stiffiy
L suspected as much" And the
speaker lifted himself on C-e elbow to
peer down the line of recumbent fig
ures. TO be perfectly frank with
you, sergeant, the stuff has held out
considerably longer than l believed it
would, judging from the way those
dough boys Of yours kept popping at
every shadow in front of them. It's
a marvel to me, the mutton-heads they
take into the army oh, now, you
needn't scOwl at me like that, Wy
man; I've worn the blue, and seen
some service where a fellow needed to
be q man to sport the uniform. Be
sides, I'm not indifferent, Old chap,
and Just so long as there remained
any work worth attending TO in this
skirmiShing affair. | did 1t, didn't |?
But tell you, man there is mighty 1T
tie good trying to buck against Fate,
and when Luck once finally lets go of
a victim, he's bound TO drop straight
10 the bottom before he stops That's
the sun and substance of all my
philosophy. Old fellow, consequently |
never kick simply because things hap
pen to go wrong What's the use?
They'll go wrong Just the same. Con
seQuently, upheld by my acquired
philosophy, I'm merely holding back
one shot for myself, as a sort of grand
finale to this fandango. and another for
that little girl out yonder.'
These words were uttered slowly,
the least touch of a lazy drawi appar-
ent in the low voice, yet there was an
earnest simplicity pervading the
speech which somehow gave it i'm
pressiveness. The man meant exactly
what he said, beyond the possibility of
a doubt The old soldier. accustomed
to every form of border eccentricity,
gazed at him with disappgoval.
Either you're the coolest devil I've
met during 80 years Of soldering" he
commented. doubtfully. "or else the
craziest. Who are you. anyhow? |
half believe you might be Bob Hamp-
ton, Of Placer"
The other smiled grimly You have
the name tolerably correct, old fellow:
likewise that delightful spot so lately
honored By my residence. In brief,
you have succeeded in calling the
turn perfectly, so far as your limited
information extends In strict conf
dence | propose now to imrart to you
what has hitherto remained a pro-
found secret Upon specia. request of
a number Of influential citizens of
Placer, including the city marshal and
other officials, expressed in mass
meeting. l have decided upon desert
ing that sagebrush metropolis 10 its
Just fate. and plan to add the in1u-
ence Of my presence to the future de-
velopment Of GlenCaid learn that
the climate there is more salubrious
more conducive to long living, the citi-
zens of Placer being peculiarly excit-
able and careless with their fire.
arms"
The sergeant had been listening
with open mouth The he'll YOU say"
he finally calculated
The undefiled truth. every word OF
it. No wonder you are shocked 4
fine state of affairs, isn't It, when a
plain-spoken, pleasant-mannered gen
tleman. such as | surely ana uni
versity graduate, by all the gods, the
nephew Of a United States senator,
and acknowledged to be the greatest
exponent of scientific poker in this ter,
ritory should be Obliged to hastily
change his chosen place OF abode be-
cause of the threat of an ignorant and
depraved mob Ever have a rope dan
gled in front Of your eyes. sergeant
and a gun-barrel biting into your cheek
at the same time? Accept my word
for it, the experience is trying on the
nerves. Ran perfectly sQnare game,
too. and those ducks knew it: but
there's no true sporting spirit left in
this territory any more. However,
spilled milk is never worth sobbing
over, and Fate always contrives to
play the final hand in any game. and
stocks the cards to WIN"
"A breath of good honest prayer
would serve better than anything
else" groaned the sergeant. soberly.
The gray eyes resting thoughtfully
on the old soldiers haggard face be-
came instantly grave and earnest.
Sincerely l wish | might aid you
with one" the man admitted, but |
fear, old fellow, any prayer coming
from my lips would never ascend very
far. However, | might try the COM
fort of hymn, and you will remember
this one, which. no doubt. you have
he4ped to sing back in Gods country"