Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-10-28
CHAPTER II

tinkle Of bells in the distance, and
looking in the direction of this unus-
ual sound, saw team of splendid coal
black horses dash round corner anG
whirl strange vehicle to the door OF
the inn.
There were two extraordinary fig
ures on the front seat of the wagon
The driver was a sturdy, thick-set mar
whose enormous moustache suggested
a crow with outstretehed wings. AS II
to emphasize the ferocious aspect lent
him by this hairy canopy which COM
pletely concealed his mouth, Nature
had duplicated it in miniature by
brows meeting above his nose and
spreading themselves. plume-like, over
q pair OF eyes which cleaned sc
brightly that they could be felt, al
though they were so deep-set that they
could scarcely he seen.
This fierce and buccaneerish person
summoned the doing hostler in a
coarse, imperative voice, flung him the
reins, sprang from his seat, and assist
ed his companion to alight. She gave
him her hand with an air of utter in
difference, bestowed upon him neither
smile nor thanks. and dropped to the
ground with q light futter like bird,
Turning instantly toward the tavern,
she asCended the steps of the porch
under a fusillade of glances of aston
ishment and admiration. Young and
beautiful dressed in a picturesque and
brilliant Spanish costume, she carried
herself with the ease and dignity of
a princess, and looked straight past
the staring crowd. Her great, dreamy
eyes did not seem to note them.
When she and her companion had
entered the hall and closed the door
behind them, every tilted chair came
down to the floor with a bang. and
many voices exclaimed in concert,
'Who is she?" Curiosity was satisfied
at S O'Clock in the evening, for at that
hour Doctor Paracelsus Aesculapius
as he fantastically called himself
opened the doors of his travelling
apothecary shop and exposed his uni
versal panecea" for sale while at the
same time, "Pepeeta, the Queen of
Fortune Tellers," entered her booth and
spread out upon a table the parapher
MALTA by which she undertook to dis
cover the secrets Of the future.
When the evenings work was ended,
Pepeeta at once retired; but the doctor
entered the bar-room, followed by Il
curious and admiring crowd. He was
In a happy and expansive frame Of
mind, for he had done a land office"
business in this frontier village which
he was now for the first time visiting.
He looked over the crowd with an
inclusive superiority and waved his
ha Nd iro va
motley throng of loafers sidled up to
the bar with a deprecatory and auto
matte r!ovement. They took their
glasses, clinked them, nodded to their
entertainer, muttered incoherent toasts
and drank his health The delighted
landlord, feeling it incumbent upon
him to break the silence, offered the
friendly observation: "S-s-see you
ss-tutter. Ss-stutter a little nm
my own self"
Shake" responded the doctor, who
was in too complacent a mood to take
offense. and the worthless grasped
hands.
Don't know any w-w-way to SIS
stop it, do your" asked the landlord.
NO, ! d-d-don't;. -t-tried every
thing. Even my universal PIP pana-
cea' won't do it, and what that can't
do can't he d-d-done Incurable d-d-
disease. Get along all right when I go
slow like this; but when I open the
throttle get all b-b-balled UP. Bad
thing for my business. Give any man
q thousand d-d-dollars thatH cure
me-" the quack replied. slapping his
trousers pocket as if there were mil
lions in it.
Co CO. couldn't go q-q-quite as high
as that; but wouldn't mind a hu-hu-
hundred" responded the landlord, cor
daily.
Tell you what 1t is. b-b-boys," said
the quack, IF it wasn't for this I'M
pediment in my s-s-speech, l wouldn't
need TO work moren about another
"How's that?" asked someone in the
crowd.
"C-c-cause II I could talk as well as
I c-c-can think. l could make a for
tune side Of which old John jacob
would look like a p-p-penny
b-b-bank!"
You could?"
IF can find a man that can do the
{ talking q mean real talk, you know;
talk a crowd blind as b-b-bats), I've |
got something better'n a California g
z gold mine"
Better get Dave Corso j" said the |
wag from the rear Of the |
crowd, and up went a wild shout OF I
aughter.
who's D-D-Dave Corson?" asked |
the doctor.
Quaker preacher. Young feller |
Sout 20 years old"
Can he t-t-talk?"
Talk. He skin talk a mule into a |
trottin' boss in less'n three minutes" |
He's my man" exclaimed the doc
tor. at which the crowd laughed again. |
What are you laughing at7" he |
asked, turning upon them savagely, his /
oud voice and threatening manner /
those who stood nearest
N that they instinctively stepped back |
. pace or two.
no offense. Doc" said one Of them:
but you couldn't get him He's pious"
.,Pfous! What do / care?"
well. these here pious Quakers are
vtin In their notions But you kin Jsdge
|>r yourself bout bis tslkin. fer there's