Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-03-03

of th@ Border" Many fearsome tales
are ef record concerning the doings
Of him and his followers. Suddenly
In the space of a single minute. Black
Eagle vanished from earth. He was
never heard of again. His own band
never even guessed the mystery OF
his disappearance. The border
ranches and settlements feared he
would come again to ride and ravage
the mesquite flats. He never will.
II Is to disclose the fate of Black
Eagle that this narrative is published.
The initial movement of the story
In furnished by the foot Of a bar
tender In st. Louis. His discerning
eye fell upon the form OF Chicken
Ruggles as he pecked with avidity at
the free lunch. Chicken was hobo"
He had a long nose like the bill OF
a fowl. an inordinate appetite for
poultry, and a habit Of gratifying 1t
without expense, which accounts for
the name given him by his fellow
Migrants.
Physicians agree that the partaking
of liquids at meal times is not a
healthy practice. The hygiene Of the
saloon promulgates the opposite.
Chicken had neglected to purchase a
drink to accompany the meal. The
bartender rounded the counter. caught
the injudicious diner by the ear with
a lemon squeezer, led him to the door
and kicked him into the street.
Thus the mind of Chicken was
brought to realize the signs Of coming
winter. The night was cold; the stars
shone with unkindly brilliance; people
were hurrying along the streets In
two egotistic, jostling streams. Men
had donned their overcoats. and
Chicken knew to an exact percentage
the Increased difficulty of coaxing
dimes from those buttoned-in vest
pockets. The time had come for his
annual exodus to the south.
A little boy, FIVE or six years old,
stood looking with covetous eyes in
confectioner's window. In one small
hand he held an empty two-ounce vial;
In the other he grasped something
Dat and round. with shining milled
edge. The scene presented a field of
operations commensurate to Chickens
talents and daring. After sweeping
the horizon to make sure that no Of
Gcial tug was cruising by, he insid-
lousy accosted his prey. The boy.
having been early taught by his house
hold to regard .altruistic advances
with extreme suspicion, received the
overtures coldly.
Then Chicken knew that he must
make one of those desperate, nerve
shattering plunges into speculation
that fortune sometimes requires of
those who would win her favor. Five
cents was his capital, and this he
must risk against the chance of win
ming what lay within the close grasp
Of the youngsters chubby hand. 1t
was a fearful lottery, Chicken knew.
But he must accomplish his end by
strategy, since he had a wholesome
terror of plundering infants by force
Once, in a park, driven by hunger,
he had committed an onslaught upon
bottle of peptonized infants food in
the possession of an occupant of a
baby carriage. The outraged infant
had SO promptly opened its mouth
and pressed the button that commune
Gated with the weiiin that help ar
rived, and Chicken did his thirty
days and" in a snug coop. Wherefore
he was. as he said. 'leary Of kids"
Beginning artfuliy to question the
boy concerning his choice Of sweets,
he gradually drew out the informa-
ton he wanted. Mamma said he was
to ask the drug store for ten cents
worth of paregoric in the bottle; he
was to keep his hand shut tight over
the dollar; he must not stop to talk
TO anyone In the street; he must ask
the drug store man to wrap up the
change and put in the pocket Of his
trousers. Indeed, they had pockets
two Of themi And he liked chocolate
creams best.
Chicken went into the store and
turned plunger. He invested his en-
tire capital In G. A. N. D. Y. stocks.
simply to pave the way to the greater
risk following.
He gave the sweets to the young
ster, and had the satisfaction of per
ceiving that confidence was estab-
llshed. After that 1t was easy to OBJ
tain leadership Of the expedition; to
take the investment by the hand and
lead 1t to nice drug store he knew
of In the same block. There Chicken,
with a parental air. passed over the
dollar and called for the medicine,
while the boy crunched his candy.
glad to be relieved of the response.
bility of the purchase. And then the
successful investor, searching his
pockets. found an overcoat button
the extent of his winter trousseau--
and. wrapping 1t carefully, placed the
change In the pocket of
copfding juvenility. Setting the
face homeward. and pat.
ting him benevolently on the back.
for Chickens heart was as soft as
those OF his feathered namesakes-
the Spectator quit the market with a
profit OF loo per cent on his In.
vested capital
Two hours later an Iron Mountain
freight engine pulled out OF the rail.
road yards, Texas bound, with string
Of empties. In one of the cattle cars,
half buried In straw, Chicken lay at