Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-26

V7Hos maxim the big noise out front s and
Joe comes through into the gym holdn' up
hand and pulln the fingers apart cautious like he
was countin' to see if they all there.
"Ahr-r-r chee!" says he. ats alfalfa delegate
with grip like bench wise Go out there and have
try; he's askn' for you.
Bein' warned like that before goes in, course gets
my thumb around his knucke and puts the agony
squeeze of business before he gets it started Maybe
I would, anyway; for the cordial paw this stranger
sticks like hand of bananas. The rest of him is
built along the lines; for he's wide, fiat footed
gent something six foot he stands and should
guess he'd weigh in up around the two-ifty mark
"We WE'LL" says he in a voice that sounds like the
pedal notes of a church organ "Same old Shorty Nc
Cabe eh2 Reckon you don't remember me, thought
@If don't says l, Il" amt account of the size
"Haw haw!" says he, lettin it rumble out easy and
good natured. Got there, didn't you? But think
back, now back as far when you making that
championship sparring tour from Denver east. Maybe
didn't stand EN- in the ases for you at the Centoria
Opera Housed"
aOh!' says 1. "Centoria? Want that the place
where they had deputy sherifs with their guns out
posted in each Window"
@You bet!" says he. 1--WE had sixteen of en-"
1But why3" says 1.
Because there dozen outfits of cowpunchers in
the house with every last of EN- plumb wild over
you, and it had just cost two hundred and thirty
eight dollars to tin and paint the roof. Id put every
cent could beg or borrow into that opera house,
and couldn't afford to have that crazy bunch make
pepper shaker of the ceiling. That's why"
Il see.' says I. 4Well, how did you come out?'
another cordial grab for my hand Tve been wantin to
tell you about that all these years That exhibition date
of the turn of the tide for me- Up to that
time I'd been against all the different kinds of hard luck
any shook out of the box. I'd tried raisin
stock and the rustlers got all best calves I'd bought
in on likely pay streaks that pinched out as soon as
got my money down. Then I'd worked and saved up
another stake only to let slick real estate boomers
unload this busted Centora proposition on me,-four
tank and few dozen shacks When built the opera
house they thought sure locoed But say, that's
what brought the boom back to Centoria 1t that
bumper house you drew that lifted my hoodoo."
"After that you made good, did you?" says |.
@Made good?' says he. "Why couldn't touch any
thing that didn't turn to money! People began to pile
into Centoria if had advertised free barbe
cue. They bought inside lots fast had to open
bank to take of the cash, and the |
marked up at the rate of two hundred dollars day
to hold onto of EN-. Busyo Say, at time there
runnin real estate Office hotel the bank, and
two cattle ranches, buildin grain elevator laying
wires to have the county courthouse located in Cen
tor1a, backing daily newspaper and organizing the
Board of Trade! And money? Why when it once began
coming my way. it seemed like nothing could stop it!
ahd mo threw the % bs
"Gad to hear it., says |. "You must be some well
heeled by this time"
Shorty" says he, layn' paw on my shoulder i'm
pressive, @you wire Centoria and ask EN- how
Big Bart Rollins is fixed when it to cold cash.
Why, I've got enough to break mules back"
TT didn't sound like the ordinary hot air blast the way
he said it. either. More'n that, way other,
he looked the part After I'd sized up that rugged chin
of his, and them steady wide set eyes, knew he want
gvn any bass horn solo, just for the sake of hearin
It himself
@And now expect you're your way to the other
side" says l. @to blow of your surplus against the
swell sghtseein game,-Paris, and Rome, and Egypt,
and all thato"
mo, Son. says he, @none of that for Big Bart. I'd
look nice, wouldn't prospecting around abroad and
getting tangled with foreign customs and when
don't know how my people live right here in the
U. S. Az"
"Eh9" says l, not gettin his drift
II mean it, says he. course, l up to Denver
and to Kansas CITY couple of times; but outside