Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-09-21

less populace, the majority here to-
day. disappearing tomorrow-cow.
boys, half-breeds, trackmen, graders,
desperadoes gamblers. saloon keepers,
merchants, generally Jewish, petty Of
ficials, and riff-raff no one could ac-
count for, mere floating debris. The
town was an eddy catching odd bits
of driftwood such as only the frontier
ever knew. Queer characters were
everywhere, wrecks Of dissipation, de-
relicts OF the East seeking nothing
save oblivion.
Everything was primitive-psssion
and pleasure ruled. To spend easily
made money noisiy. brazenly, was the
after Joy continued The bagnios and
dance halls were nblaze: the bar
rooms crowded with hilarious or
quarrelsoms humanity, the gambling
tables alive with excitement. Men
staggered along the streets looking
for trouble, and generally finding It;
cowboys rode into open saloon doors
and drank in the saddle; troops OF
congenial spirits, frenzied with liquor,
spurred recklessly through the street,
firing into the air, or the crowd, as
their within led; bands played popular
airs on balconies, and innumerable
"barkers" added their honeyed invi-
tations to the perpetual din. From end
to end It was saturnalia OF vice, q
babel Of sound, a glimpse Of the in
ferno. Money flowed like water; every
man was his own law, and the gun
the arbiter OF destiny. The town
marshal, and a few cool-headed depu.
ties moved here and there amid the
chaos. patient, tircless, undaunted.
seeking merely to exercise some
slight restraint. This was Sheridan.
Into the one long street just at dusk
trailing behind. Already lights were
beginning to CLEAN In the crowded
saloons, and they we're obliged to
proceed slowly. Leaving the negro at
the corral to find some purchaser for
the animals, and such accommoda-
lions for himself as he could achieve,
Keith shouldered his way on foot
through the heterogeneous mass to,
ward the only hotel, a long two-storied
wooden structure, implanted, fronting
the glitter Of the Pinoeer Dance Hall
opposite. A noisy band was splitting
the air with discordant notes, loud
voiced barker" yelling through the
uproar. but Keith accustomed to SINH
lar scenes and sounds elsewhere
strobe through the open door of the
hotel, and guided by the noisy, contin'
uous clatter Of dishes, easily found bis
way to the diningroom 1t was crowd
ed with men, few women scattered
here and there, most of the former In
shrt-sleeves, all eating silently.
few smaller tables at the back Of the
room were distinguished from the 9th
ers by white coverings In place Of oil
cloth, evidently reserved for the more
distinguished guests. Disdaining cere
mony, the new conner wormed his way
through finally discovering a vacan
seat where his back would be to the
wall, thus enabling him to survey the
entire apartment.
1t was not of great interest, savt
for It's constant change and the print
tive manner In which the majority at
tackled their food supply, which WA
piled helter-skelter upon the lonl
tables, yet he ran his eyes searchingl!
over the numerous faces, seeking i'm
partially for either friend or enemy
No countenance present. as revealed
in the dim light Of the few swinging
lamps, appeared familiar, and salts
fled that he remained unknown, Keitl
began devoting his attention to thu
dishes before him, mentally express
ing his opinion as to their attractive
ness. CHANGING finally TO again If
his eyes. he met the gaze Of NAL
sitting directly opposite. a man whit
somehow did not seem exactly in har
mony with his surroundings He wa
short and stockily built. with roun'
rosy face. and a perfect shock OF wiz.
hair brushed back from a broad fore
head; his nose wide but stubby, ant
chin massive. Apparently he was be
tween forty and fifty years Of age. ez
ceedingly well dressed his gray eye
shrewd and full of grim humor
Keith observed all this In a glance
becoming aware at the same time tina
his neighbor was apparently studyin