The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-11-20

out there for TO charge the blanket
stit1'S Il regular tariff.
Whats 4 blanket stiff? Why, he's
a half hobo that travels with his bed
ding and is ristocratic in his predilec-
tions for box cars instead of riding q
brake beam. Likewise he cavils at
the blind baggage Well, I'm jest get.
ting fixed to count my money when
we pull into siding in the foothills
and stop. hear Il voice outside.
"'Whoa. Balnam."
81 sec the head of a burro looking in
the car door, inQuring and sleepy.
Somehow | allus want to laugh when
look burro in the face, he's that
simple and unassuming and Have
you-uScd-Pum S-soap' looking, but !
don't do ii. because know he's got
me sized up upcr and has OWNED
all my wcaNl.i >scs and secret faults
and Is criti;:iu:c me from my No. II
feet to my No. & hat.
This one Is carrying pack, and
there's man with him. The Teller
yanks off the pack saddle. throws it in
the car, then h'ists Mr.. BALKAN in and
Chambers aboard himself. When I get
a square look at him l reco'nize my
old friend Mojave Mike Buffers, the
foot racer He's sure a baleful and
horrible sight, all poverty stricken and
destitute, but ! don't say nothing, just
hitch back into the gloom and snore,
while he puts his blankets in the
other end of the car leads the animal
over and sets down. I'm holding out
on him a-purpose.
| "Were in big. empty furniture
car with both side and end doors. Ex-
celsior is all over the floor, which
proves godsend to Balaam, for he
thinks he's struck some kind Of blond
bunch grass. BY and by the brake
man comes projecting through and
sees Mike in his corner, with the jack
gorging himself, all contented and
pastura.
GLOW far you going?' says he.
"End Of the DIVISION Mike an.
swers.
""Two dollars apiece says he. We
charge full fare for mules
""Two dollars apiecev says Mojave.
L don't like your classifications, for
BALKAN amt mule nor l amt a
burro.'
Gail right Call him hooking bird,
only give me 81
"I amt got it,
"'What! Well, get out of this car.
G'wan, now, before throw you out.
What you mean anyhow, crawling in
here broker
''NIr. Brakeman is some wrathy, but |
Mike don't move, only to reach out
and get Balaam by the halter The
brute is still eating succulent punches
of excelsior, dreamy and amiable,
while peace and friendship look out of
his brown eyes, and his tail swishcs
with content All is sunshine for |
Balaam.
"'Out you go, you blamed hobo!
says the railroad man, making for
Mike.
"Look out! There amt going to be
doors enough in this car for your says
Mike. And, giving Balaam's halter a
twist, he says, Hist, boy!
BALKAN h'isted. He throwed down
his mouse colored head, and the whole
back end of him come loose. He sure
severed his connections and cut his I
home ties. His little hoofs hit the
th,,,,,,,o,,, IL, thu <t,,,op,iol, co tho+ tho
breath come out Of him with a
'whoofv like the squawk Of an auto
mobile horn. The gentleman riz up |
laid both hands upon Balaam's tracks
and sat down hard in the other cor
ner, then doubled up like he had only
one joint in his back, wrapped his
arms around himself three times and
began to kick like hen with its head |
cut of, while he made little gasping |
noises like wind leaking into an old
pump. Mike scratched BALKAN, and
the little Teller waggled his ears saga
cious, winking at me, meanwhile chew
ing the juice out Of another batch of
shavings that growed near by.
LOU SOuuO AAC yOU "o0 AAF0 L
enough to pick said Mike to the rail-
roader i don't like 'em when they |
60 "pank."'
1T seemed like the man couldn't !
reach no amicable settlement with his |
breath whatever, and it was ten min
utes before he'd arranged satisfac-
tory working basis with it. Then he
crawled out, hiccoughing cuss words
and threats all hashed up like beef
stew. In mebbe half an hour he come
back with his pardner, but Mike was
intrenched behind BALKAN. The men
had sticks and tried to storm him, but
that donkey's buttress was plump i'm
pregnable. Compared to him Port Ar
thur was as easy Of access as polit-
ical meeting. and Gibraltar had signs
Of Welcome all over it. never see
no real kicking before nor since The
air growed congested and thick with
it, and there was enough hoof in the
atmosphere at any minute to run
glue factory for year. Mike was
acting gunner's mate, finding the
ranges and aiming him like pivot