The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-03-28

out tnefe TOT 10 charge the blanket
sims q regular thrill
What's q blanket stiff; Why. he's.
asiiaif5 hobo that travels with bis bed
dag and Is ;ristoeratic In bis lredilec.
.ttons for box cars instead Of riding o
brake beam. Likewise be carils at
the blind baggage. Well I'm. Jest get
ting fixed to count my money when
We pull lilto siding In the foothills,
and stop. lthear voice outside.
whoa. Balaamr ~ !.
" see the bead OF a burro looking In
the car door. IiquIrlng anl sleepy.
Somehow Z alins want to laugh when
slook a burro ID the face. hes flat
siinpl, and unassnmlng and Have.
you.lsed.l'Ium's.soap' looking. but l.
don't do Il. because kuow hes got
NE sized up proper aud has OWNED
all ms weaknesses and serret faults
and Is eritlcisinS NE from. my No. 10
feet TO my No. G hat.
This one IL carrying pack, and.
there's a man with him! Tile Teller
yauks of lile pack saddle. throws It In
the car. .tIien ll'lsts Mr.. Baiaam IN and
Chambers nl,oard himself When d get
a square look NJ him I reeonlze my
old friend Mojave Mike Buffers. tue
foot racer. Hes sure baIefuI and
horrible sight. all poverty stricken and
destitute. but don't say nothing. Just
hitch back into the gloom and saore.
while lie puts his blankets In the
other end OF the ear. leads the animal
over and sets down. I'M holding out
on him a.purpose.
Were IN a big. empty furniture
car with both side aud end doors. Ex-
celslor is all over the floor. which
proves godseud to Balaaui. for he
thinks he's struck some Kind Of blond
bunch grass By AMI by the brake.
man comes projecting through aud
sees Mike III Ills corner. with lie Jack
gorsins himself. all cUnteiaed aud
paslural. ~ -
.Si6@faf you goinSt' says he.. asss
.ssEhti$ or TIE isiHii..' eg9sttGe an,
swatSs ~ 'riiEt p ts'Sll v atssc. 3sH
NO dbliafs .lbltce. "a IS he!sd:ws.
clldfss full fare for mules 5S'iait
EFT I'd dollars hpleees says AioJaye.i
Il tl6ti't slikei soiif ttasslfSa TONS, 'forl
Balaala aliitt ii mule nor / amt a
Iburro.
"All right. Call him a mocklng bird.
only give inc $4.'
al amt got It.
What! Well. get out OF this car
G'wan. now. before throw you out.
What you mean anyhow crawling IN
here broke?'
"Mr. Brakeman is some wratliy. bu,
Mike don't move, only to reach out
and get Balaam by the halter. The
brute is still eating succulent lunches
Of excelsior. dreamy and amiablc.
while peace and friendship look out of
his brown eyes. aud his tall swlshcs
with coltent. All is sunshine for
Balaam.
tout you go. you blamed hobor
says the railroad man. making for
Mike.
LOOK out! There ain't going TO be
doors enough In this car. for, your says
Mike. Aud giving ~Balaam's halter. a
twist. he says. Hist, boyr
BALKAN h,lsted. He throwed down
his mouse colorcd head. and the whole
back end Of him come loose. BE sure,
severed his connections aud cut his
home ties. His little hoofs bit the
brakeman In the stummick 80 that the
breath come out Of him with a
.whoofr like the sQuawk Of IN auto:
mobile horn. The gentleman riz up
laid both hands upon, Balaam;s tracks
and sat down hard In the other cor,
her. then doubled up like he had only
Que joint III his back. wrapped his
arms around himself three times and
began to kick like Il hen, with It's bead
cut or, while he made little gaspins
noises like wind leaking Into an old
pump. Mike scratched Balaam, aud
the little Teller wasslcd his ears saga
cious, winklnS at me. meanwhile chew
Ing the Juice out of another batch Of
shavings that growcd near by.
".You sound like you was ripe
enough to pick said Nike to the rail-
reader. i don't like 'em when they
go "pank."
ut seemed like the. man. couldn't
reach no amicable settlement with uiils,
breath whatever. and 1t was ten Min.
utes before he'd arranged :atsatisfae:
tory working lbasIsSwithsit.f Theh he
crawled out; lllecougllInsl.cuss words
and threats all hashelnpl IlkeSa beef
stew. III, mebbe half3an.iiour lie come
back with his pardner. but Mike was
intrenched behind Balaam. 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 us n pollt,
lcal meeting. aud Gibraltar had signs
of Welcome nll over 1t. never see
no real Kicking before nor since. The
air growcd congested and thick with
It. and there was enough hoof in The
atmosphere Mt any minute to run "a
glue factory for a. year. Mike was
acting gunner's mate. finding the
ranges and aiming him lie a pivot
gun. willie the little Teller hitch Kicked.