Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-07-23

Then they passed the crowd of refu-
gees they stopped and listened, COM
menting on the various opinions by an
exchange of knowing smiles. An old
prospector, w~hite-haired and tanned to
a tropic brown, finally turned upon a
presumptuous optimist and the little
man nodded approvingly as he heard
him express his views.
You can say what you please" the
prospector ended, "but Pm going 10
keep out of that country. I've knowed
them Mexicans for thirty years now
and I'm. telling you they're Citing
treacherous. 1t don't do no good to
have your gun with you-theyu shoot
you from behind a rock-and II they
can't git you that way, they'll knife
you in your sleep.
I've noticed a big change in them
paisanos since this war come on. Be-
fore Madero made his break they used
to be scared of Americans-thought II
they killed one of us the rest would
cross the border and eat EN- up. What
few times they did tackle a white man
he generally give a good account Of
himself, too, and I've travelled them
trails for years without hardly know
ing what it was to be afraid of any
body; but l tell you it's entirely diff
ferent over there now"
Sure! That's right" spoke up the
little man, with spirit. You're talk
ing more sense than any man on the
street. l guess l ought to know-I've
been down there and through it all
and it's got so now that you can't trust
any of EN-. My pardner and I came
clear from the Sierra Madres, riding
nights, and we come pretty near know
ing-hey, Bud?"
That's right" observed Bud, the
big man, with a reminiscent grin, Il
begin tt think them fellers would get
us, for a whilei"
Mining men?" inquired the old
prospector politely.
Working on a lease" said the little
man briefly. Owner got scared out
and let us in on shares. But no more
for muh-this will hold me for quite
a while, l can tell you'll"
Here, too" agreed the big man,
turning to go. ARIZONA is good enough
for income on, Phil"
Where tor The little man drew
back half resentfully, and then he
obop1od bjs Wind GAN r;rbt ., he .oid
falling into step, "a gin izz for mine!"
Not on an empty stomach" ad-
monished his pardner; you might get
lit up and tell somebody all you know.
How about something to eat?"
Good! But where re you going?"
The big man was leading off down a
side street, and once more they came
to a halt.
"Jim's place-it's a lunch-counter,"
he explained laconically. 1.-THE hotels
all right, and maybe that was a break
fast we got, but I get hungry waiting
that way. Gimme a lu~nch-counter,
where | can wrop my legs around a
stool and watch the cook turn 'em
over. Come OIL been there before"
An expression of plying tolerance
came over the little mans face as he
listened to this rhapsody on the quick
lunch, but he drew away reluctantly.
Jaw, come on, Bud" he pleaded.
Have a little class! What's the use
Of winning a stake If you've got to eat
at a dog-joint? And besides-say, that
was a peach of a girl that waited on
us this morning! Did you notice her
hair? She was a pippin!"
The big man waggled his hand re-
signedly and started on his way.
"All right, pardner," he observed;
"if that's the deal she's probably look.
ing for you. I'll meet you in the room"
"Aw, come ont" urged the other, but
his heart was not in it, and he turned
gaily away up the main street.
Left to himself, the big man went on
to his lunch-counter, where he ordered
oysters, "a dozen in the milk" Then
he ordered a beefsteak, to make up
for several he had missed, and asked
the cook to fry it rare. He was just
negotiating for a can of pears that had
caught his eye when an old man came
in and took the stool beside him, pick.
ing up the menu with trembling hand
give me a cup of Coffee" he said tc
the waiter, "and"-he gazed at the bill
of fare carefully-"and a roast-beei
sandwich. No, Just the coffee!" he
corrected, and at that Bud gave him q
look. He was a small man, shabbily
dressed and with scraggy whiskers
and his nose was very red.
Here" called Bud, coming to an in
slant conclusion, give i'm his sand
wich; I'll pay for i'll"
"All right" anwered the waiter. who
was no other than Sunny Jim, the pro
prietor, and, w~hisking UP q sandwich
from the %sideboard, he set 1t before
the old man, who glanced at him In
silence, For a fraction of a second he
regarded the sandwich alphabetically;
then, with the aid OF his coffee, he
made away with 1t and slipped down
OF his stool.
Say" observed the proprietor. al
Bud was paying his bill, "do you know
who that old-timer was?"
What old-timer" inquired Bud
who had forgotten his brusk benefac
tion.
why, that old Teller that you treat
ed to the sandwich"
"Oh-himl Some old drunk arount
town." hazardei Bud.
Well, he's that, too" conceded
Sunny Jim, with d smile. But femme
tell you, pardner. II you had half thu
rocks that old boys got you wouldn'
need to punch any more cows. That
Henry Kruger, the man that just soil
the Cross-Cut mine for fifty thousanI
cash. and he's got more besides