The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-10
HARD LUCK n NUGGET
BY HAROLD CARTER

then, just when ne tnougnt ne nao-
we'll!
We'd heard q new preacher was
coming to Nugget, and naturally the
boys were interested. Doctor Hadley,
who had been with us six years, had
been thought good deal of. His Sat
urday night illustrated lectures on the
wonders of nature had proved live
wire. Jim Riley had won the prize
Doctor Hadley offered for the best col
lection Of lizards and Tom Bullen's
wife got the prize he gave for the best
cake baked for the church sociaDle;
and 80, with the parson gone, We saw
all our innocent pastimes nipped in
the bud unless Mr.. Frank Cunning
ham turned outa sociable sort of man
like his predecessor.
The minute he steps of the train.
however, he looks so queer we see
something 10 wrong. He looks about
him surprisedlike.
Where's your outlaws?" he asks.
There amt been none here for
these ten years. not since they passed
the antigambling laws" says Tom.
why don't you carry pistols?" the
parson asks, still more surprised.
"They's taxed too high explains.
Times is hard in Nugget"
What, don't you shoot up tender
feet who take drinks of lemonade?"
he demands H.
Everybody drinks lemonade, mis-
ter" explains Jim Riley This is a
prohibition county"
Naturally this didn't make too good
an impression on us. especially when
he preached sermon against outlaws
from the pulpit the first Sunday. The
boys had another thing against him.
too. He'd asked Miss Rose to go bug.
gy-riding with him on the Wednesday,
and as Jim Riley had been monopoliz-
ing her q good deal, we didn't like the
butting-in feature. However, Miss
Rose went with him.
HE didn't talk about nothing but
outlaws" she said to US. He thinks
we're hiding the vice of Nugget from
him to prevent his breaking 1t up.
He says II he spots it he's going to
smash It," s-o
so that's why he come nosing
round my back door on Sunday before
church," exclaimed Jim. holly Want
ed to see II l was violating the tenn
perance laws. eh!'
Well, after another week had gone
by things was getting unbearable.
None Of US wanted to lay hands on the
parson. but We saw he hadn't come to
Nugget in an understanding spirit.
Moreover. he was bothering Miss
Rose. and we didn't like that.
Nov I tell syou how It 10, boys.
says Tom BA,lsh. What he wants ID
to prove hiAsslf. He's like a young
horse that hasn't been broke. He'l
like q soldier going into battle. who
thinks he's hero and has to learn
that It will take al his heroism tc
keep from running away. II once hi
gets up against what he's looking fol
he'll sing pretty small and possibly
turn out to be q good Teller" d..
And then he outlined his plan to 10
We were to stage an attempted ab
duction.
II was three nights later, before tn,
moon come up. that we carried out tn,
plan. Jim and Tom lay In wait at tn,
parsonage corner. about the time wher
Miss Rose used to walk home from
the store. We knew the parson woult
be waiting for her, to say good eve
ming and to offer to escort her, an,
the rest Of us was hiding in Ephraim
store across the street, to see the fun
Just as Miss Rose was passing tn,
parsonage Jim and Tom leaps out an,
grabs her. Scream? I never heard
girl boiler like It. Jim said afterwar,
1t scared him into thinking he va
really trying to abduct her.
| Help! Help" she cried at the to-
Of her voice.
Suddenly the parsonage door opene
and Mr.. Cunningham came out.
"Wh.wh-what's the natter" b
stammered.
| 1t was 30 dark some of us had take
the opportunity to creep up close. an
! tell you It fairly scared me stiff Z
think . man could b such q cowart
The parson WAS positively shakin
with fright. and he looked a. II h
was going to turn tail any instant.
Il You leave that young lady alone,
he mumbled; and then he caught sigh
Of Miss Roses face.
Next instant he had landed like
catapult right into the pair of thea
Before he knew It, Jim was lying 4
the road with a cut lip and Tom wa
leaning against the wall with bruise
eye. But the parson was at ther
again. and there wasn't nothing to d
but to turn tail We ran, the lot {
! us. and We was afraid every instsr
the parson would land one Of US blow
across our necks. But he tailed O
and went back to Miss Rose, and this
} was the last We saw, except that "
heard he took her home and told he
{ she wasn't never to 60 out alone afte
dark in such q vicious town again.
Miss Rose wasn't At the store ne,
! day, and by nightfall everybody kne
she was to marry the parson when til
banns had been read. He got perkis
than ever afterwards. and Jim agree
we'd made bad mistake in not a
counting for the power Of love over
man. Anyhow, we've got a new pa
. son In Nugget now. and Jim's tryiu
TO interest him in lizards.