Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-03-16
When ready to sail he had discovered

When ready to sail he had discovered
that one of the necessarieS of life, in
the parallelogrammatic shape Of plug
tobacco, had been forgotten. A sailor
had been dispatched for the missing
cargo. Meanwhile the captain paced
the sands, chewing profanely at his
pocket store.
A slim, wiry youth in high heeled
boots came down to the waters edge.
His face was boyish, but with pre-
mature severity that limited at mans
experience His complexion was nat
urally dark, and the sun and wind of
an outdoor life had burned it to a COT
fee brown. His hair was as black and
straight as an Indians: his face mad
not vet been upturned to the humilia-
ton of q razor; his eyes were cold
and steady blue. He carried his left
arm somewhat away from his body,
for pearl handled ass are frowned
upon by town marshals and are 4
little bulky when packed in the left
armhole Of ones vest. He looked be-
yOnd Captain Boone at the gulf With
the impersOnal and exp assionless dig
nifty Of a Chinese emperor.
"Thinkin' of buyin' that'ar gulf, bud
dy:" asked the captain, made sarcastic
by his narrow escape from tobacco
less voyage.
why, no." said the kid gently, Il
reckon not. [ never saw it before. l
was just looking at it. Not thinking
Of selling it, are you:"
Not this trip said the captain. "I'll
send it to you c.. o. D. when [ get back
to Buenas Tierras. Here comes that
capstan footed lubber with the chew
in. | ought to've weighed anchor an
hour ago"
"Is that your ship out there?" asked
the kid.
why. yes answered the captain.
IF you want to call schooner ship.
and ] don't mind lynn. But you better
say Miller & Gonzales. owners, and
ordinary. plain Billy be damned old
Samuel & Boone, skipper
"Where are you going to-" asked the
refugee.
"Buenas Tierras. coast of South
America-I forgot what they called the
country the last time | was there. Car
go lumber, corrugated iron and ma
chetes."
what kind of a country is it." asked
the llid-"hOt or cOld?
'Warmish, buddy" said the captain.
But a regular Paradise Lost for ele-
gancc OF scenery and be-yOoty of geo.
graDhy. Ye're wakened every morn
ing by the sweet singin' Of red birds
with seven purple tails and the sighin'
of breeZes in the pOsies and roses. And
the inha bitants never work, for they
can reach out and pick steamer bas-
ketS Of the choicest dollhouse fruit with
out gettin' out of bed. And there's no
Sunday and no ice and no rent and no
troubles and no use and no nOthln'
It's a great country for man to go
to sleep with and wait for somethin'
to turn up. The bananys and oranges
and hurricanes and pineapples that ye
eat comes from there"
THAT sounds to me.' said the kid, at
last betraying interest. "Whatll the
with YOU?
''TWenty-four dollars" said Captain
Boone; grub and transportation, sec
ond cabin. / haven't got a first cabin"
you've got my company" said the
kid, pulling out buckskin bag.
With $500 he had gone to Laredo for
his regular blowout" The duel in
Valdos' had cut short his season of
hilarity, but it had left him with near
ly 5000 for aid in the fight that it had
made necessary.
"4All right, buddy" said the captain.
Il hope your ma won't blame me for
this little childish escapade Of yours"
He beckoned to one of the boats crew
Let Sanchez lift you out to the sliff
SO you won't get your feet wet
Thacker. the United States consul at
BuenaS Tierras. was, not yet drunk.
1t was only II o'clock. and he never