United States or Montserrat ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
As he did this, Bradley and Hillhouse drew Wambush backward and down to the ground. "I'll pay you for this, Bale Warlick," he groaned in pain, but he still held to the knife. "Let go that knife," thundered the sheriff. "Let it a-loose, I tell you, or I'll mash your skull!" "Not while I hold 'im, Bale," said the bar-keeper, sullenly. "Law or no law, I won't he'p beat no man 'at's down!"
Being invited by one of the great men of the place to enter a booth to take a drink of grog with him, we did so; but I was rather surprised that he offered his name, instead of the cash to the bar-keeper. "We first caught sight of President Houston as he walked from one of the grog shops, where he had been to prevent the sale of ardent spirits.
I think the jury became satisfied that if any money had been taken the bar-keeper, to make out a case against "No. 4", had taken it himself. But there was a technical breaking, and it had to be got around; so his counsel appealed to the jury, telling them what he knew of "No. 4", together with the story of the child's dog, and "No. 4"'s reply.
The gallant Colonel nodded with confidential affability to the spotless-shirted bar-keeper, and then taking Corbin by the arm fraternally conducted him into a small apartment in the rear of the bar-room. It was evidently used as the office of the proprietor, and contained a plain desk, table, and chairs.
"Arrest the devil!" came from Wambush's bloody lips. He made a violent effort to free himself, but the two men held him. "I'll he'p yer, whether you deputize me or not!" grunted Bradley, as he hung to the hand which still held the knife, "I'll he'p yer cut 'is d d throat, the cowardly whelp!" "I've got nothin' 'gin nuther party," said the bar-keeper, "but I reckon I'll have to obey the law."
Why, it was a decent sized river, not a trumpery one; he might have gone in for fishing and sold the fish to merchants, officials, and the bar-keeper at the station, and then have put money in the bank; he might have sailed in a boat from one house to another, playing the fiddle, and people of all classes would have paid to hear him; he might have tried getting big boats afloat again that would be better than making coffins; he might have bred geese, killed them and sent them in the winter to Moscow Why, the feathers alone would very likely mount up to ten roubles in the year.
"Th' ain't no row as I can see," said the bar-keeper, "these gents is 'aving a quiet drink w'en 'ees nibs there pips in an' calls fer a cop." "This is one of our engineers," explained the foreman, "and I was on the way to the station with him when these strikers took him away."
During the continuance of his spree it was his custom to remain on the bar premises night and day, and to stand treat to all and sundry. It was understood that the bar-keeper was to fire him out as soon as the deposit became exhausted. This usually happened in about three weeks. He would then return to his cave. The 5 was meant to keep him in food and clothes until the next installment fell due.
Here Nat Adams, the burly bar-keeper, dispensed bad whisky at the rate of two shillings a noggin, or a guinea a bottle, while his brother Ben acted as croupier in a rude wooden shanty behind, which had been converted into a gambling hell, and was crowded every night. There had been a third brother, but an unfortunate misunderstanding with a customer had shortened his existence.
Roughs, to the number of a dozen or so, mostly steamboat-runners and their congeners, are of the party, headed by Flashy Joe. Lobster Bob has set up his oyster-plank in a central situation. Venders of unfresh-looking refreshments have established themselves on board; and the bar-keeper, near the forecastle, is preparing himself for the worst.
Word Of The Day