| Show I 1 RACY WESTERN SKETCH I 1 have never been able to ascertain the origin of the quarrel between tile the Crick leys and the drakes they have lived within about a mile of each other in in illinois for upwards of five years lid and from froin the first of their acquaintance there had been it a mutual t feeling of dislike between the two families then some misunderstanding about the boundaries of their respective farms revealed the latent flame and col Cr cockley ickley having followed a fut fat buck all one afternoon and wounded him came up to him and found old drake and liis his sons cutting him up this incident added fuel to the fire and from that time there was nothing the two fain families tilles I 1 did not say to annoy each other othar orle one ev evening enina I 1 mr drake the elder was returning home with his pockets full of rocks from chicago whither he had been to dispose of at a load of gram grain sam braston was with hira him in the wagon and as they approached a grove that intervened between them and the Colo colonels aels horse he observed to his hia companion 11 what a beautiful mark col Crick kleya leys old roan would make over yond yonder ert hang it mut muttered terea old drake so it is the horse was standing under some trees about abou t twelve rods from the road involuntarily drake stopped his team he glanced fut furtively iVely around then with a queer smile the old buiter took ii aphis his rifle from the bottom of liis his wagon wago D und nd raising it to his shoulder drew a sight on the colonels horse beautiful Beau muttered drake lowering his rifle with the air of a man resisting a powerful temptation 1 I could drop old roan so easy I 1 I 1 shoot suggested sa san u I 1 braston Br aslon who loved loved fu fun a in any shape I 1 no no said the old hunter glancing cautiously around him 1 I wont tell well I 1 won wont t shoot this time anyhow toll tell or no tell the horse is too nigh if he was fifty rods off in in stead of twelve so be a 4 bare possibility of mistaken him for a deer dear id let fly As it is is id give the col five dollars for a shot at that moment the col himself stopped stepped from behind a big oak not a half dozen dozea paces distant and bet fore lore mr mi drake well why dont you shoot the old nun man stammered in some confusion that you gol cola I 1 I 1 iwas was tempted to I 1 declare and as I 1 said ill give you a V for one pall say an X and it is is a bargain 1 drake felt forns rifle and looking at old roan how much is is the horse worth he muttered in in I 1 i y 1 1 sams ear I 1 bout bont fifty I 1 I 1 gad col ill do it heres your X the col pocketed the inan money ey muttering hang ed if I 1 thought take me up I 1 i s with high glee the old ola hunter put ut a u fresh cap on i his rifle and stood up tip in in his hia wagon edgon and drew a close sight on the old roan sam braston chuckled t mic col put his hand before his face and chuckled I 1 too J 1 i crack 1 went the rifle the hunter tore out a hort hors rid oath which I 1 williton will wil litot not repeat sam was astonish ed the col laughed old roan never stirred I 1 drake stared at his hia rifle with a face as black as aa othellous Ot hellos the matter with you hey fust time you ever served me quite such a ii trick I 1 swart swan and drake loaded his piece with wrath and indignation I 1 I 1 11 people said lost your nack of shooting observed the col in it a cunning tone ot of satire who said so its a lie he thundered draker drake 1 I can shoot t A horse at toil ten rods ha ila ha look here col I 1 cant stand that he began li egan I 1 never mind the horse can sneered the col i ill risk you grinding his teeth drake produced zt another oiher ton ten dollar bill hero lie he krow growled led 1 I am to cr r s shot any n baj 1 crack awny away cried the col pocketing th the note 1 drake did crack away with deadly aim too but bill the borss did iio not t mind the bullet in the least to the rage and unutterable astonish astonishment nien t of the hunter C old roan looked hamright him right in ia the face as if he be rather i aked the fun fuin drake cried siam sam youre d drunk r unk A hor horse ajust at a dozen rods oh my rh eyes just shut your ni auth or ill shoot louvi thun thull t dered the excited drake the bullet was bollow ill i swear the man lies that says I 1 cant shoot last week I 1 e cut u t off a gooses head at fifty ro asand kin dew ait i it again liy by the wars colonel Colone lyou you can can laugh but lut ill bet thirty dollars I 1 can bring down old roan gt at 1 one shot tho the wager was readily a accepted cep ted and stakes were placed int in dams yams hand elated elator with tile the idea i of winning back ills his two iwo tons tens and making fun ln X in the barg bargain din drake carefully selected a perfect ball an even buckskin patch and beaded his rifle A minute clater i later drake was driving through the most desperate of wen men his rifle innocent ip victim vichit a of his ire dire I 1 lay ay IV with th broken stock on the bottom of the wagon sam braston was too much frightened to laugh meanwhile the gra gratified affied colonel was on i ground convulsed wih mirth and old roan roa a was standing diug andiA under the trees when drake reached tio no his two sons discovered his iu mutilated m u dilated othis rii j flo fie stock and kast hastened ened to arouse his spirits with a i piece of news which they t 1 aey were oa sure r e would make him hial dance with joy clear out growled the angry old man 1 I dont want to hear any news but father its trick atrick a 4 blast you andybur and your tricks 1 I 1 I 1 played off on the colonel oa i the col cried the old man beginning to be in interested crested er ested gad if youve played the col a trick lets let s hear it I 1 well father jod jed and L 1 this after afternoon wont out ut I 1 for fo deer I 1 hang the deer come to the trick find any deer thought wo we must shoot hoot something so jed jd banged away at the col s old roan shot him dead shot old roan raan by the wars jod jed did you shoot the colonels hoss boss 1 I do anything elso else sold sold grunted and theu then pursued jake confident confide ut that the joke part of the scoty must aleuse his fat father ixer jim and I 1 propped the horse up and tied his head bead back with a I 1 I 1 vord cord and left him standing under ander the trees exactly as if lie he was alive ha ha I 1 fancy the colonel going gobig to catch him ho it a joke joked its a joke but if you over ever tell of tit it or if you 10 lo S sam xia braston ill skin you alive aliv e by the wars toys ive been shooting at that dead I 1 horse half an hour at ton ten dollars a shott shot at that moment sam fell into the gutter jed dragged him out insensible sam had laughed himself almost to death r I 1 |
