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Show I 88 ROEBUCK. • . h ken he ,valked [nvn.y t~wn.rd his Hav1ng t us spo ' . . } . rhile the prostrate COlnbatant cn.llecl after hun- 10~,S~f:ybe I'nl too drunk no,v, but I 'll kccp,sober at next cout· t · I 'll thanl· von to meet Jnc then1. . ~ \.. .; 1 1 1 1 :t tl ot1Ier· }Jen:;ons on. the l)ore l, 'v lO 1:1c B~xtcr anct 10 · • 1 ectators of the bloodless battle, now lY'Cn amnsel sp · <1e:""'cen ae d 1.1 1t o the ~.., trcct ' congra.tula. tccl. th. e gcntlC'm.e n on t l1 0 11 onorab ln'" ' tcr·n:lin·c ttion of then· c1tfhcnlty nn. clln-sistecl that they should shake hands and be fnCJ~:h· B 'ter SUO'D'eSlinrr n. pc:tce-Innker perhaps 011 the pun-ax ' ;::,o ~ • f' h :t ., •• cl . l of nn nllao·e tonchillO' a "h:lll' 0 t e (LOg, lUge Cl p C (A <AI " o ~ · l . h then1 to cOlne into the tavern n,nd t~kc a dn~l c Wlt hhn ancl his con1panions. Protestu1g a?~unst the l)eace, they assented to the drink. Once 111 the l>arroom the l)articipants and spectators of th.c recent conflict discussed that affc.tir in sueh fashion th~t another fio·ht becan1e inuninent. Consequently n.nother cup ~· concilin.tion becan1e necc "'s::try. So ih ~_Y 'vrano·led ancl drank or drank ana "·ranglcc1,. w1n~e Baxt:r urged pe:1cc or 'var or whiskey, nceordmg t~ his fluctuating humor, until darkness hucl long set-tled down upon th~ village. . "I-Im·c con1cs Blind Pete," exc1a1n1ecl Baxter, ns a pale, thin 1nan, led by a little boy, el'ltcrcd the barroom; " con1e in, Pete; 've'll make you see stars ,vithout your eyes. Take a drink." The ne,v-co1ucr no thin (Y' loth, condescended to ' 0 pcrfonn that ceremony of u· u·t w· .,ti· on, nnJ. 'vhL·'1 c 11e "\V::tS imbibing the liquor, Bn.xtcr said: "Who's your bail now, Pete~" "Oh, sir, I always gives the best Lail in the county.'~ "Y cs, you go to jail like a rogue and arc runsomcc like a gcntlc1nan, thrmks to your blindness. Yout' blindness is catching, or the gentlen1en could not ROEBUCK. 89 wink so at your rascalities. now, Pete ?'' "Colonel Fred." But who's your bail '"'Vhy, it 'vas for stcalino- his bacon they pnt you in j:1il." ~ "That's the reason he 'vas bound to attend to the c:tsc. You see it 'vas his own ca c} like." " ! ou are a lucky thief, Pete. If you had your eyesight you \Vonld be in the penitentiary. But no\v when you ste:tl, all the gentlcznen feel bound to let yon off, though you own land and steal for the lovo of larceny. 'Vhos<J corn is to load your cart to-night, I>ete ?" · '"You always ·will have your joke, JUr. Baxter." "I believe I \Vill to-night. vVherc's your cart~, "At the upper end of the village." "And t.he blind n1ule 'vith it? Ready, I suppose, for your nightly tramp to collect provisions and forage that the negroes steal and sell to you for ·whi key .. , "Night, yon kno\v, 1\Ir. Daxtcr, is the same as day to a poor blind 1nan." . "vV ell, I an1 going to take a, ride ·with you tor: Igh~. Con1e along, boys. W c'll escort you two hghtn1g- hor-·cincn on your 'vay home. It is tin1e for yon to go. vV e'll celebrate the restoration of mni~ablc l_'elutions Letween you by a nocturnal prorc. s1on, With that reel head for a torch-light. Pete's a cbrk lantern ancl shines only in corn-cribs and 1neat-honscs. Co1nc on." After one 1nore drink they all sallied out into the dar~c "\Vhen the horsmnen had been helped into the1r saddles, they all followed I'ete to his cart. The little boy; \vho '''as Pete's son, being young and puny, \Vas earned along by his father, because his tender |
