THE BAIL ? BJEE SATDKDAY , JANUARY 19,188J.
VAN BRUNT , THOM
COUNCIL BLUFFS ,
A / TDTTTT 'T'TT'O A T
xfLljrJXIO UJLj JL U JLn.JLj
on
GOODS ARE STILL IN THE LEAD , AND BOUND TO STAY THERE ,
It don't make any difference what our competitors say , for - . _
_ i.pw , , ' our customers know the N. C. Thompson goods are ahead of " *
anything in their line. ' The N. C. Thompson Chain-Gear Mower. "
The IT. 0. Thompson , Toneueless Cultivator
This tojgueless Cultivator is n , new implemout , thoroughly tested and bound to succeed. This Mower we will soil together with f.lio Mower wo have sold heretofore. This Mower is
The run by n Chniu & Sprocket wheel , milking it the
3ST. O. T
Sprm ;
IT IS T1IK LATEST THING OUT , AND WILL TAU15 THE PLAGE OF OTHER GEAR MOWERS.
Will he about the same as lasb year , and everybody knows that it is as near perfection as any
thing ever put on the market.
You Should Have This Cultivator. Your Trade Needs It. I. C. Cite
WE HAVE A FULL LINE OF
Wo have the Single Row Cutter , but as everybody knowj the success oE these Stalk Cutters ,
tlC. THOMPSON'S SULKY AND COMBINED CULTIVATORS.65 we will not enlarge.
* ' N. C. Thompson Double Row Stalk Cutter. "
We would like to Show Cuts of all Our Goods , but space will not permit. If you
need a
TIKIDZDZE' '
wmJIft immniuillif mmUmmmf * I BK (
The N. C. Thompson is the one you Want.
WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO HANDLE
WE ARE HEADQUARTERS FOR ANYTHING lOUWANT :
'in Iaffls ! Tni11 PHHIM
. . i UllljJfo
fj jj/j.j.il II U UlirJj Ail , ,
REAPERS , MOWERS , PLOWS , CULTIVATORS , UTC.
Don't Forget ! We have the N. C. Thompson Hay Bake.
'The N. C. Thompson Hav Tedder. " COME AND SEE US. IT WILL DO YOU GOOD. "The Celebrated Ketchum Wagon. "
VAN BEUNT &r fifl T . 12 to 22 Fourth Street. 1 Council Bluffs Iowa : ?
, O UU. , I WftTOhnnsn Nflftr fl. & W. W. ,
LEFT OUT ON LONE STAR MOUNTAIN
BV DUET HAUTE.
[ Conclusion. ]
The men looked at each other ; the di
version vraa corn jileto ; a languid discussion
of the probabilities of its being an earth
quake or a blast followed , in the midst of
which the Right Bower , who was - working
ing a little in advance of the others ,
uttered a warning cry and leaped from
the race. His companions had barely
time to follow before a sudden and inex
plicable rise in the waters of the creek
sent a swift irruption of the Hood through
the raco. In nn instant its choked and
impeded channel Has cleared , the race
was free , and the scattered debris of logs
and timber floated upon its easy current.
Quick to take advantage of this laborsaving -
saving phenomenon , the Lone Star part
ners uprang into the water , and , by dis
entangling and directing the eddying
fragments , completed their work. "
"Tho Old Man oughtor boon hero to
see this , " said the Loft Bower ; "it's just
ono o * them climaxes of poetic justice
he's always huntin' up. It's easy to sno
what's happened. Ono o' them high-
toned shrimps over in the Exolsior claim
has put a blast in too near the creek. He's
tumbled tho'bank into the crook and sent
the back-water down hero just to wash
out our raco. That's what I call poetical
retribution. "
"And who was it advised us to dam
the crook below the race , and make it do
the Bamo thing ? " asked the Right Bower ;
moodily.
"That was ono of the Old Man's
ideas , I reckon , " said the Loft Bower ,
dubiously.
"And you remember , " broke in the
Judge with animation. "I allus said :
( G& slow , go alow. You just hold on and
BUthin' will happen. ' And , " ho added ,
triumphantly , "you BOO suthin' has hap
pened. I don't ' want to take credit to
myself but I reckoned on them Excel
sior boys boin' fools , und took the
chances. "
"And what if I happen to know that
the Excelsior boys ain't blastin' to-day ? "
said the Right Bower , sarcastically.
As the Judge had evidently based his
hypothesis on the alleged fact of a blast ,
he deftly evaded the point. "I ain't
saying the Old Man's head ain't ' level on
some things ; ho wants a little more sabo
of the world. lie's improved a good do.il
in euchre lately , and in poker H ell ! ho's
got that sorter dreamy , liatenin'-to-tho-
angels kind o' way that you can't exactly
tell whether ho's bluflin' or has got a lull
hand. Hasn't ho ? " ho asked , appealing
to Union Mills.
But that gentleman , who hud been
watching the dark face of the Right
Bower , preferred to take what ho believed -
od to bo his cue from him. "That ain't
the quojtion , " ho said virtuously ; "wo
' ' tomako acardnharn
ain't takin' this itep
out of him.Vro not Join' Cinnamon s
work in this race to-day for that. No ,
airVo're ! teach la' him to paddle his
own canoe. " Not finding the sjwpatlie-
tic response ho looked for in the Right
Bower face , ho turned to the Left
"I reckon wo were teachiu' him our
canoe was too full , " was the Left Bower's
unexpected reply. "That's about the size
of it. "
The Right Bower shot a rapid glance
under his brows at his brother. The
latter , with his hands in his pockets ,
atared unconsciously at the rushing water
and then quietly turned away. The Right
Bower followed him. "Aro you goin'
back on us ? " ho asked.
"Aro you ? " responded the other.
"No ! "
"No , then it is , " returned the Left
Bower quietly. The older brother hesit
ated in half-angry embarrassment.
"Then what did you moan by saysng
wo reconed our canoe was too fulj ? "
"Wasn't that our idea ? " returned the
Left Bower , indifferently. Confounded
by this practical expression of his own un-
fonnulatod good intentions , the Right
Bower was staggered.
"Speaking of the Old Man , " broke in
the Judge , with characteristic infelicity ,
"I reckon ho'll sort o' miss us , times like
thoso. _ _ Wo wore allors runnin' him and
bodovilin' him of tor work , just to gut him
excited and amusin' , and ho'll kinder
miss that sorter stimulatin. I reckon
we'll miss it , too somewhat. Don't you
remember , boys , the night wo put that
little sell on him and made him believe
we'd struck it rich in the bank of the
creek , and got him so Jconceited ho
wanted to right oil' and settle our debts
at at once ? "
' And how I came bustin' into the
cabin with a pan full of iron pyrites and
black sand , " chuckled Union Mills , con
tinuing the reminiscences , "and how
them big gray eyes of his nearly bulged
out of his head. Well , its aomo satisfac
tion to know wo did our duty by the
young follaw oven in those little things. "
He turned for confirmation of their gen
eral diaintorcstness to the Right Bower ,
but ho was already striding away , uneasily -
ly conscious of the lazy following of the
Loft Bower , like a laggard conscience at
his back. This movement again throw
Union Mills and the Judge into feeble
complicity in the roar , as the procession
slowly straggled homeward from the
crook.
Night had fallen. Their way through
the shadow of the Lone Star mountain ,
deepened hero and there by the slight
bosky lidgoa that , starting from its base ,
ciopt acroea the plain like vast roots of
swelling trunk. The shadows were growing -
ing blacker us the moon began to assort
itself over the rest of the valley , when
the Right Bower halted suddenly on ono
of these ridgoa. The Loft Bower lounged
up to him , und stopped also , whilu the
two others came up and completed the
group. "There's no light in the shanty ,
said the Right Bower in a low voice , half
to himself and half in answer to their in
quiring attitude. The men followed the
direction of his finger , In the distance
the outline of the Lone Star cabin stood
out distinctly in the illumined space.
There was the blank , sightless , external
glitter of the moonlight on its two windows
dews , that seemed to reflect its dim va
cancy empty uliko of light and warmth
und motion ,
"That's Biug'lar , " said the Judge , in an
awed whisper.
The Loft Bower , \ > y simply altering the
position of his hands in his trousers pock
ets , managed to suggest that ho knew
perfectly the meaning of it had always
known it but that being now , so to
speak , in the hands of fate , ho was cal
lous to it. This much , at least , the older
brother read in his attitude. But anxi
ety at that moment was the controlling
impulse of the Right Bower , as to a cer
tain superstitious remorse was the in
stinct of the two others , and without
hooding the cynic the throe started at a
rapid pace for the cabin.
They reached it silently , as the moon ,
now riding high in the heavens , seemed
to touch it with the tender grace and
hushed repose of a tomb. It was \\ith
something of this feeling that the Right
Bower softly pushed open the door ; it
was with something of this dread that
the two others lingered on the threshold ,
until the Right Bower , after vainly try
ing to stir the dead embers on the hearth
into lifo with his foot , struck a match
and lit their solitary candle. Its flicker
ing light revealed the familiar interior
[ inchangod in aught but ono thins , ' . The
bunk tliat the Old Man had occupied
was stripped of its blankets ; the few
cheap ornaments and photographs wore
jone ; the rude poverty of the bare
boards and scant pallet looked up at
them unrelieved by the bright face and
gracious youth that had once made them
tolerable. In the grim irony of that ex
posure their own penury was doubly
conscious. The little knapsack , the tea-
nip and cofTuopot that had hung near
liis bed wore gene also. The most in-
lignant protest , the most pathetic of the
letters ho had composed and rejected ,
whoso torn fragmonta littered the floor ,
could never have npokon with the eloquence -
quonco of this empty space. The men
exchanged no words ; the solitude of the
cabin , instead of drawing them together ,
seemed to isolate each ono in selfish dis
trust of the others , Even the unthink-
ng garrulity of Union Mills and the
Judge was chocked. A moment later ,
when the Loft Bower entered the cabin ,
; lie.presence was scarcely noticed.
The silence was broken by n joyous ex
clamation from the Judgo. Ho had dis
covered the Old Man's rifle in the corner ,
where it had boon at first overlooked.
"Ho ain.'t gene yet , gentlemen , for yor's
ria rifle , " ho broke in , with a feverish
return of volubility and a high , excited
'alaptto. "Ho wouldn't have loft this
aoliind. No ! I knowod it from the first ,
[ lo'a just outside a bit , foraging for wood
and water. No , air ! Coming along hero
[ said to Union Mills , didn't 1 ? 'Botyour
tifo the Old Man's not far off , oven if ho
ain't in the cabin. ' Why , thu moment I
stopped foot "
'And I said "
coming along"intorruptod
Union Mills , with oiually reviving mendacity - ,
" 'like ho'a ' round
dacity , as not hangin'
yur und lyia' low just to give us a BUT'
priso , ' Ho ! ho ! "
"He's gene for good , and ho left that
rifle hero on purpose , " said the Loft
Bower in a low voice , taking the weapon
almost tenderly in his hands ,
"Drop it thon"Baid ! the Right Bowor.
The voice was that of his brother , but
suddenly changed with pasaion. The
two other partners instinctively drew
back in alarm.
"I'll ' not leave it there for the first
comer , " Bald the Left Bowercalmly"be-
cause we've been fools arid ho too , It's
too Rood a weapon for that. "
"Drop itI aay"eaid the Right Bower ,
with a savagestiido toward him ,
The younger brother brought the rifle
to a half charge with a white face but n
steady oyo.
"Stop where you are ! " ho Baid col-
lectively. "Don't row with mo , be
cause you haven't either the grit to stick
to your ideas or the heart to confess thorn
wrong. We've followed your load , and
hero wo are ! The camp s broken up
the Old Man's gene and wo'ro going.
And as for the d d rifle "
"Drop it , do you hoar ! " shouted the
Right Bower , clinging to that ono idea
with the blind pertinacity of ragn and a
losing cause. "Drop it ! "
The Loft Bower drew back , but his
brother had seized the barrel with bntli
hand. There was a momentary struggle ,
a flash through the hnlf-lii'htod cabin ,
and a shattering report. The two men
fullback from each other ; the rifle dropped
on the floor between them.
The whole thing was over so quickly
that the other two partners had not time
to obey their common impulse to separate
them , and consequently oven now could
scarcely understand what had passed. It
was over so quickly that the t\yo actors
themselves walked back to their places ,
scarcely realizing their own act.
A dead silence followed. The Judge
and Union Mills looked at each other in
da/od astonishment , and then nervously
sot about their former habits , apparently
in that fatuous belief common to such na
tures , that they were ignoring a painful
situation. The Judge drew the barrel
toward him , picked up the cards , and began -
gan mechanically "to make a patience , "
on which Union Mills gazed with osten
tatious interest , but with oycs furtiyuly
conscious of the rigid figure of the Right
Bower by the chimney and the abstracted
face of the Loft Bower at the door. Ton
minutes had passed in this occupation ,
the Judge and Union Mills conversing in
the furtive whispers of children unavoid
ably but fascinatedly present at a family
quarrel , when a light atop was heard upon
tfio crackling brushwood outside , and the
bright panting face of the Old Man ap
peared upon the threshold , There was
i shout of joy. In another moment ho
MUS half buried in the bosom of the Right
Bower's shirt , half dragged into the lap
of the Judge , upsetting the barrel , and
completely encompassed by the Loft
Bower and Union Mills. With the on-
tlmsiustio uttcranca of his name the spoil
was broken ,
Happily unconscious of the previous
excitement that had provoked this spon
taneous unanimity of greeting , the Old
Man , equally relieved , at once broke
into a feverish announcement of his dis
covery. Ho painted the details with , I
fear , a slight exaggeration of coloring ,
duo partly to his own excitement and
partly to justify their own. But ho was
strangely conscious that thouo bankrupt
men appeared loss elated with their per
sonal interest in their etroko of fortune
than with his own success. "I told you
he'd do it , " said the Judge , with a reck
less unscrupulousness of statement that
carried everybody with it "Look at
him ! the gumo little pup. " " 0 not ho
ain't the right breed is ho1' ? echoed
Union Mills with urch irony , while the
Right and ] left Bower , grasping either
hand , pressed a proud but silent greet
ing that was wholly delicious. It wan
not without difficulty that he
could at last prevail upon their
to return with him to the scorn
of his discovery , or oven then restrain
them from attempting to carry him
thither on their shoulders , on the pica
of his previously prolonged exertions.
Unco only there was a momentary em-
imrrasmont. "Then you fired that shot
to bring mo backi" said the Old Man ,
mtefnlly. In the awkward silence that
followed the hands of the two brothers
sought and grasped each other penitently.
"Yes , " interposed the Jiigo , with doll-
: ate tact ; "yo BOO the Right and Loft
Bower almost quarreled to BOO which
should bo the first to tire for yo. I disremember -
remember which did. " "I never touched
; ho trigger , " said the Left Bower , hastily.
With a hurried backward kick the Judge
resumed"It wont oil Barter sponta
neous. "
The difl'eronco in the sentiment of the
procession that once moro issued from the
Liono Star cabin did not fail tonhowitaolf
n each individual partner according to
dis temperament. The subtle tact of
Union Mills , however , in expressing
iwakonod respect for their fortunate
partner by addressing him , n-i if uncoil-
iciously , us "Mr. Fold" was at first dis
composing , but even this was forgotten
"n their breathless excitement us they
icurcd the base of the mountain. When
, lioy had crossed the crook the Right
Bower stopped reflectively.
"You say you heard the slide comedown
down before you loft the cabin ? " ho said ,
.urning to the Old Man.
"Yes ; but I did not know then what it
was. It was about nn hour and n half
if tor you loft , " was the reply.
"Then look hero boyB , " continued the
light Bower , with superstitious oxulta-
.ion , "it was the slide that tumbled into
lie creek , overflowed it and helped us
clear of the raco. "
It seemed HO clearly that Providence
Jiad taken the partners of the Lone Star
directly in hand that they faced the toil *
some ascent of the mountain with the as
surance of conquerors. They paused only
on the summit to allow the Old Man to
load the way to the slope that .held their
treasure. Ho advanced cautiously to
the edge of the crumbling chfF , stopped ,
looked bewildered , advanced again , and
then remained white and immovable.
In un instant the Right Bowur was nt
liis aide ,
"Is anything the matter ? Don't look
so , Old Man , for God'fl aako ! "
The Old Man pointed ttho dull ,
smootho , biack uiclo of the mountain ,
without u crag , break or protuberance ,
and said with ashen lips :
"Its gonol"
And it was gone ! A aocond slide had
taken place , stripping the flank of the
mountain , and burying the treasure and
weak implement that had marked its
side deep under a chaos of rock und do-
briH at its base.
"Thank Godl" The blank faces of his
companions turned quickly to the Right
Bower. "Thank God ! " I'o repeated , with
his arm round the nock of the Old Man.
"Had ho stayed behind ho would have
been buried too. " Ho paused , dnd , point
ing solemnly to the depths below , said-
"And thankGod for showing us where we
may yet labor for it in liopo and patience
like honest men. "
The men silently bowed their head
and slowly descended the mountain , Bu
when they had i cached the plain ono o
horn called out to the others to watch a
star that seemed to bo rising and moving
oward them over the hushed and sleeping
valley.
"It's only the stage coach , boya , " said
.ho . Loft Bower , amilinp ; "tho coach that
was to take us away. "
In the security of their now-found fra-
ornity they resolved to wait and see it
mag. As it swept by with flash of light ,
> eat of hoofs , and jingle of harness , the
only real presence in the dreamy land-
capo , the driver shouted a hoarse greet-
ng to the phantom partnersuudiblo only
to the Judge , who was nearest the ve
hicle.
"Did you hoar did you hear what ho
said , boys ? " ho gasped , turning to hia
companions. "Not Shako hands all
around , boys ! God bless you all , boys !
To think wo didn.t know it nil thia
while ! "
"Know what ? "
"Merry Christmas ! "
BltllT ILUITK.
II yon IiavoaHoro Thro.it , n Cough , or Cold , try
It. II. DOUL-IOHS It SOIIB' Unjmlcum Cough Drops , they
arc pleasant to thu taito , poitcctly harmless. Mnl
will Hiirelv euro YOU.
THE CHEAPEST PLAGE Iff OMAHA TO BUT
One of the Best and largest Stocks.in the United States
to select from. '
NO STAIRS TO CLIMB ,
ELEGANT PASSENGER ELEVATOR ,
"BURLINGTON KOUTE"
( Chicago , Burlington & Qulncy Railroad. )
GOING UAST AND WEST. GOING NORTH AND SOUTH.
r.lpwxnt Day Coaches , I'arlor Can. with Roclin Bolld Trains of Elegant Pa ; Coaches and PuT
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All connections inailo n jpnw" ! / ' a
known as the irrofttTHIlOUailCABUNJJ. ; 0/0 ! J113 uulVereallv admit ted to ba the
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V. varfEU all Vlco-tWiauanen'i MaiwnuPK1UJFV * ! . WWIif.Tj Uca. WM. Ais't. CM < W
My Repository oiuUnUy filled with : cl8d | tock. UN ! Woikmuahlp fftunntitd ,
Office and Factory S , W , Corner 16th and Capitol Avenue Qwoba.
