You Bet Bob from Cross Crick — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

e “¢ 7 * ca s ; i Oe : 4, 4 . — - . “ * - * a ' & . ‘ ‘ . . ¢ > * . : "a9 pe . * F _—— ’ « | . . . . ie . se ° mc ; . re - - - —™ 7 ‘ ° ¢ * . » 1 7 - “ “aie ? t Py Re ow, , ov =o ae 7 é . . Ey i ‘ = on, Me a ° i Qs AP * ‘y ‘ bat we -" wel - * : > 3 ‘% ae — ' - ESE : re. . | ~ —— ~~ ae Gast > . 7 - a 4 4 ~~ \. gf +4 ry Pere t a3 OW ati : = ps . an 4 — 4 Vs Malt rt Peel , f } opr *, A a a x * /_ . # me gt a a> a yy - » aN) - eo 3 ’ ~ fe hae = Te, Seta 7, i> . ’ ee se tel re rs) a?" se. ~ a : Peg ee ae Sas : , am a Me a Sal = , 4 See | : 'y - . _. . ew Ok . *«& P - ye ; ‘ Po . - Tes ay an " * > ‘d a ye WE CAR <* a 4' = ° aS wy S Bn a pe + 7 Ls ' = | ry * as 4 : “ Three cheers fer Cross Crick!” said e. I could ‘a’ patted him on ther back fer that, fer et no doubt saved a early on- pleasantness that might have occurred just about then. My little remark about minglin’ our weeps had no doubt touched most ov ’em in a tender place, fer them thar cheers went up with a will, and showed ther actin’ mayor which trail ter take to run clear ov windfalls. He smoothed his rumpled feathers best he could, and proceeded to greet us hand- some. “Friends from Cross Crick,” said he, “this hyer camp ov Sawbuck City greets ye welcome. Hop Wilson did a wise thing when he p’posed them _ cheers which ye have jist heard. This hyer is a sollum occasion, as ye will obsarve, and we feel glad ter know that Cross Crick is mindful ov our loss.” I looked at Bob. Et was necessary fer one ov us ter say somethin’. Bob gave me ther nod, and I took a long wind and sailed into ther job on hand. “Sur and citizens,’ said I, in ther deepest voice I could fetch from ther re- gion ov my boots, “‘ ye do well ter greet us handsome as ye have done. Et is right fer neighborin’ communities ter dwell in ther bonds ov sympathy and brotherly love Cross Crick has yer sor- rer deep ter heart, and they have on- loaded et all onto us, like ther sins ov ther people ov old used ter be onloaded onter scapegoats that wur sent forth into ther howlin’ wilderness, and we have brought et hyer to dump at yer feet as a simple token ov our esteem, ez et wur. In proof ov our deep sympathy, note ther mournin’ we wear, and believe me when I say that the only reason we haven't got et on deeper still is ‘cause we run short on black goods before we got fully trimmed.” That little talk seemed ter have ther right ’feck. Ther same feller p’posed another batch ov cheers, and they went off even louder than) the first edition. ‘Whur is yer dead?” asked my pard. “He is layin’ in state in ther Gilt Edge hyer,” said ther actin’ mayor. ‘“Kin we see him?” asked Bob. “Shur!” said Gila Gabe. Bob guv me a wink, and I was plum shur- he had designs on ther Gilt Edge, ov some sort or ’nuther. Ther actin’ mayor led ther way, and conducted us to ther doors ov ther sa- loon, which wur standin’ both wide open to give ther people full chance to pass in and out. Wefollered his lead, and it was plain ter be Seen that we wur ther prime ’trac- tion ov ther moment. Gila Gabe’s git-up couldn’t hold a can- dle to our’n, no how, and we knowed that he knowed it and was sensertive Ov ther komparison, fer he looked yaller even while he talked nice. At ther door ther actin’ mayor paused. He looked as if he s’posed we would dismount thar, and walk in. But me and Bob had given ther wink and nod and arranged that we would ride in as we wur. : Gila Gabe held up his hands. “Yer don’t mean ter ride yer hosses jin hyer?” he cried out. “ Why not?” Bob asked. ‘“‘Bt won’t do,” ther actin’ mayor neg- atived. “We must do ther dead full honor,” “We, will view ther remain orn) Sa” aA el es Ce ha —— « we a ¢ “a> i . "te u gd ee + . . es -% 4 + bes ) ; »* * ; ao hee, fe” = TT 7 : iu Lag. . - — | _ a 4 he a r , . e- 7 > a ‘. " - - La ae ’ hee > hy “> a er » - a's > hy x ¢¥ Qs ‘ A - » a in , - + j 24 A My a a el a - e- JAvould suit him to death,” said Bob. meaty, ee ed ee , in Te Cite aR - J Nes | Y a vf ; . nn Bob and I understood, and we guv ther touch to our horses, and in we went, ther crowd trailin’ after us full ov inter- est ter see what would happen next, I reckon. In ther middle ov ther room stood ther box that contained all that was left ov ther late lamented, and me and Bob rode straight down to et, one on each side, and at ther head ov ther box we turned and faced ther doors, and thar we stopped and took off our tall hats. Them same hats, by ther way, we had been ’bliged ter duck mighty low, com- in’ in at ther doors, ter save ’em. We now took ’em off, as I said, and holdin’ ‘em in our off hands we clasped our nigh ones across that coffin, and fer a spell wur impressive silent, while we looked upon ther camm, classic features ov ther dear departed galoot. CHAPTER IV. SKEEM FER A SMILE. “Cy,” sighed Bob, “et is too bad.” “ Et shur is,” I chipped back. “ He was a good feller.” “One ov ther noblest works ov Na- chur,” orated Bob, sollum. “A type ov ther true gentleman,” I put in. “He was a white man, Bob.” “He shur enough was,” Bob agreed. “ Ther good an’ ther beautiful dies young, Cy.” “ And we don’t know what minnit our turn will come,” said I. “ This is a sol- lum minnit, Bob. I feel as if I had lost a brother.” And so we kept et up, back and forth, fer some minutes, sayin’ all ther pooty things about the. late lamented that we could think of, and all ther crowd list’nin, open-mouthed. By’m by Bob kem to ther p’int. “T don’t know ov a feller that [d ruther drink ther health ov,” he asserted, loud enough fer all to take it in. ‘Nur me,” said I. “He wur plum sure one-ov earth’s noblemen, and it would be my pleasure ter drink to his long and peacefulest repose.” We looked at ther actin’ mayor almost out ‘loud, but he didn’t bite. “We knew him in life, we honor him in death,” parsoned Bob. “That’s what we, by gosh, do,” I chimed after. ‘I well remember ther last time we drunk with him.” “Don’t mention et,’ sighed Bob. “It makes me feel sadder’n ever, and my mouth waters with fond remembrance ther same as my eyes now water with sympathy fer these hyer people ov Saw- buck Cit. ’ “ And yet he was one that never took water in his life.” “And never asked anybody else ter take water, nuther.” “No; his was whisk, every time, and a full three finger pull.” * And allus straight.” “ Never fail.” “Too bad,” * Alas!” He heaved a couple ov fetchin’ sighs, and we looked at ther actin’ mayor in a way ter melt a heart ov stone. “Ther is no doubtin’ he’s dead?” Bob came up again. “Oh, no; he’s dead hard enough,” opined Gila Gabe. “ We don’t need no proof ov et,” said Bob. “Et is plain he’s not hisself any more.” “Bf he wasn’t,” said I, ketchin’ on ter what Bob meant, ‘he would ask us what we'd take, and ’a’ crossed glasses with 3? “And just about this time ov day ¢ hoe ts 7 - ll ye se. ‘> ‘ , You Bet Bob from Cross Crick. 4 ¢ a4 wo ile? rete’ Vinghate, <A Breil ; Prete Wer y f « ‘> > - ‘a P= ERY - a, » SS Pre Me i 4% . = : <2 -..9 . e i NyE? ; . j “<—~ —— —___—_._—_——————;¢ et fe ‘“No, ef tharwas one spark ov life Seth he would rise up in his box hyer , say, ‘Set ’em up to ther Cross ae boys!’ ” “Too bad he’s dead!” now chippe bes Hop Wilson, ther feller I have be quoted, him that p’posed ther cheers : us on our arrival. tebe ape Bob had made up his mind to hav” drink to ther health ov ther defunct? =! needed it to keep up fer the occasio! sted I noted that he was gettin’ sq acti speckled behind ther ears, and that ‘~ a sure sign that his angery passion * risin’. Yas,” said Bob, friend; and it’s likewise too bad thet. mantle hain’t fallen onto worthy sh ders, ez et wur, a worthy successor.” evens I looked fer squalls, then; but n tj y wur forthcomin’. Gila Gabe stood i As | er’n Moses. per : omebo Mebby he didn’t git on to ther full | 24 t nifercashun ov my pard’s cuttin’ re yay th about him. ’ ede Thar we stood like two by galt 0 statchers, one ov us Bolivar and ace B® other Napoleon, both togged out in_ : ther greatness ov glory and pomp, ek: s they not knowin’ enough to ask us » and refresh. ‘ As, a Et was raspin’ on sensitive ner Le | I’m tellin’ ye. Forme “Thar -will never rise up another bh et unto him,” said I. “These hyer peq Se ov Sawbuck City will realize their gr!Y P* loss more and more as ther days epurt. months roll by. And strangers drop} 1° AAA in will m‘'ss his cheery call ter er¢Y®! elbows,” and I sighed loud. th bis Bob follered suit, and we both loof. wry at ther actin’ mayor plum p’inted. ® *'* But he never tumbled, or never let” &° thet he did, anyhow. I laid it to Ty feelin’ yaller to’ards us. . Me and Bob onclasped hands,.and Fad _¢ turned his hoss so’s ter face ther vi lamented, and he bent down and t ther defunct mayor by ther hand, gabby shook it some hearty. | be { couldn’t do other than foller his 1e¢°°% not wantin’ to seem distant to ther adr ant man. ‘pune “QGunsight John,” said Bob, “ yorS 5) be missed.” > Ay “You are missed a’ready,” T echoed.2°: a We shook him warm. ed “You had a soul, you had,” said Bo “And it was as white as ther dow fleecé ov lambs,” said I. “This honest hand was a power in ti ; cause ov right, and a /mighty fo Gila against evil and wrong,” said Bob, 70 #1 “And this hyer.one was its ma vat said I, shakin’ it in a way ter threa ter shake him out ov his wooden cé*® entirely. ‘‘ Et was a lifter, when et weund forth.” ad t ‘“Good-by, good man!” said Bob, shP20r in’ plenty hard. We “ Farewell!” said I, shakin’ plenty m2"; self. orjus ‘“ Peace to yer ashes!” said Bob. Vin “Repose to yer bones,” said I. 38 ¢l “ Long life to ye over thar!” a ‘“ Whar thirst is unknown.” With that we guv a final shake, fetcP°D — a couple or three rousin’ sighs apid®@4d. and laid down his hands as we fowrt : "em. , Then we straightened up and fat th ther throng, which by that time was Th reg’lar jam, fer et seemed as if ther piayo blame poppylashun ov ther camp ['~» crowded in. nd We had before that replaced our f28° hats, if I have forgot to mention t] 4° fact. J wi ‘But that’s ov no moment. iS if - Wher we looked a} ex) » - hoy o* ye eS an tae <. ~~ * om >: oh Pee ae <5 ore” a . - Ae “a : = 4 Ps * he —# 4 bef a . . ~ ~ Ps 3 : 7 “ Pe a@ . me P eo cbhooks.com-~ * ee? Soe a | com a <.% | Pars