Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 852 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

. an authority, being the oldest man in the place, | ”Thar’s goin’ ter be a roarin’ ruction in Devil’s Gulecb to-night,” The event was the marriage of Miss Nora Sige to her father’s mine-superintendent, Burt bradford, Burt was one of the most popular youn men in that region, and Miss Nora was one 0 the prettiest girls in all the State. | Samuel Sage, the principal mine-owner at Devil’s Gulen, had been very successful in bis ventures aud had arranged that the wedding should come off in the best style that circum- stances would permit, Every one had been invited who was known to possess a white shirt, A winister had been engaged, from Virginia City, to do the * splicing A brass band had also been engaged to fur- nish the music, Samuel occupied the finest and largest resi- dence in the camp, and it was surrounded by a spacious, well-kept lawn. On this lawn a dancing platform had been ar- ranged, and Chinese lanterns were strung about in profusion—which, for Devil’s Gulch, was cer- tainly a great novelty. Mr, Sage had likewise brought a chef from Virginia City to arrange the supper, and had provided pounds and pounds of red-fire, with which to illuminate the grounds, Pending the time for the guests to assemble, a number of the citizens were congregated in Three-Fingered Jack’s saloon, bracing up for the evening. Three-Fingered Jack was somewhat of a celebrity, baving been born with only three fin- gers, on bis right band, and, truth to tell, he catered to the worst element, _ It was cone understood that no one would be admitted to the Sage grounds, who did not have his hair and beard combed, his boots blatkened, and wear a white shirt and collar, consequently, there was a lively demand for shirts and collars. Bunt Levi, the local clothing merchant, had only a limited supply, and theses were soon gone; hence a pumber were barred from attending the festivities, and filling up on Sage’s wines and ** honest ” liquor, It was these “outs,” mainly, who were con- gregated in Three-Fingered J ack’s saloon, - “Ttg a durned shame!” cried Matt Green, ‘* that we should be sbet out,” ‘*So it is!” echoed another miner. ‘“ It’s all the fault of that infernal cuss Burt Bradford.” ‘No, I don’t allow it was him,” averred ‘“* Happy” Harry Harris, who ran the poker game and faro-bank in the rear end of the sa- loon, which, by the way, was known as the ** Palace,” although it resembled anything but that. “I’ve known Burt Bradford ever since this hyer camp sprung into existence, and I'll bet my boots he didn’t have anything to do with barring any one out. It’s all the work of Sam Sage’s new wife, what he brought from New York last week. They say she was one of the fashion belles there, with a private fortune of her own,” a Col needn’t stick up for Burt Bradford!” protes Black Ben, the bully of the camp. ‘¢ Since he’s got to be a mine-superintendent his boots ain’t big enough fer him, For a drink of Farad Ft I'd put a hole through him, that’s how I feel!” ‘“‘You'd better not try any such circus,” warned Harry, “‘forif you do, Pil have to in- terview you myself.” “Pm not afraid of you, Harris, I can lick you, and a dozen more like you, all at once, and don’t ye forget it!” “You can, eb?” ‘‘ Then, all you’ve got to do is to waltz in, and try it, right away. Now is as good a time as any. This was the signal for battle, and in quick time the two men were at it, hot and heavy. Both were of powerful frame, and well up in the science of boxing, If anything, Black Ben was the stronger of the two, and inside of a few at he had Harry upon his back, on the oor, The camp bully then drew a knife, and would no doubt have committed murder, there and then, had there not been an interference, where- by Black Ben was jerked off his victim, and a number eleven boot was placed upon his throat, A stranger had entered thesaloon just in time to prevent the contemplated crime, © was an odd-looking cbaracter, too. He was fully six and a balf feet tall, and lank raw-boned, 4 Deadwood Dick, Jr.,:at Devil’s Guleh. He sported a stubbly beard of a startling red color, while bis hair was jet black! He was dressed in a suit of the veriest green, and wore a scarlet-colored bat. Perched upon his shoulder was a large gray parrot! His belt literally bristled with revolvers! Truly he was an odd-looking personage. And he it was who had pulled Black Ben from Happy Harry, and planted his boot on the big bully’s throat. ‘* Ye gol-darned skinner, what d’ye mean?” he roared, ‘* Ye’d knife a galoot when he’s down, hey! Sweet blizzard you be!” ‘‘ Let me up!” gasped Black Ben, ‘*l’vea notion not to, Ye orter hev the etar- nal life scrunched out of you, But, I won’t. I’jl reserve you for future exercise, You'll be just the sort of a cuss Satan wants to get hold of, and Pll give Satan his innings.” e then allowed Black Ben to get up. Happy Harry was already upon bis feet, As soon as Black Ben arose, he left the saloon. Evidently he was glad to escape, for the stranger was big enough to intimidate any one, and evidently brave enough to hold his own any- where, Happy Harry advanced, and extended his hand to the stranger. “My friend,” he said, ** you have saved my life. hom have I the honor of thanking?” ‘* Dunno as thar is any honor about et!” re- plied the ina ‘* My name is Pete Parrot, and this bird is my partner, Poll. We've traveled together for years.” ‘Poor Poll!” screamed the a drink,” **Polly sball have one,” returned Harry. ss Here, bartender, give the bird a glass of water,’ ‘“¢ Polly don’t want water!” promptly declared Poll,: ** Polly wants booze!” ‘¢Good heavens! You don’t mean ter say the bird drinks liquor?” ejaculated Harry. ‘“‘You bet!” replied Pete, ‘‘When I heva smile, Poll always joins me, Don’t you, Polly?’ ** You bet!” was the prompt response, ‘Then we will have a drink, and proceed to see the weddin’!” . ‘* Have you got an invitation?” asked Harry. ‘* Nix! Don’t want any, neither, if I know myself.” ** Well, 1 reckon you won’t gain admission to Beers grounda without a ticket of invitation,” warned Happy Harry. **'Won’t, hey?” **T reckon not, It’s goin’ to be quite an ex- clusive affair, and only those who wear D’iled shirts, will be allowed to be present.” Pete Parrot looked down at his own flannel before he answered. ** Waal, I ain’t got no b’iled shirt but I allow Poll and I will attend that weddin’ and I'll kiss the bride in the bargain—bey, Poll?” ‘* You bet!” responded Poll. ** Poll knows l’ve a sweet tooth for the ladies, don’t you, ‘Polly?’ ‘Fla, ha, ha!” croaked Poll. ‘' Pete, masher!” ‘“*That’s where your head is level, my gay and festive bird. I’m the boss masher from Mashersville, All the gals git stuck on me, and I get love letters by every mail. Strange ter say, none of the fair sex can pass me by without throwing kisses at me,” The idea was so ludicrous that it created a general laugh. Pete was so inordinately homely that no wo- man would ever have fancied him for his per- sonal beauty. In the language of one of the crowd, he had a face on him that would freeze ice. The drinks were ordered by Harry, and Pete poured out the raw liquor. Part of it he drank, the rest he gave to Poll, who seemed to swallow it greedily, not in the usual bird bill way, but by gulping it down, with a croak at every swallow. ‘“‘ Well, may I never win another hand, if that don’t take the cake, with biscuit included!’ ejaculated Harris, ‘‘ But, my friend, J’d earn- estly advise you not to venture to enter Sage’s grounds, He will set them Mexicans on you!” ‘t Let him set! Hédarsen’t! Why, lused ter kill a Greaser every mornin’, aforé breakfast, Asfer Sam Sage—well, if you want to see how meek and humble he will be, you jist waltz along with me, and see how I'll get in. name is Pete Parrot, and this beast on my shoulder is my bird Poll, I’ve got another pard inside ther grounds, an’ he aire all wool and a ard wide! Will ye come along? Thar won't no charge fer admittance, and we'll sit at the first table!” , Happy Harry looked doubtful; but being an bird. Polly wants My « | * it 4 allaround sport, he did not hesitate v ‘a was only too delighted at the pr ** fun. He and Sage had played cards many Ae, and he felt rather piqued tbat he hadgeen ignored, in the matter of a special invitatin. ‘¢ All right, I’m with you! Lead ahead,” Pete bolted from the saloon, followed by the sport, while several others of the company fol- lowed, to see how the man with the parrot would make out, There was bound to be a ruction in Devil’s rhoreh that night, as old Uncle Charley had pre- icted, CHAPTER II. WHEREIN MAGIC MOSE DOES A FEW TRICKS. THE grounds in which the Sage mansion was located had been specially laid out by an ex- perienced landscape gardener, and rivaled any- thing in Nevada of its kind, There were plenty of trees, and ornate shrub- bery, and flower-beds that filled the air with delicious odor, The house, too, as a piece of modern archi- tecture, was pleasant to the eye. The lawn was threaded with graveled walks, and the grass, always kept mown short, was as soft as velvet, To-night both lawn and walks were well filled with people, in their best attire, and the broad piazza fairly swarmed with guests. The Virginia City band was disccursing good music, A Punch and Judy man, and others, who bad in an inexplicable manner gotten into the grounds, were ‘** raking in the shekels.”’ Amoug the lot was a fakir, who was perform- ing tricks of magic, before a mystified and en- thusiastic audience, He was about twenty-two years of age, and wasas good-looking a young man as had ever shown his face in Devil’s Gulch, He stood five-foot-ten; was of muscular buiid ; his face was of pure Anglo-Saxon cast; his hair and eyes dark and scintillant. His dress was a fine suit of broadcloth, white shirt, collar and tie,a silk hat and patent- leather shoes, He had established his stock of implements upon a common deal table, and was busily en- aged in puzzling his audience with hissleight of cond business, when he was suddenly interrupt- ed by Samuel Sage’s arrival on the ground, in some aDy. with his- brother, *‘Shorty,” (Silas) age. The mine-owner and the magician eyed each other for a moment, inquiringly, before speaking. Samuel Sage wasa man of large pbysique, was well up in his fifties in age, and was o rather overbearing presence, or manner, His brother, who, next to Black Ben, was con- sidered the best. man in town, was short, heavy and cross-eyéd, His visage was ugly enough in appearance to frighten a cornfield scarecrow, ‘Young man)” said the elder Sage, ** what are you doing here?” ‘“‘Amusing your guests, sir,” was the reply. ** No harm, I hope?” ‘¢ Yes, a great dealof harm. This is no side- show! Who told you to come here?” ‘¢ An old friend of yours.” ‘¢To whom do you refer, sir? I have no old friend who is authorized to give out invitations to my daughter’s wedding!” sé No?” ** No, sir / And, the quicker you betake your- self from these grounds, the better it will be for ou. ‘** How so?” af Because if you don’t go, I'll have you thrown out, ‘* Who will do it?” ‘¢T will!” retorted Shorty Sage, The magician laughed. *“* Why,” said he, ‘‘ you can’t throw anything out, you beer keg! If it wasn’t for your rich brother you would be in the poor-house or prison now. If you’d take that hop-toad out of your hat, you will save yourself from a serious Case of softening of the brain.” ** Hop-toad? There’s no hop-toad in my hat, ool!” . ‘¢ Take it off and see for yourself!” Shorty grabbed the rather dilapidated ‘‘ plug” from his head, and, sure enough, a genuine live toad dropped at his feet, Shorty was just sbaking off the effects of a ngewe spree, and this sudden visitation was. much for him; with a cry of dismay, he turned and fled. *‘ This isdeviltry!” cried Samuel Sage, picking up the toad, to assured that it was alive, ‘© Where did you get this thing, sir?” “Get it? Why, it came from his hat!” you f | 900ks com C