On Sunday was also performed all of the hard drinking at Black Hat; but
through the week the inhabitants worked as steadily and lived as
peacefully as if surrounded by church-steeples court-houses and jails.

Whether owing to the inevitable visitations of the great disturber of
affairs in the Garden of Eden, or only in the due course of that
developement which affects communities as well as species, we know not,
but certain it is that suddenly the city fathers at Black Hat began to
wear thoughtful faces and wrinkled brows, to indulge in unusual periods
of silence, and to drink and smoke as if these consoling occupations
were pursued more as matters of habit than of enjoyment.

The prime cause of the uneasiness of these good men was a red-faced,
red-haired, red-whiskered fellow, who had been nicknamed "Captain," on
account of the military cut of the whiskers mentioned above.

The captain was quite a good fellow; but he was suffering severely from
"the last infirmity of noble minds"--ambition.

He had gone West to make a reputation, and so openly did he work for it
that no one doubted his object; and so untiring and convincing was he,
that, in two short weeks, he had persuaded the weaker of the brethren at
Black Hat that things in general were considerably out of joint. And as
a, little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, every man at Black Hat was
soon discussing the captain's criticisms, and was neglecting the more
peaceable matters of cards and drink, which had previously occupied
their leisure hours.

The captain was always fully charged with opinions on every subject, and