Romance of California Life by John Habberton
page 53 of 561 (09%)
page 53 of 561 (09%)
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"An' didn't yer go to work," said another, "when all the fellers was a-askin' what was to be done with them Chinesers--didn't yer just order the boys to clean 'em out to wunst?" "That ain't the best thing yer dun, neither!" exclaimed a third. "I wonder does any of them galoots forgit how the saloon got a-fire when ev'rybody was asleep--how the chief turned out the camp, and after the barkeeper got out the door, how the chief rushed in an' rolled out all three of the barrels, and then went dead-bent fur the river with his clothes all a-blazin'? Whar'd we hev been for a couple of weeks ef it hadn't bin fur them bar'ls?" The remembrance of this gallant act so affected Wolverine, that he exclaimed: "Whitey, we'll stick to yer like tar-an'-feather, an' ef cap'n an' his friends git troublesome we'll jes' show 'em the trail, an' seggest they're big enough to git up a concern uv their own, instid of tryin' to steal somebody else's." The chief felt that he was still dear to the hearts of his subjects, and so many took pains that day to renew their allegiance that he grew magnanimous--in fact, when the chief that evening invited the boys to drink, he pushed his own particular bottle to the captain--an attention as delicate as that displayed by a clergyman when he invites into his pulpit the minister of a different creed. Still the captain labored. So often did the latter stand treat that the barkeeper suddenly ran short of liquor, and was compelled, for a week, |
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