Part 6 (2/2)

The Judge was out again. ”Miss Vera de Mille,” he says, ”will sing 'Wait Till the Sun s.h.i.+nes, Maggie.'” Wal, if I hadn't 'a' had reasons fer stayin', I wouldn't 'a' waited a _minute_--reg'lar cow-bellerin' in place of a voice, y' savvy. What's more, she was only that Marvellous Murray woman in diff'rent clothes! (No wonder they wasn't no more people in that outfit!) But I didn't keer about the show. I just never took my eyes offen----

She looked my way again!

Say! I was roped--right 'round my shoulders, like I'd roped Simpson!

And I was plumb helpless. That look of hern was a la.s.so, pullin' me to her, steady and sh.o.r.e. ”Macie--Macie Sewell,” I whispered to myself, and I reckon my lips moved.

”You blamed idjit!” says Hairoil, out loud almost, ”what's the matter with you? You'll have me outen this winda in a minute!”

The Judge was bowin' some more. ”We have now come to the middle of our pro_gram,_” he says. ”But 'fore I begin announcin' the last half, which is our best, I want to tell you all a story.

”Ladies and gents, I come t' Briggs to bring you a message--a message which I feel bound to deliver. And I've gone through a turrible lot to be able to stand here to-night and say to you what I'm a-goin' to say.

”Listen! Years ago, a little boy, about so high, with his father and mother and 'leven sisters and brothers, started to cross the Plains with a' ox-team. They reached the Blackfoot country safe. But there, ladies and gents, a turrible thing happened to 'em. One day, more'n four hunderd Injuns surrounded they wagon and showed fight. They fit 'em back, ladies and gents,--the father and the mother and the children, killin' a good many bucks and woundin' more. But the Injuns was too many fer that pore fambly. And in a' hour, the reds had captured one little boy--whilst the father and mother and the 'leven sisters and brothers was no more!” (The Judge, he sniffled a little bit.)

”The little boy was carried to a big Injun camp,” he goes on. ”And it was here, ladies and gents,--it was here he seen _won_-derful things.

He seen them Injuns that was wounded put some salve on they wounds and be healed; he seen others, that was plumb tuckered with fightin', drink a blackish medicine and git up like new men. Natu'lly, he wondered what was _in_ that salve, and what was _in_ that medicine. Wal, he made friends with a nice Injun boy. He ast him _questions_ about that salve and that medicine. He learnt what plants was dug to make both of 'em. Then, one dark night, he crawled outen his wigwam on his hands and knees. Behind him come his little Injun friend. They went slow and soft to where was the pony herd. They caught up two fast ponies, and clumb onto 'em, dug in they spurs, and started eastwards as fast as they could go. The white boy's heart was filled with joy, ladies and gents. He had a secret in his bosom that meant health to ev'ry _man, woman_ and _child_ of his own race. As he galloped along, he says to hisself, 'I'll spend my _life_ givin' this priceless secret to the world!'

”Wal, ladies and gents, that's what he begun to do--straight off.

And t'-night, my dear friends, that boy is in Briggs City!” (A-course, ev'rybody begun to look 'round fer him.) ”Prob-'bly,” goes on the Judge, ”they's more'n a hunderd people in this town that'll thank Providence he come: They's little children that won't be orphans; they's wives that won't be widdas. Fer he is anxious to tell 'em of a remedy that will cure a-a-all the ills of the body. And, ladies and gents, _I_--am--that--boy!”

That got the punchers so excited and so tickled, that they hollered and stamped and banged and done about twenty dollars' worth of damage to the hall.

”My friends,” goes on the Judge, ”I have _pre_pared, aided by my dear Injun comrade here, the sev'ral kinds of medicines discovered by the Blackfeet.” The fancy-vests, rigged out like Irishmen, was fixin' a table and puttin' bottles on to it. ”I have these wonderful medicines with me, and I sell 'em at a figger that leaves only profit enough fer the five of us to live on. I do _more'n_ that. Ev'rywheres I go, I _pre_sent, as a soovneer of my visit, _a handsome, solid-gold watch and chain._”

Out come that singin' lady, hoidin' the watch and chain in front of her so's the crowd could see. My! what a lot of whisperin'!

”This elegant gift,” _con_tinues the Judge, ”is _a_warded by means of a votin' contest. And it goes to the prettiest gal.”

More whisperin', and I sees a brakeman git up and go over to talk to another railroad feller. Wal, _I_ didn't have to be tole who was the prettiest gal!

”Ladies and gents,”--the Judge again--”in this contest, _ev'ry_body is allowed to vote. All a person has to do is to take two dollars'

worth of my medicine. Each two-dollar buy gives you ten votes fer the prettiest gal; and just to add a little fun to the contest, it also gives you ten votes fer the homeliest man. If you buy these medicines, you'll never want to buy no others. Here's where you git the Blackfoot Injun Rootee, my friends, the Pain Balm, the Cough Balsam, the Magic Salve, and the Worm Destroyer--the fi-i-ive remedies fer two dollars!”

Then he drawed a good, long breath and begun again, tellin' us just what the diff'rent medicines was good fer. When he was done, he says,--playin' patty-cake with them fat hands of hisn--”Now, who'll be the first to buy, and name a choice fer the prettiest gal?”

Up jumps that brakeman, ”Gimme two dollars' worth of you' dope,” he says, ”and drop ten votes in the box fer Miss Mollie Brown.”

(Eatin'-house waitress, y' savvy.)

”And the ugliest man?” ast the Judge, whilst one of the fancy vests took in the cash and handed over the medicine.

”Monkey Mike,” answers the brakeman. And then the boys began t' josh Mike.

”I'm a sucker, too,” hollers the other railroad feller. ”Here's ten _more_ votes fer Miss Brown.”

Just then, in she come,--pompydore stickin' up like a hay-stack. The railroad bunch, they give a cheer. Huh!

I got outen that winda and onto my feet. ”Judge,” I calls, puttin'

up one hand to show him who was a-talkin', ”here's _eight_ dollars fer you' rat-pizen. And you can chalk down forty votes fer Miss Macie Sewell.”

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