Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/133

 "I call it er purty sharp trick," grinned his partner.

"I call it stealin'," sneered an honourable member, evidently envious.

And James "Mileage" was his name for all time, but "Mileage" shot a malicious look at the member who had called him a thief.

The next morning the paper of the Opposition had another biographical sketch on the front page.

"I see your name in the paper this morning, Mr. Scoggins?" remarked Mrs. Duke, looking pleasantly at the member who had spoken so rudely to James "Mileage" the day before.

"Well I reckon I'll make my mark down here before it's over," chuckled Scoggins with pride. "What do they say about me, M'am?"

"They say you stole a lot of hogs!" tittered the landlady.

Mr. Scoggins turned red.

"Oho, is there another thief in this hon'able body?" sneered James "Mileage."

"That's all a lie, M'am, 'bout them hogs. I didn' steal 'em. I just pressed 'em from a Secessiner."

"Jes so," said James "Mileage," "but they say you were a deserter at the time, and not exactly in the service of your country."

"Ye can't pay no 'tention ter rebel lies ergin Union men!" explained Scoggins, eating faster.

"Yes, that's so," said James "Mileage," "but there's another funny thing in the paper about you."

"What's that?" cried Scoggins with new alarm.

"That Mr. Scoggins met Sherman's army with loud talk about lovin' the Union, but that a mean Yankee officer gave him a cussin' fur not fightin' on one side or the other, took all that bacon he had stolen, hung him