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Harte, Bret, 1836-1902

"Drift from Two Shores"

' So ye see, I seed that ye was hittin' yourself over
Catron's shoulder, like them early martyrs." But here, as Captain
Dick was clearly blocking up all egress from the church, the sexton
obliged him to move on, and again he was stopped in his
conversational career.
But only for a time. Before long, it was whispered that Captain
Dick had ordered a meeting of the creditors, debtors, and friends
of Roger Catron at Robinson's Hall. It was suggested, with some
show of reason, that this had been done at the instigation of
various practical jokers of Sandy Bar, who had imposed on the
simple directness of the captain, and the attendance that night
certainly indicated something more than a mere business meeting.
All of Sandy Bar crowded into Robinson's Hall, and long before
Captain Dick made his appearance on the platform, with his
inevitable memorandum-book, every inch of floor was crowded.
The captain began to read the expenditures of Roger Catron with
relentless fidelity of detail. The several losses by poker, the
whisky bills, and the record of a "jamboree" at Tooley's, the vague
expenses whereof footed up $275, were received with enthusiastic
cheers by the audience.


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