ing too independent, when his troubles
began.

When his talk and manners had given offense to many of the prisoners,
and his unjustifiable prices had caused the disapprobation of all, some
of the men began slyly to help themselves to small articles. Discovering
this, he struck at one of them with his cane, which was snatched from
him, whereupon he drew his revolver and swore he would shoot the first
man who took anything more.

His lone pistol could not intimidate so large a crowd, and there was
something so absurd about the idea that the men laughed in derision,
daring him to shoot and promising faithfully to kill him and put him out
of his misery if he did.

The poor little negro boy who held the reins was so badly scared that he
almost turned white.

After a few exchanges of courtesy, during which the man was so impolitic
as to arouse the anger of the crowd at his littleness and bravado, the
linch-pins were quietly removed from the axles of his wagon, somebody
started his mules, and, in a minute, he and part of his load had been
dumped on the ground, amid the yells and shouts of the now excited men,
and in less time than it takes to tell it his entire wagon and load had
disappeared piecemeal, carried off to various parts of the enclosure and
secreted, and he was left standing in the midst of a crowd that had only
laughter and sarcasms for his tirade of abuse.

Finally, he became too personal, and then he was violently taken in
hand. They took away his revolver, smashed his ancient plug hat,
plundered his pockets of his receipts and generally maltreated him.

During the fracas some silver coins were scattered about in the crowd,
and a general scramble took place for their possession, during which
several heads were ornamented by other than the usual bumps.

When the crowd at last let the merchant depart he was the most
bedraggled specimen of humanity that I ever saw.

The guard came in and dispersed the crowd, but there was not enough of
his wagon to be found to be of any use, and he slowly and painfully
walked out of the enclosure, leading one of his mules, while his boy
followed close behind with the other, the master shaking his fist at us
and indulging in a forcible, if not elegant, flow of language.

He got more from the boys than his whole outfit was worth before he
began to overcharge and put on airs, so that no one felt sorry for him,
while all enjoyed the scene of his downfall and spoliation.

Aft