Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

loud speaker trumpet, and the voice of Larry Wilpin boomed out into the hushed street, and it was vibrant with good humtor. ‘Hello, folks! This is station WOOF a-tunin’ up and this here is The Voice from the Golden West announcin’.” “Cut out th’ hossplay!” Jim Rooney roared into the transmitter. “ We’re a-dyin’ down yere fer water, and we're willin’ to make honest terms with ya. Speak out like a man!” “Jest a minute,” the bandit’s voice re- plied in a cheery shout. ‘I cain’t make a speech without somethin’ t’ drink. Miss Corbin, will you kindly draw me a cup of that cool, invigoratin’ mountain water, please, ma'am?” There was a pause, then those in the street at Yumpa heard the un- mistakable sounds of a man gulping water and smacking his lips. Groans arose in the streets. Men cursed. “ Now, ladies and gents,” the bandit re- sumed. “I am ready to continue. The sun is gettin’ hotter and hotter and it looks to me like we're a-goin’ to have a sandstorm some time this afternoon. But I ain’t no weather prophet, so I will jest open my address by recitin’ the fust two lines of a well known poem.” “We don’t want no damn’ poem!” Jim Rooney snarled. ‘“ Whut we want is water to quench our burnin’ thirst!”’ “ But fust comes the poem,” the bandit retorted. ‘ And it runs like this. If I ain’t correct will somebody in the audience kindly correct me? ‘Water, water everywhere, And not a drop to drink.” A sullen roar filled Yumpa’s main and only street. But the voice of the bandit silenced them. “The young lady here beside me says I got that quotation wrong. I should have said: “Water, waler everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. ‘Excuse me, folks, for that blunder. And now, ladies and gents, I will get down to the nap, as my pappy used to say. Your good friend, Judge Oglethorpe, was mentionin’ terms to me a little while back, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. and I’m ready to discuss 'em now. You know by this time that I’m hard-hearted. What I went through last night at your hands sort of soured me on mankind. “T came into Yumpa an innocent and unspoiled young man, and while there I had every one of ‘my illusions wrenched away from me. In other words, not one of you offered me a friendly hand then, and I say turn about is fair play. I’ve got you where I want you, and this water is goin’ to come high.” ‘‘ State your terms!” roared Jim Rooney. ‘I’m just gettin’ around to that now. One of my lieutenants, Friday Pepper by name, left Dead Man’s Pass about ten minutes ago with a paper in his possession that every man and woman in Yumpa has got to sign before these negotiations go any further. Mr. Pepper has gone down to your fair city as my pussonal representa- tive, and when he comes I want him at the telephone. ‘“ Remember, I hold each and every one of you in the holler of my hand, and if any harm comes to that grand old man, each and every one of you is a-goin’ to suffer. Mr. Pepper will be my official water dis- tnibutor if we can make terms that’re satis- factory to me. Is he in sight yet?” Necks were craned. Some one shouted. “Yere comes th’ old maverick now!” “T can hear you!” Red Wilpin’s voice thundered into the street. ‘I want that fine old gentleman treated with the utmost courtesy, and when he comes I want him to read that there proclamation of mine aloud.” “‘Yere he comes!” Spavin Yampdon roared. And at that moment Friday Pep- per, gazing warily about him, dismounted. He gave over his black mustang to one of the gamblers and proceeded to the tele- phone. ‘Hello! Yere I am, chief! Shall I go ahead and read this yere paper to these folks?” “Shoot the piece, Friday!” the black trumpet replied; ‘Read it real loud and I want the signatire of every man and woman in Yumpa down on the bottom of it before we continue the negotiations.”’ Friday removed from his hip pocket & COMmica@oo SS Co