The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-05-04
Fun on the Plains.

As We near Salina, Kansas, says Per-
lins, Conductor Cheney comes along 10
collect the fare. Touching q long hair
cd gentleman on the back he looks down
and says:
"Tickets r.
"Haint got none," says the passen.
ger, holding his gun with one hand and
seowling out from under his black
slouch hat.
"But you must pay your fare, sir r.
expostulated the conductor.
"Now jes look a.here, stranger
mebby your . doin' your duty, but /
haint never paid yet goin' through this
courtry, and -
Justthen o Blouchy, old frontiersman
who had been compelled to pay his fare
in rear car, stepped up in front Of the
mulish passenger and, pointing q six.
shooter at him, said:
"See here, Long Bill, you jes pay yer
fare. I've paid mine, and they don't
anybody ride on this train free, II !
DON'T"
"All right, you'y' got the drop on
me, old boy, 50 put up yer shooter an
I'll settle, said the passenger, going
into his pockets for the money.
"Do these incidents often happen 2''
asked the conductor o little while
afterwards.
"well, yes, but not SO eften as they
used TO In '6S and 10. The other day. u
continued the conductor, "some three.
card-monte men came on the train and
swindled q droyer out Of $3.50. The
poor man seemed 10 take 1t TO heart,
He said his cattle got so cheap during
the Eastern bust that he had 10 iusl
peel 'em' and sell their hides in Kan
sas City-and this was all the money
he had. A half-dozen miners from
Denver overheard the talk, and, coming
up, they drew bead on the monte
back. -
"'Just you count that money back,
conductor, they said, and aiterI had
dene IT, continued the conductor, 'one
OF the head miners said .
"Now, conductor, you ies stop the
train, an we'll hang these three.card
fellows to the telegraph pole
"But the monte men flew out the
door too quick for EN-" e"
To illustrate the value OF human life
in this country, Mr.. Locke, the mana-
ger Of the Kansas City Opera House,
tells me this story:
Two years ago the James brothers,
the same two desperadoes who sacked
the express car, and "went through"
the passengers on the Chicago, Rock
Island, and Pacific at Gad's hill, ttole
the money-box OF the Kansas State Fair.
They rode into Kansas City on horse.
back, and when the cashier was walk
ing 10 the bank with the receipts OF the
day, about $4,000, they pointed their
pistols at his head, seized the box, and
galloped Of. This was done in broad
daylight, in the midst OF great crowd.
Well, sometime afterwards one OF the
Kansas City reporters wrote an article
about these highwaymen, saying some
kind things. He called them brave,
and said thoy had done the most daring
deed in the highwaymen's record. A
few nights afterwards the James broth.
ers rode into Kansas City, went 10 the
newspaper office, and calling the report.
or out, presented him handsome watch
and chain. They said the article in
question touched them ina tender spot,
and they desired TO show their graft
tude. fg
"But I don't feel at liberty to take
this watch," said the reporter.
"But do IL 10 crafty us. We didn't
steal this watch; we bought and paid
for IL with our own money" continued
the desperadoes.
.tinued the reporter.
"Well, then, II you can't take this
watch" replied the James brothers,
regretfully, "perhaps you can name
some man around here you want kill
ed !"