The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-06-23
THE EDITORS STRATEGY.

IN VIE story tnaJ nave to tell is about
n Charley White and his initiation into
the society" of Nugget City. He is dead
now, and would say, May his soul rest
in peace" if l believed it possible that
there could ever be any rest for such rest
less spirit.
When Charley accepted the position of
local editor of the Nugget City Times he
was strongly advised to have nothing to
do with it, as the risk was altogether out
of proportion to the pay. Since the close
of the war the town had received an un-
pleasant addition to its population, IN the
persons of large number of Texas roughs
and desperadoes. These wild, lawless
and uncomfortable men, connecting them
selves with some of the worst characters
from the mountains and the plains, who
were always to be found in Nugget City,
had expressed and carried out an inten-
tion to "run the town. to suit themselves
enforcing their ideas by free use of the
slung- g-shot, the bowie knife, and the pis-
tol.
Any conscientious newspaper man who
endeavored to show up the misdeeds of
these rufians was sure to fall under their
displeasure, and to pay dearly for what
they considered his impertinence. One
local editor of the Times had been cowhid-
ed and nearly beaten to death, another
had lodged a hail of pistol bullets as he
got out of town, third had been induced
to leave at the point of knife. The con-
sequence was that the position was fire.
quently vacant, and that it was not sought
after by any who were aware of its respon-
sibilities.
But Charley White was offered a good
salary, and was entirely unacquainted with
fear, and he determined to go to Nugget
City. He had seen life in some of its wild
est and toughest aspects, as sailor before
the mast on a voyage to Australia and the
islands of Polynesia, as hunter and adj
venturer on the plains and as jour-printer
all over the West and Southwest. He was
rather under the usual size, but wiry and
muscular, with sharp eyes, steady nerves
and a cool head.
Charely's initiation began the second
day after his arrival at Nugget City. He
was standing in front of a hotel, looking at
q caravan that was going to the West, when
he was tapped on the shoulder by a tall,
big-boned, rough-looking man, who asked
him to step into the saloon.
This man was Bill Eads, a notorious,
desperate, bloodthirsty character, the
leader of the roughs who had inaugurated
reign of terror in Nugget City.
Charley complied with the request, and
Eads, stepping up to the counter, asked
him what he would take.
"Much obliged to you, but | don't
drink
"Don't drink Look a-here, stranger,
that's played. l amt easy to get mad, Or
would think you wanted to insult me-
We have a way out here of telling folks
that they must either drink or fight"
81 never drink under any circumstan-
ces, and don't fight if can help it,"
"Tol'able cool about it, said Eads, as
be swallowed his "pison." l allow that
you must be the new chap that's come to
the Times Office"
Charley admitted that he was the
chap"
"What do you allow to do, if you don't
drink or fight?n '
"Iexpect to attend to my business and
to do my duty as well as can"
"All right, as long as you don't attend
to my business, or the business of any of
my boys. Ifyou put any of us in the pa
per, give you fair warning that you will
have to fight, or run, or git eyerlastingly
chawed up" g.s aa
"What is your style of fighting gener-
ally9" inquired Charley, smiling until he
showed his white teeth.
"The pistol is our best holt"
81 am pretty fair pistol shot, though
l don't fight. AS you and are to be
friends. suppose we have little match
with revolvers, say attwenty steps, at ten
dollars a shot"
"rm your man. When and where shall
it be?"
Z" At three o'clock this afternoon and you
must choose the place, somewhere out OF
town" us.a H
The place was fixed upon, and Charley
was there promptly, accompanied by Joe
Geonegan, compositor of the Times, a
young man who was fond of fun and en-
tirely devoid of fear. Joe carried in bis
pocket two potatoes small and exactly
similar in size and appearance, one of