Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-01-06
WAKING UP THE WRONG MAN.
How q Party Of Miners Frightened :
.sSnOOZer.''
From the Territorial Enterprise.j

How q Party OF Miners Frightened a
ssSnOOzer..'
[From the Territorial Enterprise.l
An evening or two since some of the en-
ployes of the Ophir Mining Company found
an intoxicated man sleeping off his over al
lowance of ''tarantula juice" among the
shavings in one of the temporary shops near
the works. They had some trouble in get
ting the fellow aroused, and more in trying to
make him comprehend where he was, OF
rather that he was not in a place where he
legitimately belonged.
1t was determined by the men who found
the boozy party that they would give him
such fright that he would never again ven
turc within mile of the works. Therefore
they told their man that they had positive Or
ders to kill any person found about the works
after dark They said it was thing they
didn't like to do, but the works had lately
been destroyed by fire and the company were
not in a humor to take any more chances
their orders were imperative.
The men tried to beg off, saying that he did
not know how he got into the shed, and
swearing by all that was good and bad he
meant no harm, but all would not do
He was seized and dragged some distance
up the hill toward the Masonic cemetery, to
q place in the open country where five or six
rifle cannon belonging to the Nevada Artil-
lcry have been standing since the day of the
fire. Two stout men then seized the trem-
bling ''snoozer,' and placing his head in
from, Of the muZzle Of one of the guns, told
him he had but three minutes to live, as they
were about to blow his head off.
Again the man begged for mercy, saying
that he had only taken drop too much and
;,,<C ,l>, l>, 1,,,
tainly without any evil intentions.
Said man who had taken his place at the
breech of the gun, and was taking some
any word to leave for wife, an old father
or mother, or any relative, you will do well
to make known your wishes
II reckon l amt got ary wife, or old IA
ther or mother, or anybody else as cares a
chaw of tObacker about me-"
''Well, but have you no dying wish, no dy-
ing request"
''Wall, now you talk. lIout l make re-
puest?'
''You may, and be quick about it Qighting
MATCH, as when | apply this match to the
touch-hole of this gun at goes your head.
You have request to mske:"
''Stranger, hev."
''Out with it then We can't fool with you
all night, when there may be other tire-bugs
prowling about the works.
Il kin hev my last request, then:'
''You can"
''You won't go back on me::''
"No."
"What ak you'll grant:''
''Don't l say SO? Let's hear your dying
request, or dab goes match into this powder
and off goes your head.'
'Well, then, as l have your word as gen.
tleman, my last and only desire is that you'll
put me at the other end Of the gun before yer
stick that match inter its touch-hole.'
TOO thin!' cried all hands. ''Good, but
too thin. You don't get off that way
"Oh, ho!' said the snooZer, ''You go back
on yer wurd, do yer? You don't know who
l am, reckon. You don't know you're pick
ed up Bill Slicer from the Muddy Fork of the
Mohican!' And suddenly shaking himself
free Of the hold Of the men who held his
arms, he reached down into the top of his
right boot and brought out a revolver nearly
as large as Gatling gun.
''Oh, ho!" cooking the formidable shoot
ing iron, ''go back on your word? 60 back
on my dyin' request? Now know the kind
of men I've got to deal with-infernal liars
and murderers!"
4Adil ulS opCCCu udu uOG UcCu COuCluuCu-
indeed, the pistol had hardly clicked-before
there was wild scattering of the little party
of practical jokers.
They ran behind the groups of cannon,
bounded over the cemetery fence toward the
shelter of the toombstones, and in short roll
ed and tumbled in all directions.
''Oh, no." cried old Bill, "why don't yer
stand by yer gun? Come out O. yer holes
You've got bigger gun nor have, but I've
got the most shots, and III give you fair
fight and die game. Wall, here's some for
you at random!" and old Bill let off couple
Of shots among the cannon and tombstones.
The jokers we're mighty glad when their
old snoozer ceased to rage about the spot and
took his way muttering toward the distant
lights of the town.