Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-11-15
SOME TALL STORIES.
aas%,"isssrsss sSr q .Ss Ss'sesn's hs
dv'-horacoC oCreelev'e Title Joke

dy"-horacoc creeley'e Little Joke.
Jay Charlton, the New York cor
respondent of the Danbury News,
speaking of "Gabriel Conroy" and
the author, says: "Bret Harte really
owes little to California. He never
made his pile there. After it had re-
fused to make him wealthy, he panned
out from himself some sketches and
poems that did more for the glory of
California than California ever did
for him. l have heard him express
the same aversion to California that
he expresses in his book. He is per-
sonally not a popular man but l have
always liked him. His conversation
is as good as his writing. He once
told me that at certain time he was
in an inland valley, where sunset had
taken to n tavern a number Of strag-
Cling travellers, of whom he was one.
In a corner sat little man with his
head bowed upon his hands in mel
ancholy meditation. Men were sit
ting around and playing cards and
drinking, when suddenly there rose
tall strong stranger, who, folding
his arms, roared:
81 am the man from the noun
tains r
There were no responses. This
was challenge to fight. There was
fl isht in the air. Again he said, with
words of emphatic intent:
IL am the man from the noun
tainsw
He got no takers. The affair be-
came very impressive, and tho mans
manner became more and more OBJ
trusive. Suddenly the little fellow
who had been sitting quietly with
bowed head in the corner, softly rose,
and in subdued but earnest tones, ut
tered:
"And-I--am-t the--man from
the-valley!'
The big bully looked at him mo-
ment, and then lit out.
This reminds me of a story told me
by General John Goshwilder, one Of
the leading capitalists Of California,
and one of the really good fellows of
that State. One day in the early
times he was standing in pioneer
shanty saloon in company with a
great, big fighter, who was the terror
Of the camp and town. There was
nothing that this giant could not
whip, and very little that he had not
whipped. This big fellow was sitting
near the bar when stranger entered.
He was q newcomer in town. He
was not more than 25, slcndcrly built,
pale, with big eyes, delicate features,
and hand like a girl. He stepped
quietly up to the bar and asked for q
glass of brandy. The glass was
placed before him, whereupon the
bully rose from his chair, put his big
brawny hand in front of the young
stca, took the brandy and drank Il
The young man said nothing. but
quietly laid down four bits, and said
"Giyo me another glass Of brandy
The brandy was put out, the glass
was filled, and the bully again reach
ed forward, took tho brandy and
drank it. The youngster put four
bits oh the counter and said, easily
| "Givc me taco glasses Of brandy"
The two glasses were put out, fill
cd, and the bully the third time
reached forward, took a glass ant
drank it. The young man paid no at
tcntion even to the giants pistols and
knives, but taking the other glass
drank it and put down dollar
Then, with easy manner, he loft thu
bar for the door, walked five or 81,
steps, turned like fash of lightning
and shot the bully through the heart
As he walked out Of the door he sait
to one of the bystanders:
"That fellow might have hur
somebody, yet