The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-06-21
TERROR NUMBER ONE.

6uu are presently seen walking up
and down the streets Of the frontier city,
or collecting on the corners to. hear the
latest news from the diggings and the
Weapects Of stiking q job. ~ sza ssszx
T. The other day when a wagon load of|
bull-heads was dumped out in Custer
City, as wagon-loads had been dumped
out every day before since grass started,
the FIRST man to welcome them to the in
FAINT city was chap:five feet high, and
weighing accordingly. There was blood
stain on his left check, scar on his right,
and he had fierce eyes, 4 voice like a:
roaring lion, and bad limp in one of
his legs. He was whiting out a tent
pin with a big bowic-knife as the wagon
drove up, and, pushing the knife down:
the back Of his neck, he lifted up Hen
ry rifle, ran his eye over the crowd, and
called out in an awful voice:
lis there anybody in that crowd look,
ing for Terror No. 1? Kase if there is,
here l am; and I'm just aching to be
shot full of bullets weighing pound
apiece!n + r,.,~> 81
No toncl. was looking for him. Some
looked at him and some looked across the
street on purpose not to see him, while
there was uniform movement toward
hip-pockets.
II didn't know but that some of you
might have come out here from New
York or Boston to plant me under the
sweet jessamine or the climbing morning.
glory" chuckled the Terror, as he rested
the butt of his rifle on the ground and
fished up q six shooter from his boot leg.
There were men from New York and
Boston in the party, but they didn't want
to bury anybody just then:
II don't own this town." continued the
Terror, as he laid his infant armorv
across the head Of a barrel. II don't own
foot of ground or a share in any of the
public buildings erected at the expense
of taxpayers, but when stand on Wash
ington Square and utter one yell, this
whole town quakes. I'm Terror No. 1.
There's one or two other Terrors around
here, but I'm the boss,-I'm the regular
death 's-head and cross bones of the Black
Hills region!'
Before he had ceased speaking most of
the newcomers had disappeared, some
looking pale and anxious, and others
feeling shivcrs race up and down their
back.
An hour later, when party of five
strangers from New England were max
ing the acquaintance of the internal bev-
erages on sale in one of the shanty
saloons, and at the same time pumping
the proprietor about prospects, in walked
the Terror. He looked as fierce as cat
amount cheated out Of her dessert, and
there was IN awful growl in his voice as
he called out:
"Five o'clock by Omaha time, and
haven't killed or been killed the whole
day<1ongl Turn loose your pet grizzlies,
unhitch your whirlwinds, and let dozen
wild lions come for me at oncew
"Take something to drink, my good
friend," mildly replied the saloonist.
You are always welcome here, but you
don't drop in often enough. Don't be
afraid to pour out all you WANT,
ITO tell the truth, Steye," said the Ter
;ror, Ashe poured out nearly half a. pint of
the worst whisky ever made,"1 came in
here to kill some one but you are white
man clear down to your toc-nails, and I
won't raise no row. That's good whisky,
that is, and if you want any one in Custer
City put under ground, just give me his
name. Can you think of any one?"
The saloon:keeper reflected for: mo-
ment, as he slowly wiped off his bar with
an old calico apron, and finally he re-
piled: -: T. ''":
f"No; don't think of. any one lust now
but something will probably turn up in a
= day Or two. Any time you feel thirsty
come in and help yourself"
One Of the five men had formerly been
molder in Troy stove.foundry. and he
had been closely watching the Terror. All
of . sudden he"held out his hand for q
shake, cheerfully observing:
"1W bet 100 to i that ne used to work
board, and room together"
The Terror reached out his hand, close
ly scanned the holders face, and after a
moment he said to the whole five:
Gentlemen, come out doors and take
seats on the bench. begin to know this
man, and don't want to answer any
questions in here"
"Well, but am surprised to find vol,
out here, and rugged up in this style.
remarked the molder, tassthe men found
seats. r. = i -
: a'ttsoayousmay be- slowlyareplied sjthe
Terror. "When worked in Troy there
wasn't man or boy about the shop who
couldn't make me eat dirt. was one o.
the biggest towards .eastsof Chicago, anc
now I'm one of the biggest west Of tha
town. l own ight up, because l know
you won't 90 back on me. I might. fgh
II was concerned buff there swas -,
chance to run or crawl out 1 wouldn,
strike blow.
But you talk very brave" said one
And it's all talk" replied the Terror
he picked his teeth with his bowie
nife. II foated out here from. Chicago
! GOT ~ asrat, and tie 'bikkest coward II
hewhole train Ifluck hadn't favored
should have been under the sod LONG
go. I've got an awful voice, and I car
soqok as ugly ass ? bear in a trap ;,aud
'omehow or other the story got afloat that
killed two men in Chicago, was res.
ued from the gallows by mob, and
that had come out here to escape JUS
ice; r. Msn grew afraid Of me, and i soon
got thee i determined to become .
Terror in order to make an honest LIVING.
and:lAo. gothic thing right down fine" o
land you, are not fighter, and a
81 ooter, and ;slasher?" - .ssf>j ,,.,,~sorf
"Gentlemcn, its kind 8 n mean b for r:>, =
ma to run his own character down. but.
to b e honest about it, I don't suppose
Their is man in Custer Civ Who
coul dnt wollop rnntessinside St sdne minute e
by the watch. Il, 60; around simply to
mske.ss a'show. # that sal Don keeper had
roach ed Gutter me, you'd have seen me