The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-08-29
KANSAS BILL ON GUARD.
How He Cleared n Platform When He was
Under Orders.

Under Orders.
The Chicago Times, in an account of
the strike, Y When one of the hand
ordered to keep the crowd off the plat
form at one of the depots the other day,
he doubtless thought It was about as
easy and, peaceful a duty as q soldier
could be called upon to perform. Keep
ing the crowd off the PLATFORM Pshaw,
what was easier? And the young war
rior praneed proudly to the placed assign
ed him, and grasping his gun firmly, to
call general attention to the dangerous
weapon, said: CHOW, stand back, gentle
men,"
A crowd, no matter how peaceably in
| clined its component members may be,
lis q rude, impolite, unfeelng thing.
Friction produces irritation. The most
amiable man in the world is generally a
selfish brute ina crowd. This crowd was
as obnoxious as any crowd aver is. It
failed in the most exasperating manner
to appreciate the dignity of the young
soldiers position. It absolutely seemed
to lose sight of the fact that he was there
at.all. It punched his elbows into his
ribs. It trod on his toes. It got him
somehow inextricably mixed u with.his
gun and cross-belt and cartridge box.
He couldn't tell exactly which was which.
As long as he couldn't keep off the crowd
he wished from the deepest depths of his
heart that the crowd would keel off him.
Once in awhile a piping voice could be
heard coming somewhere from the strug-
Cling mass of heads, elbows and shoulders
saying: "Now, gentlemen, you must
stand back I've got orders to keep You
back" =
The train on which were the regulars,
whom thOcrowd was waiting to, see, ar
rived just as the big bunion on the SOL
dier's left foot had exploded under a
crushing pressure, and Just as he was
contemplating the expediency of trying
the effect ola shot into the crowd.
The hardy, sun bronzed veterans fled
off the train and fell into line with mill
tary despatch and precision. "The
men there don't seem to mind your guard
much" said the captain to one of the
oficers7of road. "No," the latter re-
sponded reluctantly. Il
"Send Kansas Bill here" said the
captain ofthe regulars to an orderly.
"Kansas Bill" a big mountain hard
'ened Indian fighter, with tawny, stray
Cling beard and long yellowlocks, a la
poets of. the Sierras, came forward a
moment afterward and touched his cap.
= "Bin."
"Ydas sir," with another touch Of his
cap.
"Bill, go up there and keep the crowd
off the platform"
"Yaas, sir"
Kansas Bill hitched up his breeches,
whipped out a bayonet from its sheath
and fastened it on his gun with more
racket than a company of militia could
make.
Kansas Bill had been used to rough
ways. He had fought Indians out West
SO long that he had forgotten all the soft
ways he ever knew, if, indeed, he ever
knew any. He didn't say, "Now, gen.
tlemen, move off," Oh, no. He said,
in a coarse, uncultured voice, Sect out
O. here, get O. here, get out O. here, or
I'll grease my sticker with ye. Do ye
hear, now? Take that, take that" and
during these CALCULATIONS began swinging
that bhyonet around in such a wild and
utterly reckless manner that the mob
rapidly made way for him. Then he
turned around and gave several depart
ing loafers q savage prod. Then he
grabbed his gun by the stock, brought
it to q right-shoulder shift, and when he
had finished this performance, he shifted
his quid to the other side of his mouth,
expectorated gleefully, and had the en-
tire platform to himself.